2019.6.30

There are two hiking routes along the Ilulissat Fjord: the blue and yellow trails. The trail is right next to the city, with floating icebergs on one side — walking alongside giants. These are the most recommended hiking routes in Ilulissat.

We returned to our hotel in Ilulissat around 5 PM. My plan for today was to complete a loop on the yellow trail. Since it wouldn’t get dark anyway, I had plenty of time. The yellow trail starts at a power plant. After leaving the main road, it didn’t take long to spot the trailhead sign. The yellow trail is only 2.7 km long, but in reality, there are ups and downs in the hills, occasional deviations from the marked route, and walking back to the hotel, making the total distance longer. However, the trail has little elevation gain and is quite easy.

After climbing a short wooden ladder, the trail continues over large, exposed granite boulders. The slope is not steep, but there is no defined path, so occasionally, I had to use my hands for support. Looking back from a high point, I could see the city by the sea, still covered by a vast layer of dark clouds.

Moving forward and climbing higher, I gradually saw massive icebergs floating on the sea. This is where the fjord opens into Disko Bay.

Suddenly, I heard a few bursts of air. I quickly climbed to a higher vantage point and saw two humpback whales swimming near the fjord entrance. Sometimes they lifted their tails before diving, sometimes they floated on the surface, releasing jets of mist. Sitting on a large rock, I was completely alone, surrounded by silence, except for the whales’ exhalations, the sound of their tails splashing in the water, and the gentle wind. In the distance, a speedboat was approaching, likely there to admire the icebergs and track the whales.

Making a turn around the cape into the bay, I saw icebergs stretching endlessly into the horizon. I wondered where else in the world I could witness such a scene. Majestic mountains are found everywhere, and large glaciers are common in high latitudes, but here, enormous icebergs are packed tightly within a fjord only a few kilometers wide. Some icebergs are one or two kilometers long. If they weren’t wedged together, the water between them would still be covered with floating ice — probably fragments from their collisions.

There were a few hikers scattered along the trail. In the photo below, you can see one person standing by the water, likely experiencing an even more breathtaking view from that angle. However, being too close to the water is risky. Icebergs occasionally collapse, sending waves toward the shore much faster than a person can run. I later witnessed an iceberg breaking apart and falling into the water — not too large, fortunately.

Geographically, Greenland belongs to the North American tectonic plate, but most of its plants originate from the European continent. Low-lying vegetation covers the exposed rocks, reaching only a few inches high. Many plants creep along the ground, yet some produce brightly colored flowers.

Continuing along the hillside, I saw the two humpback whales again, playing in the waters between the icebergs and the land.

Among the large boulders along the trail, pools of water formed, creating a Zen-like atmosphere. The scenery appeared as if filtered through a desaturated blue-green tint. Combined with the cool weather, any lingering restlessness faded away.

The rocks along the trail were marked with yellow paint, making it easy to navigate even when off-course.

The highest point of the yellow trail is near the end, offering a 360-degree panoramic view of both the fjord and the city. On the other side of the mountain, I could see a winding trail — it was the start of the blue route, which I planned to hike the next day.

Near the exit of the trail, I passed the Ilulissat cemetery. A little further, two signs stood, marking the starting points of both the yellow and blue trails.

By the time I returned to the hotel, it was just 7 PM — perfect for dinner after a fulfilling day of hiking across Disko Island in the morning and trekking Ilulissat’s yellow trail in the evening.

2019.6.30

Walking through the town of Qeqertarsuaq and continuing along the coastline, we reached the Kuannit trail. Since we had a boat to catch back to Ilulissat at noon, we started early and had the entire trail to ourselves. On one side of the town, there was a school with a soccer field. Looks like the soccer fields by the sea aren’t unique to Lofoten, Norway.

Crossing a small wooden bridge marked the edge of town. The trail was well-marked with yellow signs, some painted on large rocks, others made of stacked stones, making it easy to stay on track.

The hike to Kuannit is less than 4 km one way. The initial part of the trail was quite flat, surrounded by patches of wildflowers and occasional exposed volcanic rocks. Along the coast, waterfalls cascaded into the sea, and icebergs floated offshore.

As we neared our destination, the terrain became rugged and steep. Looking ahead, jagged rocks and ridges extended into the sea. The vegetation also changed dramatically — what had been mostly tundra plants suddenly became lush greenery, with shrubs growing taller than a person. In Greenlandic, “Kuannit” refers to a plant called Angelica, which grows abundantly here with its small white umbrella-shaped flowers. I later looked up its Chinese name and realized it was Bai Zhi (白芷).

By the coast, there was a massive rock formation composed of columnar basalt, some neatly parallel and others radiating outward — clearly the result of cooling volcanic lava. Unlike the rest of Greenland, Disko Island was formed by volcanic activity, and the nutrient-rich volcanic soil allows plants to thrive.

I attempted to climb up the hill to get around the large rock, but the dense shrubs made it impossible. On the way back, we encountered a guided tour group. Their guide mentioned an alternate route higher up the hill, which offered more to explore.

On the way back, near the wooden bridge, we had a panoramic view of Qeqertarsuaq. If one doesn’t want to hike all the way to Kuannit, there’s a smaller waterfall called Qorlortorsuaq nearby. Given more time, one could even hike up to the glacier at the mountain’s peak, where dog sledding is available in summer.

Back at the hotel, we still had time before departure. We wandered into a local supermarket and saw locals dressed in traditional attire. Greenland is vast, and clothing styles vary by region. Ilulissat and Disko Island belong to West Greenland, where the outfits are particularly colorful — vibrant jackets and shawls, seal-skin pants, and knee-high white boots adorned with intricate designs.

Just before departure, we were informed that our boat was delayed due to weather. After about 20 minutes, the hotel staff suddenly told us to hurry — it was time to board.

It was on a smaller speedboat that taking us back to Ilulissat. It cut the travel time from over four hours to just two. When we set off, near the coastline, we could see the Kuannit trail from the water. The scenery had changed completely — yesterday was clear and sunny, but now thick clouds loomed low over the sea.

Approaching Ilulissat, the boat slowed. Unlike yesterday, where only large icebergs dotted the sea, the water was now covered in small floating ice chunks — likely the weather issue we had been warned about. The captain navigated carefully, weaving through the ice until we finally reached Ilulissat’s harbor.

2019.6.29

We returned to the hotel at dinner time. The hotel’s restaurant was quite high-end. A small bay was just outside the window. It was around 6:30 PM, and the sun was shining brightly. While waiting for our meal, I went outside to take a few photos. Qeqertarsuaq was once the capital of northern Greenland, and these small cannons were probably used for defense.

Dinner was as exquisite as it had been in Ilulissat. In such a polar region, seafood was abundant, but fresh vegetables and fruits were extremely limited. A good restaurant had to rely on the freshness of ingredients and the art of plating to stand out.

Shortly after dinner started, the sky outside suddenly darkened as waves of fog rolled in, gradually enveloping the peninsula and covering the entire bay. It reminded me of our experience at Mount Rainier — one moment, the sun was shining brightly, and the next, thick fog set in and lingered for days.

After dinner, we took a stroll around the hotel, which was also the center of Qeqertarsuaq. A uniquely shaped church stood by the roadside, with a pointed roof, earning it the nickname “The Lord’s Ink Pot.” Not far away was the former governor’s house, now converted into a museum, though it was already closed at that hour.

Qeqertarsuaq is actually located on a very small peninsula on the southern part of Disko Island. A small bay extends into one side of the peninsula, making it a natural harbor. In the distance, icebergs floated on the sea. The sunlight was still able to pierce through the mist, illuminating the icebergs with a mysterious glow.

A small path on the south side of town leads to the southernmost point of Disko Island, a place called Udkiggen. I wanted to explore. Along the way, I passed an open area filled with abandoned machinery and piles of wood. It made me a bit uneasy, especially since it was already “nighttime” at 10 PM. The sky was dim, and there wasn’t a single person around. But beyond that area, the landscape turned back into a coastal tundra.

Following the planned route, I left the main road and headed toward the cape. The ground here consisted of exposed granite slabs, gray and white in color, covered with patches of black and green moss and lichen. Between the rocks, small shrubs and grasses grew sparsely. Walking on the rocks made the journey easier. I was alone, surrounded by a vast and desolate landscape.

The deeper I went, the harder the terrain became — large uneven rocks, waterlogged tundra. I only made it halfway before deciding to turn back. From the coastal side near the town, I could see the colorful houses typical of the Arctic, perched on bare rock. Some stood alone, while others clustered together. The people living there must be used to the sight of icebergs floating just outside their windows.

By the time I returned to town, it was already past 11 PM. Suddenly, a firework shot up into the sky, followed by the laughter of children. This was no Shangri-La, yet it still felt like a hidden paradise.

There are several theories about why people in the Arctic paint their houses in bright colors. One common belief is that red paint was cheap and durable, but this doesn’t explain why blue and yellow houses are also prevalent. Another theory suggests that different colors were used to indicate different professions or social statuses. Some say that in the harsh Arctic climate, with frequent snow storms, hunters returning home could easily spot their colorful houses from afar. In the end, there is no definitive answer.

2019.6.29

Today’s plan was to visit Disko Island and stay there for a night. Many travelers leaving from Ilulissat choose to visit the Eqi Glacier. We thought about it for a while but ultimately decided on Disko Island because we didn’t want to miss the Kuannit hiking trail.

When we booked our stay in Ilulissat, it was for several nights in a row. The Hotel Icefiord kindly waived the charge for one night after learning that we would be staying on Disko Island. To get there, we had to cross Disko Bay, with our boat departing at 11 a.m. In the morning, I took a short walk along the yellow trail near the glacier, where wildflowers were blooming along the path.

At 11 a.m., we boarded the boat at the harbor and realized it was the same one we had taken the night before to see the icebergs. Among the boats traveling between towns in Disko Bay, this one was relatively large but moved slowly. The trip to Qeqertarsuaq took about four hours.

The weather was nice today—the sea was calm, and the sky was clear and blue. There were fewer than ten passengers on board. My wife felt a bit seasick and lay down in the cabin to rest. I stood at the bow, enjoying the sea breeze as we passed by icebergs floating in the water. These icebergs had already drifted in the bay for some time and had melted quite a bit, making them smaller than the ones still stuck in the glacier. Each had a unique shape, and in the sunlight, they glowed with a soft blue color.

Disko Island is the largest island in Greenland apart from the main island. From a distance, we could already see its distinctive flat-topped mountains and the glaciers covering their peaks. The island has a small population of about a thousand people, most of whom live in Qeqertarsuaq. In the past, Greenland was divided into northern and southern regions, with Nuuk as the southern capital and Qeqertarsuaq as the northern capital. It wasn’t until 1940 that all governance was moved to Nuuk, and Disko Island’s administrative role became a thing of the past.

“Welcome to Disko island, you can disco all night!”

The hotel arranged a car to pick us up at the harbor, though the ride was only a few minutes. Hotel Disko Island is probably the only official hotel on the island and is located in what used to be the governor’s residence. The hotel is quite large, with rooms spread out across multiple buildings.

Qeqertarsuaq, whose name comes from the local Inuit language, is a town filled with colorful wooden houses. The hotel receptionist patiently repeated the pronunciation of “Qeqertarsuaq” for us, and we realized that it wasn’t as difficult as it looked—just reading it as it’s spelled was close enough.

The town is small, with only one supermarket, a small church, and maybe just one restaurant, located inside the hotel. We walked to the other side of town, where we found a café that also sold some food. Along the way, we could see icebergs floating in the sea. The sky was completely clear, but in just a few hours, the weather would change again, showing us a different side of this Arctic landscape.

2019.6.28

When we checked into the hotel, the front desk asked if we wanted to join the evening boat tour to see the icebergs. After checking the schedule, we found that tonight was the best option, so we decided to join on the spot. After dinner, around 9 PM, we gathered at the city’s visitor center. By nearly 10 PM, about thirty tourists had assembled, and the captain came over to invite us to board the boat.

From the visitor center, it was a short downhill walk of about 500 meters to the pier. Our boat was not very big and looked like a converted fishing vessel. At 10:10 PM, we left the port. Shortly after departure, we passed by our hotel, Hotel Icefiord. Hard to imagine, right? It was 10 PM, yet the sky was still bright.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

The boat sailed southward, slowly heading toward the mouth of the glacial fjord. The floating ice on the water gradually turned into massive icebergs. The actual glacier calving site was still 50 kilometers further inside the fjord, and even in the coming days, I would only see a small part of it. Ships are not allowed inside the fjord itself. Icebergs break off from the glacier and slowly drift toward the sea, typically taking one and a half to two years to reach the fjord’s exit and enter Disko Bay. Since the fjord’s exit is relatively narrow, large icebergs sometimes get jammed together, blocking the ones behind them. This makes the fjord very crowded with icebergs. These gigantic ice masses collide and squeeze together, and a small human boat would be instantly crushed.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

The glacier near Ilulissat is called Sermeq Kujalleq, which moves at a speed of up to 20 meters per day—much faster than other glaciers in Greenland. A fast-moving glacier also means a larger amount of ice breaks off. Sermeq Kujalleq is the largest glacier outside of Antarctica in terms of the total volume of icebergs calved each year. Some of the larger icebergs are one to two kilometers long. After exiting the fjord, they continue drifting out of Disko Bay. Pushed by ocean currents, most of them move northward, circle Baffin Bay, and then head south along the Canadian coast. Some even drift as far as the Bermuda Islands. It is speculated that the iceberg that sank the Titanic originated from here.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

The ranger on board introduced us to the history of Ilulissat and knowledge about glaciers. I previously didn’t know that icebergs could flip over, but it makes sense. As they melt and are eroded by seawater, their volume decreases unevenly. Once they reach a critical point, these massive structures can suddenly flip within minutes. The ranger said that since these icebergs float in the fjord and Disko Bay for up to two years, most of them flip at some point. That must be a spectacular sight, but unfortunately, we didn’t witness it.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

As midnight approached, the sun sank lower, casting a warm glow over the sky and icebergs. Standing on the deck felt increasingly cold, so we took turns going inside the cabin to warm up. The cabin was spacious enough to seat about twenty people comfortably.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

We returned to the port at 12:30 AM and arrived back at the hotel around 1 AM. Looking out from the window of our room, we saw the sun hovering just above the horizon. Ilulissat is located 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. At this time of year, in late June, it is the period of the midnight sun. The sun would soon rise again and would not set below the horizon until late July.

Midnight sailing, Ilulissat, Greenland

Midnight sun, Ilulissat, Greenland

2019.6.28

Speaking of the North, it’s natural to think of the line from “Game of Thrones” – “The North remembers!” The North that we experienced wasn’t as cruel and ruthless as it is portrayed in the show, but instead was equally remote and magnificent. So let’s use this line as the opening for these posts.

Just a few years ago, my knowledge of Greenland was limited to it being the world’s largest ice-covered island, with no idea that people lived there and that it was a place to visit. A colleague of mine grew up on Greenland, and he told me that from his doorstep, he could see a bay filled with floating icebergs, and that planted a seed in my mind. The Faroe Islands were even more unfamiliar to me, mentioned briefly in a geography textbook until I stumbled upon a photo of a waterfall flowing into the sea online. I vividly remember my amazement upon seeing that photo for the first time – there are places like this in the world! Then there were the lighthouses perched on cliffs, lakes floating on the sea, and I realized that the Faroe Islands were the latest paradise for photographers.

The itinerary was quite complex as we had to visit multiple places on two islands, with several layovers in Iceland. We had planned the trip almost a year prior, but decided to postpone it as we didn’t feel fully prepared and instead went to the Galapagos Islands the previous summer. Finally, in the summer of 2019, we were able to make the trip happen.

The direct flight from San Francisco to Iceland landed at Keflavik Airport at 6:30 am. The airport is located 50 kilometers from Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. The airport was newly built with brightly colored facilities. Since our flight to Ilulissat was not scheduled to depart until 10:15 am, we had plenty of time to have a breakfast. However, after we finished eating, we couldn’t find the next flight on the airport’s departure board. It was then that I realized that the flight to Ilulissat actually departed from Reykjavik Airport, not this airport named after the capital city, which is not Iceland’s main international airport.

Keflavík Airport, Iceland

The bus from the airport took about 50 minutes to reach Reykjavik Airport, and we still had plenty of time. Along the way, we saw Iceland’s otherworldly landscapes. Although Iceland wasn’t the main focus of this trip, we knew we would return to explore it further in the future!

Enroute to Reykjavik Airport, Iceland

It started to drizzle, which is probably the most common weather in Iceland. Reykjavik Airport was small, with only one waiting lounge and two boarding gates, but the travel advertisements on the walls of the waiting lounge were really exciting!

Reykjavik Airport, Iceland

Reykjavik Airport, Iceland

As the boarding time approached, we were taken to a small room to wait, but the plane had not arrived. It was chilly outside, but the room was exceptionally hot. We waited for about 40 minutes before we were finally able to board. The small propeller plane could hold around 20 people, similar to those flying from Athens to the Greek islands. The flight was over four hours long, and from the map, it seemed that Ilulissat was very close to Canada. If there were direct flights from Canada or the East Coast of the United States, it would have saved a lot of time.

Flight to Ilulissat, Reykjavik Airport, Iceland

Take a look at the place when the plane is about to land!

Landing in Ilulissat, Greenland

We stayed at Hotel Icefiord, which may not be as highly rated as Hotel Arctic, but it is closer to several famous hiking trails in Ilulissat and is also close to shops and restaurants in town, so we felt it was a better choice. The hotel sent a car to pick us up, and even before we entered the hotel, I couldn’t wait to take a few photos behind the hotel.

Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

It was already past lunchtime, but the hotel restaurant still had a small selection of dishes available. While waiting for the food, I went for a walk around the area. One of the characteristic features of guesthouses in Greenland are the brightly colored small houses. As I walked south from the hotel, I saw many of these houses built along the coast, and I took a photo of one of them by the roadside. In the foreground were wildflowers, while in the distance there were icebergs floating in the bay.

Near Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

It was unexpected that the food options at the hotel was quite nice. One set included fried cod and shrimp, while the other had smoked fish, lamb, and deer meat. Holding a glass of wine, walking along the wooden walkway outside the door, we could go all the way to the cliff by the sea. Although the sea breeze was chilly, the sunshine felt warm on our skin, and the boundless beautiful scenery was right in front of us.

Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

Ilulissat is located on the west coast of Greenland and, while not the capital, it is the most famous city in Greenland. This is mainly due to the nearby icefjord being designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. Ilulissat means “icebergs” in Greenlandic. Humans have inhabited Ilulissat for over 4,000 years, relying on fishing and hunting for their livelihoods. In recent decades, tourism has gradually become the main industry in the area.

In the afternoon, we took a walk along the sea on one side of the small town. Ilulissat is located at the deepest point of Disko Bay. There are many small towns around Disko Bay, some of which may only be called settlements, and residents travel between these cities by boat. Once out of the city, there are no roads between the cities of Greenland. There is a Zion Church facing the bay. The church was built in 1779 and is one of the oldest churches in Greenland, and also the most photogenic place in Ilulissat. In addition, we visited a small museum near the church.

Zion\'s Church, Ilulissat, Greenland

The Ilulissat Museum, Ilulissat, Greenland

The Ilulissat Museum, Ilulissat, Greenland

It is late June, the warmest season in Ilulissat, and the city is full of wildflowers in various colors, mostly red, yellow, and white. The most striking one is the cotton grass, also known as the Cotton Grass. Its flower is a white fluffy ball, mainly grown in the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and grows low in clusters, making it quite distinctive.

Zion\'s Church, Ilulissat, Greenland

The dinner at the hotel was very sumptuous, with fresh and beautifully cooked seafood. However, the day’s activities were not over yet. Ilulissat is located 300 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle, and at the end of June, it is the polar day in the northern hemisphere, with no sunset. Our tour has just begun.

Dinner at Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland

Dinner at Hotel Icefiord, Ilulissat, Greenland