People love asking, "can I just fly there?" The honest answer is: kind of. You can fly close. The last leg is by helicopter. And the last vote is always the weather's.

Step 1: Get to Iceland

All scheduled flights to East Greenland start in Iceland. From mainland Europe and North America, that means flying first to Keflavík (KEF). From there, transfer to Reykjavík city airport (RKV) — they are about 50 km apart, and the Greenland flight leaves from RKV, not KEF.

Plan an overnight in Reykjavík. Same-day connections look fine on paper and routinely fail in practice.

Step 2: Fly to Nerlerit Inaat (CNP)

Nerlerit Inaat, also known as Constable Pynt, is the airport that serves the Scoresby Sound region. It's a small gravel-strip airport about 40 km from Ittoqqortoormiit, originally built for the oil industry in the 1980s.

  • Airline: Norlandair (Iceland-Greenland flights).
  • Frequency: typically 1–2 flights per week, sometimes more in summer.
  • Flight time: ~2 hours from Reykjavík.
  • Aircraft: small turboprop. Luggage limits are strict.

Step 3: The Helicopter to Town

From Nerlerit Inaat, there is no road into Ittoqqortoormiit — there are no roads in East Greenland between towns at all. The final leg is an Air Greenland helicopter, usually timed to connect with the Norlandair arrival.

  • Flight time: ~25 minutes.
  • Aircraft: Bell 212 or similar.
  • View: easily one of the best 25 minutes of any travel day, anywhere.

Step 4: When the Weather Says No

East Greenland weather closes in fast. It is completely normal for either the Norlandair flight or the helicopter to be delayed by a day or more. Travellers who plan a single overnight in Reykjavík and a tight return often end up sleeping in unexpected places.

Practical rule of thumb:

  • Build at least one buffer day on each side of the trip.
  • Buy travel insurance that covers weather-related delays.
  • Don't book non-refundable connections through Reykjavík on the same day as your Greenland leg.

Alternative: The Sailing Window

For a brief window in late summer, typically late July through early September, the pack ice clears enough for ships to enter Scoresby Sound. This is when expedition cruise ships visit the area, and a handful of independent sailing yachts make the crossing from Iceland.

Sailing in is unforgettable but expensive — and the date you actually arrive in town depends entirely on ice conditions that year.

When to Go

February – April: Snowmobile and dog sled

Frozen sea ice, stable surface, long days returning. Best for polar-bear watching from a distance, snowmobile trips and traditional dog sledding.

July – September: Open water

Iceberg cruising in Scoresby Sound, hiking and the chance to arrive by ship. Mosquitoes are real in town in midsummer.

November – mid-January: Polar night

The sun never rises. Aurora is excellent. Travel is logistically harder. The town is at its quietest.

Permits, Guides and the Polar Bear Rule

You do not need a special tourist permit to visit Ittoqqortoormiit itself. You absolutely do need a local, armed guide if you plan to leave the village on foot or by snowmobile — polar bears are an active risk, year-round.

For any trip into the surrounding fjord system or Northeast Greenland National Park, separate permits and a registered expedition leader are required. Plan with a local operator months in advance.