🛥️ Nuuk Fjord boat tour

Nuuk Fjord Sightseeing Boat Tour: 2 hours among mountains, islands and ice

The simplest way to see Nuuk Fjord from the water: a small heated boat, a local captain and no more than six guests. Price, route, meeting point, what to wear, and how it compares with the other boat trips from Nuuk.

⏱️ 2 hours👥 Max. 6 guests↩️ Free cancellation

⚡ Short answer

A 2-hour scenic cruise from Nuuk Harbour into Nuuk Fjord on a closed, heated boat, for at most six people. You see Sermitsiaq, small islands, waterfalls and seasonal ice, with light commentary from a local captain. No food, fishing or pickup.

• Price 💶 from €506 per person
• Meeting point 📍 Tide Water Steps
• Language 🗣️ English
• Cancellation ↩️ free up to 24 h

Check dates and prices 🎫

From Nuuk’s harbour the fjord looks like a wide bay with a mountain on the far side. Ten minutes out on a boat, the town is a strip of coloured houses behind you and the water opens into long channels between bare rock, with ice drifting past and the 1,210-metre face of Sermitsiaq rising straight out of the sea. The Nuuk Fjord Sightseeing Boat Tour is the shortest and simplest way to see this: two hours, a small boat with a local captain, and nothing else on the programme. This page explains what you see, what it costs, where to meet, what to wear, and when a different trip suits you better.

What is the Nuuk Fjord Sightseeing Boat Tour?

In short: a 2-hour scenic boat trip from Nuuk Harbour into the surrounding fjord, run by the local company Meaningful Travels Greenland and sold on GetYourGuide. A captain drives the boat and adds a little commentary; the rest of the time is for looking and taking photos.

Nuuk sits at the mouth of Nuup Kangerlua, the Nuuk Fjord, which runs more than 100 km inland and branches into side arms towards the ice sheet. You can’t drive along it, and there is no path along its shores; the only way in is by boat. This tour takes the short version: two hours out from the harbour, through the channels and around the islands nearest the city, and back. There is no meal, no fishing and no landing. The listing describes it as intentionally simple, and that is the reason to choose it: you spend the whole time on the water, looking at the fjord.

Groups are limited to six people, so you get a seat by the window and space on deck for photos. The captain is local, knows the water and the weather, and talks about the landscape and life around the fjord in English. If you want food, fishing or a longer day, Nuuk has other boat trips; they are compared further down.

What will you see on the tour?

In short: Sermitsiaq from the water, steep mountains and rocky coastline, small uninhabited islands, waterfalls in the warmer months, and seasonal ice drifting down the fjord. Seals, seabirds and sometimes whales appear, but nothing is guaranteed.

Sermitsiaq is the mountain on Nuuk’s skyline, across the water from the city. From town you see it from a distance; from the boat you pass below its cliffs and see how it drops into the sea.

Islands and coastline. The water around Nuuk is full of low, rounded islands of grey rock polished by old glaciers, with no houses on most of them. Between them run narrow channels where the captain can slow down and bring the boat close to the rock.

Waterfalls and ice. In late spring and summer, meltwater pours off the mountainsides in thin waterfalls. Ice from the glaciers deeper in the fjord drifts towards the sea, from small floating chunks to icebergs the size of a house, depending on the season and the currents. One verified guest wrote that the captain steered them through the icebergs and fjord channels, which is the part of the trip people tend to remember.

Wildlife. Seals often rest on rocks or pop up near the boat, and seabirds are common. Humpback whales come into the fjord to feed, mostly from summer into autumn, and sometimes surface close to tour boats. The operator states clearly that wildlife sightings can’t be guaranteed. For the best whale odds, see our whale watching in Nuuk page.

The route changes: the captain decides on the day where to go, based on wind, waves, visibility and ice. On a calm day you may go further and closer to the ice; on a windy one the boat stays in sheltered water. Our homepage has an animated version of a typical route.

How the two hours go

You meet the captain at the harbour, get a short safety briefing and find a seat. The first part of the trip takes you out of the harbour and past the edge of the city, with the old town and the newer apartment blocks on the shore. Within a quarter of an hour, Nuuk is behind you and the boat heads into the channels between the islands, towards Sermitsiaq. The middle hour is the open fjord: the captain slows down for ice, waterfalls or animals, and you can step outside for photos. On the way back, the city comes into view again in front of the mountains, which is one of the best views of Nuuk you can get. The exact order depends on the route the captain picks that day, and there are no stops on land, so use the toilet before you board.

What’s included and what isn’t

Bring a snack and a drink if you want one; there is nothing for sale on board. Fishing isn’t allowed on this tour, so if you’d like to fish, book the Arctic fishing trip instead. Without pickup, you make your own way to the harbour, which takes a few minutes on foot from most hotels in the centre.

How much does the Nuuk Fjord boat tour cost?

In short: from about €506 per person. With a maximum of six guests, a full group pays around €3,000 in total. Pick your group size below to see the estimate. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before.

For a two-hour trip, the price is high, and it surprises most first-time visitors. It reflects what everything costs in Greenland: boats, fuel, insurance and safety equipment all have to be shipped in, the season is short, and a boat that carries six people at most has to cover its costs with few tickets. Seen against the other tours in Nuuk, it is in the middle of the range: the city walks start at about €241, the longer cruises at €702 and €857. The one guest review so far makes the same point: the price is high, as everything is in Greenland, but the guest called the trip a must in Nuuk.

How does it compare with other boat trips from Nuuk?

In short: this is the shortest boat trip and the only one without extras. The picnic cruise adds food and goes further in 3.5 hours; the fishing trip adds rods and bait; the Paamiut tour runs from a different town. If you’d rather stay on land, two city tours give you fjord views for less.

The detailed comparison of all three is on our Nuuk Fjord boat tours page, and every bookable tour in the country is on Greenland tours and tickets.

Is the Nuuk Fjord Sightseeing Boat Tour worth it?

In short: yes, if you have one day in Nuuk and want to see the fjord, which is the main reason most people come. Choose another trip if you want a meal on board, want to fish, prefer a private boat, or get seasick easily.

The tour is new on GetYourGuide and has one verified review so far, rated 5 out of 5. The guest, from Spain, wrote that the local captain was knowledgeable, friendly and fun, and that steering through the icebergs and channels made the trip. One review is a small sample, so judge the tour also by what it offers: a small group, a heated boat, two hours in the fjord and a flexible cancellation policy.

Where does the boat tour start?

In short: at the Tide Water Steps in Nuuk Harbour, near Naalagaasat. Arrive at least 10 minutes before departure. Cruise passengers can walk there from the port area in about five minutes.

The GetYourGuide listing includes a map link to the exact spot. From the city centre and most hotels, it is a short walk downhill towards the water; take a taxi if you are coming from Nuussuaq or Qinngorput. The boat leaves on time, so allow a few extra minutes, especially in winter when pavements are icy.

If you are arriving on a cruise ship, the steps are a short walk from where passengers come ashore. Book a start time that gets you back at least an hour before all-aboard, because the ship won’t wait for a private tour. More tips are on our Nuuk for cruise passengers page.

When is the best time for a Nuuk Fjord boat tour?

In short: June to September has the most departures, the most daylight and the calmest weather. Waterfalls are strongest in early summer; whales are most likely from summer into autumn. In winter the tour runs only on calm days and in the few hours of daylight.

Time of day matters less than the weather. In summer, a late departure gives long golden light, because the sun stays up until late in the evening. Book the tour for the first or second day of your stay in Nuuk: if wind cancels it, you still have time to rebook. For month-by-month details, see best time to visit Greenland.

What to wear and bring

The operator warns that it can feel much colder on the water than in town, even in summer, and recommends warm layers. The cabin is heated, but you will want to go out on deck for the best views and photos, and the wind out there cuts through a light jacket in minutes.

Our what to wear in Greenland page has full packing lists by season.

What happens if the weather is bad?

In short: the tour only runs in safe sea and weather conditions. If the operator cancels because conditions are unsafe, you get a full refund. You can also cancel yourself free of charge up to 24 hours before the start.

Weather in Nuuk changes quickly, and wind is the main reason boat trips are cancelled. Light rain or low cloud usually doesn’t stop the tour; it changes the view, with mist hanging on the mountains and the fjord turning grey and silver. Strong wind, high waves, fog that blocks visibility, or heavy ice can. The captain makes the call on the day, and the operator contacts you if the trip can’t go ahead.

Because of the “reserve now and pay later” option, you can hold a seat without paying straight away, which is useful if your plans in Greenland depend on flights. Check the exact deadline for payment and cancellation in your booking confirmation.

Accessibility: the tour is not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for people with mobility impairments or people prone to seasickness. The city tour by car reaches viewpoints over the fjord from land.

Photography tips for the fjord

With only six people on board, you can move between the cabin and the deck to change angles. Go out on deck when the captain slows near ice or cliffs, and keep your phone or camera on a strap: a dropped phone in the fjord is gone. Shoot icebergs with something in the frame for scale, such as a bird, a rock or the edge of the boat, or they will look small in the photo. Ice looks bluest under a cloudy sky and on its shaded side. Look back towards Nuuk on the return, when the city appears in front of the mountains. Wipe salt spray off the lens regularly, and keep a spare battery in an inside pocket.

For photos on land, the Hidden Gems Scenic Drive takes you to viewpoints over the fjord and Sermitsiaq. The rest of the city’s sights are in our things to do in Nuuk guide; a fjord trip in the afternoon pairs well with the walking tour with the National Museum in the morning.

Questions about the Nuuk Fjord Sightseeing Boat Tour

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