When to go · Ilulissat
Ilulissat in January
Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Nov–Jan (dark, cold, limited tours); May and Oct–Nov shoulder weeks when sea ice and weather cancel boats.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Avoid
- Temperature
- −13°C9°F / −20°C−4°F
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 8
- Crowds
- Low
- Greenland overall
- Prices
- Low
- Greenland overall
Verdict
Listed as a month to avoid: Nov–Jan (dark, cold, limited tours); May and Oct–Nov shoulder weeks when sea ice and weather cancel boats.
Weather in January
- IlulissatHighs around -13 °C, lows around -20 °C, rain on about 8 daysHighs around 9 °F, lows around −4 °F, rain on about 8 days
- Disko Bay, Greenland · Ilulissat, Qeqertarsuaq, Aasiaatcool
North of the Arctic Circle: midnight sun late May to late July, polar night in December; March–April for sledding with light.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Return of the sun (Ilulissat and the north)
Mid-January (varies by town) · Greenland
Local celebrations when the sun first rises after the polar night.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Greenland overall
- Low
- Prices · Greenland overall
- Low
Greenland overall: Dark and cold; sun returns to Ilulissat in mid-January. Northern lights in Kangerlussuaq.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket