1. Introduction

Greenland is one of the “must visit places” in one’s lifetime. The reasons that most people would hesitate about going are the prohibitive prices and the cold. Another main reason is also that some people do not have sea legs.

In July 2018, we chartered a yacht to take us around the vast expense of the Disko Bay. We have also explored new ways to enjoy the splendours of Greenland with two main considerations, firstly is limiting of boat cruising hours and pricing.

The pricing for this trip has been reduced by about 30% from our last yachting trip and we are staying ON land not on the yacht.

2. Hotel/Guesthouse Stay

We have booked two complete units, the Red and Blue House at Ilulissat Guesthouse. You can see the link to this place Ilulissat Guesthouse. This place is clean, homely, and comfortable and is situated near Ilulissat Town. It has very good reviews from people who have stayed there before.

3. Boat Cruises

In total we will have 4 short boat cruises of not more than 4 hours each. Two of the cruises are to a small village in Rodebay and also Ilimanaq. The other two evening cruises are around Disko Bay to hunt for Icebergs and whales. The sea around Disko Bay was relatively calm when we were there.

4. Visit to Icefjord – UNESCO Heritage Site

Ilulissat Icefjord is situated at the mouth of Sermeq Kujalleq. It is one of the glaciers through which the Greenland ice cap reaches the sea. Sermeq Kujalieq is one of fastest flowing glacier at 19m per day. It produces 35km³ of ice annually, more than any other Greenland calf ice outside Antarctica. The moving and calving of the ice is a sight to behold. It is now classified under the World UNESCO Heritage site.

5. Aurora Borealis

Ilulissat is considered as one of the best places in the world to see aurora borealis. This place provides one of the longest window to see this awesome natural phenomena. Aurora spotting season begins in autumn, from September to April. September is early autumn and the temperatures are still hovering above the zeros.

6. Suggested Flights to Ilulissat

There are two ways that you can reach Ilulissat. One is from Copenhagen and the other is through Reykjavik, Iceland. You can either take the flight to Iceland and have a combo trip with this Greenland Trip or fly via Copenhagen and stay a few days there. Our Guide Miss Nora is keen in guiding you around Iceland. She has visited this place on 3 occasions.

Greenland Air flies from Copenhagen and Reykjavik to Ilulissat.

 

1. What to Bring?

            Camera Gear

• DSLR camera with tripod and remote shutter release.
• Ultra-wide angle zooms eg 17-40mm
• Medium zoom – 24-70mm
• Telephoto 70-200, 300mm with 1.5 tele-converter, or 500 – 600mm telephoto lens for wildlife and bird photography (optional)

2. Warm Clothing

• Weather should be around +8 to -5⁰ C in the daytime and +5 to -15⁰ C at night
• Thermal long john, down jacket, outer waterproof and windproof jacket
• Waterproof pants
• Boots with fleece lining if possible, otherwise wear winter socks.

Other Considerations

3. Trip Difficulty

Easy, there are no mountains to climb. Just be prepared for the cold weather. However, be prepared for seasickness for those who have suffered motion sickness before. Please refer to your doctor for some motion sickness pills.

4. Meals

We will only provide breakfast and one meal with an Inuit family. All other meals will be on your own. There are many restaurants and cafes in Ilulissat. An average meal is about €10-15. There is a well-stocked Supermarket and many small grocery shops in the town. The prices of food sold at the Supermarket are very reasonable. Surprisingly, it is slightly more expensive than the prices of similar products sold in Kuala Lumpur. You can prepare your own light meals.

5. Visas

As of now, Malaysians and Singaporeans do not need a Visa to visit Greenland. For participants from other countries, please check if a Visa is required.

Itinerary

20^th Sept 2019 – Day 1

• Meet at Ilulissat Airport
• Transfer to hotel to check-in
• Afternoon rest
• Ilulissat town walkabout
• Dinner at nearby restaurant
• Briefing on the itinerary

21^st Sept 2019 – Day 2

• Breakfast
• Excursion to the Icefjord, the World Heritage Site (2km – easy walk)
• Lunch
• Afternoon rest
• Dinner
• Evening boat cruise around Disko Bay in search of Icebergs and whales

22^nd Sept 2019 – Day 3.

• Late breakfast.
• Boat cruise to Rodebay for Inuit model shooting
• Local meal prepared an Inuit family. It’s home cooking Inuit style.
• Back to Ilulissat
• Dinner
• Aurora hunting

23^rd Sept 2019 – Day 4

• Late breakfast
• Day workshop on post-production in Photoshop and Lightroom editors.
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• Afternoon Rest.
• Dinner
• Evening boat cruise around Disko Bay

24^th Sept 2019 – Day 5.

• Late breakfast
• Boat cruise to Ilimanaq, a local village situated near Eastern shore of Disko Bay to witness the daily life of Inuit’s.
• Back to Ilulissat
• Dinner
• Aurora hunting

25^th Sept 2019 – Day 6.

• Breakfast
• Transfer to Airport
• End of trip

If you are interested in this trip, please contact Maxby at [email protected]

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