You Can Sleep in a Colony of Igloos in Greenland
If you grew up in the Midwest (or any other area that demands a bit of post-snowfall creativity), you've probably spent some time playing around in a hand-built igloo. But the new igloo accommodations in Greenland from travel planning company Off the Map are far from the haphazard snow structures of your childhood.
Even for the most intrepid travelers, planning a trip to Greenland can be tricky. With unpredictable weather and freezing temperatures during the wintertime, it's a location left to cold weather enthusiasts, Northern Lights hunters and winter sports pros.
But the Igloo Lodge is making Greenland a bit more accessible for travelers of all stripes. Each igloo comes equipped with reindeer skins, sleeping bags and a petroleum lamp: everything you need to sleep comfortably in this remote Arctic location. There's a communal cabin with bathrooms and a dining area. But you'll still need to be OK with the cold: outside the Igloo Lodge, temperatures can plunge below zero. And even inside the igloos, it hovers around a balmy 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Igloo Lodge comprises five domes, each with room to sleep two people comfortably. And though the experience of sleeping in an igloo is likely to get traction for its Instagram-worthiness, Off the Map's main goal is sharing the traditional building style the Inuit people have utilized for generations.
Of course, these igloos have a considerable price tag. A five-day, four-night stay between the end of January and April runs around $1,300 per person (about $325 per night). The fee is inclusive of three nights at the Hotel Arctic, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, two Northern Lights safaris and just one evening spent sleeping in an igloo.
For an additional fee, you can also add your flights to your package.
The igloos are located in the town of Ilulissat, which is known for the staggering number of icebergs (so many that it's known as the iceberg capital of the world) that drift by every year. You can also visit the Jakobshavn Glacier (the origin of the passing icebergs), a UNESCO World Heritage Site located a quick walk from Ilulissat.
As remote as it is, Greenland is beginning to drum up interest among leisure travelers. Earlier this month, Hotels.com offered a coupon code on a stay at the Ittoqqortoormiit Guest House on an island off the coast of East Greenland. The grand total for one night stay? Less than a dollar. (You can imagine this caused something of a hotel booking frenzy.)
And as Northern Lights hunting becomes something of a sport for travelers, demand for lodging in unconventional destinations for aurora-spotting like Greenland will certainly increase.
For more information on how to book your trip to the Igloo Lodge, head over to the Off the Map website.
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