Day 4: Ilulissat Town, Disko Island, Flyover of Greenland Ice Cap and Jakobshavn Glacier/Icefjord and Hike along the Icefjord

From Paul Bryers, August 20, 2025

This day was dedicated to exploring glaciers and ice formations near Ilulissat, Greenland.

We started early in the morning, entering the calm waters near Ilulissat and Disko Island, which were adorned with icebergs of various shapes and sizes.

Some whales quietly passed by..

And these guys cast judgement on us….

A select group of us, including myself, then embarked on a 60-minute fixed wing flight.

We witnessed:

– The tidal terminus of the Northern Glacier, measuring 17 km ( 11 miles) in width.

– The vast and seemingly endless Greenland Ice Cap. This cap goes from the West to the East Coast and the South to the North Coast. The Greenland ice cap or sheet is an ice sheet which forms the second largest body of ice in the world. It is an average of 1.67 km (1.0 mies) thick and over 3 km (1.9 miles) thick at its maximum. It is almost 2,900 km (1,800 miles) long in a north–south direction, with a maximum width of 1,100 km (680 miles) at a latitude of 77°N, near its northern edge.

Monstrous!

– The terminus of the Jakobshavn Glacier

– The Icefjord and open sea

It was an awe-inspiring experience.

The Jakobshavn Glacier holds the distinction of being the fastest-flowing glacier in Greenland. It terminates in the Icefjord. The glacier significantly contributes to global sea level rise, and its rapid speed, thinning, and retreat have made it a subject of intense scientific research. The fjord itself is a deep, glacially carved trough where enormous icebergs calve from the glacier’s terminus.

After the flight, a fellow guest and I embarked on a humble 6-mile hike along the Icefjord.