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Ilulissat Icefjord

The ice fjord and the glacier at Ilulissat make up a world-class area of outstanding natural beauty, as a result of which the fjord was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2004.One thing is official lists, however, quite another is a wish list of places that you love and would be happy to return to again and again.Ilulissat and the surrounding region rich in ice also feature high up on this list.Thousands of visitors travel to Ilulissat every year in order to satisfy themselves at first hand that this natural phenomenon is indeed world class.What makes the location so magnificent is Sermeq Kujalleq, the biggest glacier and biggest ice stream outside Antarctica.Here you'll find a very unusual ice flow, a huge ice fjord and enormous icebergs.

Greenland Adventure Race

On the first stage, which is only 20 kilometres long, the competitors run over a glacier before crossing a river of melt water.The stage also includes rappelling.The second stage consists of 50 km (31 miles) of mountain biking, where this robust bike is really put through its paces.The third stage is regarded as being the hardest.The run, which ends in the town of Narsaq, has a length corresponding to just over a marathon distance namely 43 kilometres (27 miles) and the route includes several mountain passes at heights of almost 1000 metres (3300 feet).

Arctic Midnight Orienteering

The Arctic Midnight Orienteering usually takes place in the end of June with an introductory race that aims to prepare the runners for the special Arctic terrain.The following day the unofficial Greenlandic championship in orienteering is held.Finally, the Arctic Midnight Orienteering race starts in the end of June at midnight and is run in the light of the midnight sun.The race has a distance of 20 kilometres (12.5 miles), but can also be tackled on routes of 15, 10 and 5 kilometres (9.375, 6.25 and 3.125 miles respectively).Arctic Midnight Orienteering is both an Arctic championship and the unofficial Greenlandic championship in orienteering that is held at Ilulissat at Disko Bay in North Greenland. The race takes place close to the UNESCO conservation area of Ilulissat Icefjord, which is famous for its gigantic icebergs.

Arctic Palerfik

Take part in the year's last dogsled trip, which can also be regarded as a three-day farewell to the white Arctic winter.This dogsled trip is a long-standing tradition in Ilulissat and follows the route which Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen used as a training ground prior to his long expeditions in Greenland.The harsh Arctic sun beats down for 16 hours a day during this period, and the reflections from the ice and snow are very strong.It is therefore no coincidence that the trip is called 'Palerfik', which means "the place where you will get sunburnt".So do not forget your sunglasses and plenty of sunblock.

Hiking Trails

The Greenlandic nature provides magnificent hiking experiences in an almost untouched landscape.In most areas of the country you do not need to walk very far before you can enjoy the deafening silence and the sight of wide open spaces.Greenland is therefore a very popular hiking country for people who love the great outdoors.Hikes lasting a day are a good option if you wish to see particular settlements close to the town that you are visiting.An example of this is Oqaatsut/Rodebay, which lies approximately 7-8 hours from Ilulissat.In Oqaatsut you can book overnight accommodation in a cabin and thereby sleep on a comfortable mattress instead of a sleeping mat in a tent.

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