If you go

Getting there: There's a small window — mid-February to April — when you can visit Ilulissat in winter. Air service is spotty or nonexistent in the coldest parts of the year. I flew on Icelandair to Reykjavik, Iceland, then transferred to the city airport, where I caught an Air Iceland Dash flight to Ilulissat.

Icelandair flies between seven U.S. airports, including Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Reykjavik (www.iceland air.com).

The trip: I traveled alone on a "Winter Madness" tour arranged by Great Canadian Travel. It included three nights in Ilulissat, three nights in Reykjavik, hotels, transfers and flights between Iceland and Greenland. Including the flight I took from Boston, the total cost was $3,376 plus a few hundred dollars for food and tours. The company also offers many trips and cruises in summer to Greenland (www.greatcanadian travel.com; 1-800-661-3830).

Other ways to Greenland: Continental Journeys offers winter and summer trips, including "The Best of Ilulissat in Winter" and a three-day dogsled trip (www.continentaljourneys.com; 1-800-601-4343).

5 Stars of Scandinavia offers winter and summer trips, including "Winter Image of Ilulissat" (www.5stars-scandinavia.com; 1-800-722-4126).

Adventure Life offers small cruises of Arctic Canada and Greenland (www.adventure-life.com; 1-800-344-6118).

You also could book your own airfare and hotels and go on your own. For more on planning a trip to Greenland, see www.greenland.com and www.ilulissaticefjord.com.

Packing: Good winter gear is a must. You'll need snow pants, a parka, ski gloves, hand warmers and especially a balaclava that can cover your face in extreme cold.

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