Index
Day 1: Layover
Day 2: EWR-GOH inaugural
Day 3: Ilulissat
Day 4: Kangerlussuaq
Day 5: Nuuk
Day 6: Sisimiut
Day 7: Sisimiut
Day 8: Nuuk
Day 9: National Day
Day 10: Return
Greenland
Morning of urban exploration in Ilulissat before heading to Kangerlussauq. Nuuk is the largest city in Greenland at just over 20,000 (circa 2025), while the two second-largest towns/cities, Ilulissat and Sisimiut, are right around 5,000... so can't expect too too much here in Ilulissat, but the food and beverage expert in the group, Scott, still wanted to check out Akiki, Spar, and whatnot.
I think I preferred yesterday's lunch to Hangout Bistro, but Hangout Bistro has a well-lit space and leans heavily into the fact that a lot of their visitors are international, which is kind of cool. The ammassat pizza was pretty meh (too much cheddar?), but it worked as a more casual lunch spot than, say, the Hotel Hvide Falk, before running up to the airport.
Big part of the reason for the one night in Ilulissat was because of the non-stop from Ilulissat to Kangerlussauq today. Scott's number one priority on his visit to Greenland was to walk on a glacier, and it turns out Point 660 in Kangerlussauq was literally the only place in Greenland that would work with his quick four-night trip. We made it to Kangerlussauq after a mild bit of weather delays, checked in to the hostel right next to the airport (affectionately named Old Camp), and then wondered where the heck our tour was. Luckily some locals driving by were able to flag down an employee at Old Camp, and they were able to reach our guide-- turns out the tour company owner had told the guide the tour was canceled due to bad weather (aka: we couldn't fly in?), so good thing we found some help!
Arctic Ice Tours was the only operator (out of four) that got back to me that would do a custom tour given the late arrival to Kangerlussauq, they picked us up and it was maybe a 75 minute drive going there? You can see the glaciers marking the edge of the ice sheet long before you actually get to Point 660 (Russell Glacier?), and per the guide, Volkswagen actually originally built this ~40km road to the glacier as a vehicle testing road. You pass a post-World War 2 plane crash site, some beautiful landscapes with occasional bits of wildlife, and finally a rougher and more muddy final approach to the ice sheet.
The terminus of the glacier, especially in summer, is covered in dirt, and apparently it's a bit of a hike to get to pure white snow. The hike itself starts out as the road ends on dirt and boulders, with a random odd piece of construction equipment from a local tour company who is convinced they will work on the road again. Tourists on a quick Point 660 hike don't get to hike out past the dirt, but for those who have never been on a glacier, it's still a worthwhile experience. Just be prepared for glacier winds making it a good bit cooler than you might expect, and know that your guide should have microspikes to slip over your shoes. Bring an empty water bottle as well to top up on some glacier water on the way, too.
As far as Old Camp, it's a hostel. It works. They have a basic breakfast. Rooms are tiny, next time don't be cheap, everyone book their own room.