IceFjord Midnight Marathon & Half 2024

Extras & Extensions

Sail to Oqaatsut – 2 & 3 June | 5 Hours | £229
Travel 30-minutes by boat from Ilulissat to Oqaatsut for a guided tour of the settlement. While you sail you will pass giant icebergs from the Ilulissat Icefjord. End your settlement tour with lunch at Restaurant H8 Explorer. You have some free time to explore the area before returning to Ilulissat. You’ll see some great scenery on the route. The 70-million-year-old volcanic Disko Island to the west and the green mainland to the east. The tour will last approximately 5 hours in total and will depart at 11am.

Note: the option to do this excursion on June 3 is only available for the 6-day package.

Kayak Among Icebergs – 30, 31 May, 1, 2, 3 June | 3 Hours | £155
Ilulissat is known as the capital of icebergs, and you will see why as you paddle your way through the gigantic ice fjord just south of the city. You can smoothly slice your way through the water while keeping your eyes open for whales – 15 species regularly inhabit Greenlandic waters in the summertime!

Meet the Sled Dogs – 1 June | 1.5 Hours | £45

Begin at Arctic Living, the place of Flemming, a local musher who will speak about raising the pups, the expeditions he has been on, and mushing itself. Admire and observe the dogs here, but please remember that these are working animals and not pets – they are not meant for cuddling.

Eqi Glacier Express – 2, 3 June | 6 Hours | £270
Only a few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which ends in the fjord 80 kilometres north of Ilulissat. By boat, it is possible to get very close to the glacier and experience huge pieces of ice breaking off (called ‘calving’). The sounds are enormous and the sight of icebergs crashing into the water is breathtaking. Packed lunch included.

Ice Camp – 28–30 May | 2 Nights | From £545
Join this additional 2-night tour for a truly unique overnight Ice Camp experience. Meet at Copenhagen Airport for the included flight to Kangerlussuaq. Upon arrival, depart in all-terrain vehicles to the Ice Camp which is around an hour’s drive toward Point 660 on the edge of the ice cap. Here, you will have an important briefing on safety and the coming activities. After setting up camp, enjoy a warm beverage and the total silence that the ice sheet imposes. Dinner will be wholesome, simple, and warm, consisting of freeze-dried food that is easy to carry on such an expedition. The next day you will head out for a hike where crampons and trekking poles will be provided. Tonight will be spent at the polar lodge where all meals are included.

Our IceFjord Midnight Marathon 2024 Package includes:

• A choice of 5 or 6 day tour packages
• Round-trip flight from/to Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq
• Domestic transfers from/to Kangerlussuaq – Ilulissat
• 4 or 5 nights accommodation in Ilulissat
• Meals as stated in the itinerary
• Icefjord by Boat Tour
• Guided Ilulissat City Walk
• Guided Sermermiut Hike

Also available:

• Race entry – Marathon or Half Marathon – £275
• Additional tours and excursions

Race Entry includes:

• English-speaking race officials
• English-speaking medical team from Denmark and Greenland
• Timing and results
• Medal
• Exclusive Icefjord Midnight Marathon T-shirt
• Manned water and supply stations along the route

Why Book with Marathon Tours & Travel?

You’re in safe hands 

Whether you are running or supporting, we have an expert team to ensure your trip runs smoothly. Your travel package is protected by ABTA.

Logistics covered

We take care of all of the logistics for you, so you can focus on the event and your trip. Choose from our 5-day or 6-day packages and in addition, book one of our optional excursions or extension tour.

Choice of two distances

Elect to join one of two distances; the full marathon – 42.195km/26.2mi or the half marathon – 21.1km/13.1mi

Route Description

The Icefjord Midnight Marathon route will start and finish just outside of the historic Hotel Hvide Falk. Both marathon and half-marathoners will run the same route, but the marathon runners get the leisure of enjoying the views twice!

There are virtually no flat sections on the run – instead, the course constantly fluctuates between mild ups and downs (generally not more than a few meters at a time). From Hotel Hvide Falk, you will follow the road for approximately 4km through town. After climbing a wooden staircase, you then are on the ‘yellow track,’ which you will follow for approx. 3km over hilly, rocky terrain. While the dazzling view of the icy fjord can be quite distracting, don’t forget to look where you place your feet!

Once you reach the old heliport at the Icefjord Visitor Center, the yellow track turns into the ‘blue track’, and you’ll follow a wooden path into the official UNESCO World Heritage site. The wooden path only lasts for about 1km and then you are running on trails again. After another 2.5km of trail, you’ll reach Holms Bakke, and turn left onto the ‘red track.’ You’ll follow the red track back up to the old heliport and then turn right to continue back into town. The course will be well-marked by race officials, and each track is additionally permanently marked with paint circles of their respective colours.

Back in town, you’ll follow along the road and take a tour of the eastern side of Ilulissat before running 4km up to the airport. From this point, you’ll traverse the same path back to Ilulissat. For the half-marathoners, it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump until you are back at Hotel Hvide Falk and you can take some well-deserved relaxation. The marathoners will continue on to enjoy the Icefjord and the loop a second time!
There will be no race pacers at this event.

Route logistics

Kilometre signs are placed at each kilometre along the route. The signs are colour coded according to the distance they represent. The signs will also indicate the equivalent distance in miles. The tracks are marked with dots of paint of their respective colors (i.e., the blue track has blue circles), but we will of course be marking the route ourselves as well.
Water stations will be positioned along the route at approximately every 4 kilometres. Some stations will also serve energy drinks and energy gels. Personal supplies can be deposited at the start/finish area, which marathon runners will pass through halfway through their race.

Surface

The Icefjord Midnight Marathon will be run on a variety of surfaces: pavement and gravel roads in and around the town, a short stretch on a wooden path, and rocky trails.

Registration & Booking

Please note the information below related to our 2023 packages and is subject to change to change for 2024.

On Request Bookings

Request Bookings will confirm that you have accepted our Booking Conditions. Your booking is not however, guaranteed until our partner company confirms availability. Please expect confirmation of place within 1-3 days of making your booking. Your card payment details will still be required for the deposit to secure your space, though please be advised this information will be held securely and the card will only be debited upon confirmation of booking.

Disclaimer

Albatros Adventure Marathons reserve the right to change the itinerary and/or running course without further notice in the event of extreme weather.

By signing up for this event you agree to the Terms & Conditions.

Visa

Please note that it is each traveller’s responsibility to check visa and passport requirements and ensure that they comply. Obtaining a passport and, if required, a visa, is solely the responsibility of each traveller. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after returning from your destination.

A visa may be required for travellers entering Greenland, though tourists from the UK do not require one. Thoroughly check the relevant information before you travel.  Note that cash payment is required. USD is accepted corresponding to the exchange rate at the time of entry. Kindly be advised that certain nationalities require an entry visa to be obtained PRIOR to travel. Please check with the FCO.

Room Options

If you are a solo traveller and choose a shared double room when booking, we will pair you with another traveller of the same gender. If you prefer to have your own room, choose single room. A single supplement will apply.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is an essential part of any holiday you take and we highly recommend that you purchase suitable insurance for your trip.

The roads are not closed for traffic. Although traffic is not heavy in the area, please be aware whenever running on asphalt roads. We advise you to run on the left side of the road, so you can see any vehicles coming towards you.

Age Limits

Full marathon runners must be at least 18 years old on race day.

Half marathon runners must be at least 16 years old.

Packing List

Packing for north of the Arctic Circle is all about layers. Even though it is summer, it will not be “warm” by most people’s definitions. In general, it is a good idea to have a base layer that will warm up your body (merino wool, for example), as well as a wind-protective outer layer. The weather can change rapidly, so having extra layers is a good idea. That way, you can adapt to warmer or cooler conditions.

What to bring:

Practical clothing incl. a warm jacket
Hiking boots
Sunscreen
Sunglasses

Cut-off times:

The Marathon starts at 21:00 in the evening and the Half Marathon starts 22:30

The race officially ends at 04:00am.

This means that marathon runners have a cut-off time of 7 hours, while half-marathon runners have a cut-off time of 5 1/2 hours. All runners with a net finishing time slower than these cut-offs will receive a FNT (Finished No Time) on the result list.

After 04:00am, we will drive around and collect any runners still on the route. Any marathon runners that have not begun their second loop within 4 hours will be held back at the start/finish area (the half-way point).

Weather

As we are significantly above the Arctic Circle, participants should prepare for the day to be chilly, with an average temperature between 6 and 7°C (43 – 45°F). Ilulissat averages about 7 days of rain in June, so there is a small chance that the race will see some rain. That said, June is known as a dry month in Greenland.

The Seven Continents Club®️ (SCC) offers a unique opportunity for runners to run on all seven continents of the globe, as well as providing numerous benefits to its members. The club operates as a global frequent traveller club for runners, offering waitlist priority for high-demand events, early pre-registration periods for a number of races in popular destinations and tour package vouchers for money off international tour packages. What’s more, Seven Continents Club®️ rewards all its members for the extraordinary achievement of running marathons on each continent with their own special finishers medal and certificate of completion. Join the SCC today!