Updated May 2026

Ilulissat — Tour Base in Ilulissat, Greenland

Aurora over the UNESCO icefjord — Greenland's most photogenic Arctic combination.

★★★★★4.6· Editor's pick

Tour BaseMid-rangeDark sky 4/5

Ilulissat — aurora viewing site, hero photo — Photo: hotelarctic.com

Ilulissat sits on the western coast of Greenland at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that calves around 35 km³ of ice into Disko Bay every year. The aurora geometry is spectacular: aurora reflected in still water filled with cathedral-sized icebergs. The catch is coastal weather and short, expensive flights from Reykjavík or Copenhagen via Air Iceland Connect or Air Greenland.

Aurora season

Sep → Apr

Peak months

Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Latitude

69.22° N (65-70)

Dark-sky rating

4 / 5

Glass roof

Aurora alarm

Not provided

What to expect

Stay at Hotel Arctic for the trademark aluminum-igloo cabins on the bluff over the fjord. Tour operators run evening boat trips into the iceberg field. Combine with a day-flight to the Eqi glacier 80 km north.

Dark-sky notes

Bortle 3 in town. The Sermermiut hiking trail south of town reaches Bortle 2 within 30 minutes' walk.

Amenities & features

airportunesco icefjordaluminum igloosboat tourshotels

Book or research

For current rates, dates, and reservations, visit the property's own site:

Visit hotelarctic.com ↗

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to see the northern lights at Ilulissat?

Ilulissat has a viewing season of Sep → Apr, with peak months in Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. Dark sky is reliable here, so any moonless clear night during these months is a viable viewing window.

Where is the best aurora viewpoint here?

Bortle 3 in town. The Sermermiut hiking trail south of town reaches Bortle 2 within 30 minutes' walk.

How do I get to Ilulissat?

Ilulissat, Greenland. Ilulissat, 3952 Greenland. See hotelarctic.com for current access details and bookings. As a tour base, plan ahead — winter dates fill 6+ months in advance.