ILULISSAT ICEFJORD: SERMEQ KUJALLEQ

A natural wonder, this 40,240-hectare glacier, also known as Sermeq Kujalleq, lies east of Ilulissat, 250 kilometers above the Arctic Circle. It is one of the few glaciers where the ice cap reaches the sea. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, it is retreating at an average rate of 20 to 35 metres a day, and is the largest supplier of icebergs in the Northern Hemisphere. This makes it one of the fastest-growing and most active glaciers in the world. Its calving capacity is exceptional and exceeds that of any other glacier in the world, excluding Antarctica: every year, the glacier disintegrates more than 35 km into the sea, representing 10% of all the calving ice in the country. For over 250 years, the Ilulissat ice fjord has been monitored by scientists, as it is easily accessible. Its study has enriched our knowledge of ice-sheet glaciology, as well as glacier-related changes in the earth's climate and landforms. Scientists and visitors alike can easily access the fjord, getting as close as possible to the detached ice front. From a boat, you can watch the ice fall into the fjord. It's a memorable natural spectacle. You can't help but be amazed by the size and shape of this cold, icy desert of icebergs, some reaching 50 or even 100 meters in height. Their size is such that they can remain stuck in the fjord for several years before being released and drifting towards the ocean. Ilulissat's skyscrapers are made of ice, while its dwellings are small, colorful wooden houses clinging to the rock. The town spreads out along the bay, and it's hard to take your eyes off the incredible spectacle of icebergs drifting in the currents... The best way to see and feel it is in several different ways: on foot along the coastal path (the Sermermiut walk, which starts just outside the town, takes you to the ice fjord, but the glacier lies 60 km inland), with a bench at the end on which you'll probably spend a long time admiring this unparalleled spectacle; from the air, flying over it in a plane or helicopter; by boat, taking the magical midnight cruise or an unusual kayak tour, for example. Together, these four tours will give you a real sense of the immensity and beauty of this glacier..