Ilulissat is Greenland' s most visited town - an ethereally beautiful 40km long fjord topped by the world's second most productive glacier.

And the best views of Ilulissat Icefjord are definitely from the air.

For the first time in my life, I sat in a helicopter and experienced the legendary Kangia Helicopter Tour - a 1.5 hour experience with a short stopover just at the mouth of the glacier into the fjord.

How to book a flight and how much it costs

Helicopter sightseeing flights are operated by the charter arm of Air Greenland and must always be booked online, ideally via the official website arcticexcursions.com/helicopter-tour-kangia-classic.

The good news is that helicopters also fly in the off-summer months (April, May, October), not just from June to September. They fly every day except Sunday 3-5 times a day.

The Kangia Helicopter Classic is probably the most expensive activity you can pay for in Greenland (not counting the multi-day hikes inland).

The price is the same regardless of season and dates and for one person is 540 eur.

But if you think of it as getting from A to B? No way. This is a one-of-a-kind experience that won't be repeated.

Uncertain weather and last minute bookings

Flying in the morning or afternoon? When will the light be better? And most importantly! What about the weather? Once you book a flight, you can't cancel it unless the airline itself cancels it (for example, because of bad flying conditions).

The problem is that there are virtually no reliable long-term weather forecasts in Greenland.

Relevant forecasts only work with 1, maximum 2 days in advance. And if I'm going to pay €540 for such an experience, I'd like the experience not to be spoiled by nasty weather in the end, wouldn't I...

But if I leave the booking until the last minute, will there be any seats available?

Tough dilemma.

In the end, I couldn't hold out and booked the flight 5 days in advance while still in Ottawa, Canada, through which I travelled to Greenland.

In truth, it was unnecessary. There were seats available on the day of the flight, but I was in Greenland in the off-season at the end of May, and especially during July and August, seats can sell out.

However, the pilot told me that usually even during the summer holidays it's not a problem to book a flight 1-2 days before departure, which I would definitely do next time.

I booked through the aforementioned arcticexcursions.com.

Day D: overcast and snow

The weather forecast 5 days before departure, when I booked the trip, promised clear, sunny and windless.

On the eve of the flight, the forecast was already calling for mostly cloudy skies, and in the morning I woke up to windy weather with steel grey clouds and occasional snow.

But nothing is as bad as it first appears.

A hassle-free ride to the airport

Following the instructions in the email, the meeting point is right outside the World of Greenland agency office in downtown Ilulissat (right here).

I chose the first morning flight at 9:00am, and the downtown meeting is always 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.

I'm the first and, as it turns out later, the only one on site. Luxury!

I'm greeted by a nice receptionist, free water and coffee are available inside, but I don't wait 5 minutes before a driver and his van show up.

It takes about 10 minutes to get to Ilulissat airport, where regular scheduled flights and sightseeing flights leave from.

In the departure lounge, the driver and I wait for the helicopter pilot to come for me when the helicopter is ready.

I don't go through any security checks.

Helicopter just for me - seat next to the pilot

With a slight delay, the pilot picks me up in the airport lobby and I am really the only participant on the morning flight.

As we walk along the tarmac, I receive a route briefing from the pilot and when we arrive at the shiny new Airbus AS350 helicopter, he also receives a detailed safety briefing.

I mentally thank fate that I booked the first flight of the morning and am truly alone.

The helicopter is designed for 5 passengers - the best seat is right next to the pilot, I get that. The other 4 seats are in the back row, but only 2 passengers sit by the window and the other 2 sit in the middle.

The interior is small, so the view will be possible from the middle seats, but the seat next to the pilot is simply the best of all!

Once seated, I'm surprised at how comfortable the seats are and how much leg room I have.

Just before takeoff I have to put on a headset with a microphone for possible communication with the pilot.

Still on the tarmac, the pilot assures me that I can film and take pictures of absolutely anything throughout the flight.

A surprisingly comfortable flight into Arctic weather

Throwing up the engines, the helicopter shudders slightly but is surprisingly quiet.

I've flown over 720 flights in conventional aircraft, but this is my first time in a helicopter, so I'm really curious to see how it feels.

We're getting off the ground! And even when I take the earpiece off a bit, the noise level is pleasantly low.

For the first 10 seconds of the flight, we stay close to the ground and head over the runway. Then it starts!

The helicopter tilts forward and we're steeply forward. What an incredible feeling! I feel the power of the rotor, but I also realize how incredibly comfortable the flight is.

No vibration, no turbulence. Not on take-off, not during the flight, not on landing.

The weather forecast from last night didn't lie. We're heading into overcast skies, the first snowflakes are appearing on the glass, but the windows are obviously heated, so despite this the view through them is good.

We're keeping just below the clouds, so I'm not missing out on the stunning views of the Icefjord either.

We land at the glacier.

The flight to the fjord takes about 30 minutes. After that we land within sight of the Jacobshavn glacier. Here, for the first time, I regret the bad weather a little, as the white mass of ice against the grey-white sky blends in somewhat.

We land on the rocky part of the mountain, where there is a 30-minute break during which I can walk freely around the area.

The terrain is comfortable to walk on, but it's definitely a good idea to wear winter boots. It is just starting to snow and the temperature is dropping below -3 °C.

You can hardly see the glacier, but I'm still absolutely thrilled. Sunny would have been better for sure, but this has the right Arctic vibe!

I'm walking around the helicopter, filming, taking pictures and in between I'm chatting with the pilot about his work and life in Greenland.

The pilot assures me that if I get cold, I can hide in the helicopter anytime soon. There is no need to be out for the whole 30 minutes, but I make the most of it.

The flight back with the spectacular circling

The weather is improving a bit, at least in the sense that the clouds are higher and it's stopping snowing.

The flight back is along the opposite (south) side of the fjord and takes about 30 minutes again.

Is it even worth describing the incredibly ethereal scenery? Judge for yourself:

The town of Ilulissat is already in sight, and there is a large ice floe where the fjord enters Disko Bay. Much bigger than all the others.

The pilot points it out to me and asks if it's okay for me to make a steeper turn around it. Of course it is!

Now that was a great end to the flight.

During the landing at Ilulissat airport, I'm once again thrilled to have my privileged seat right next to the pilot because he has the runway to himself.

The ride back to the hotel

At the airport terminal, the driver and his van are waiting for me again.

I can choose where I want to be taken, the transfer is included to any hotel in town.

I'm getting off in the centre because I want to do some more shopping for postcards and souvenirs and the Icefiord hotel I'm staying at is about a 15 minute walk from the centre.

Was it worth it?

The weather wasn't great. The price 540 eur for a 1.5 hour activity is pretty high. So was it really worth it?

I don't have long to think about it. Definitely!

The first helicopter flight of my life, views of a landscape I've never seen in my life either, and walking within reach of a glacier are simply experiences that will never be taken away from me.

And that's why we travel, isn't it?

Practical tips for the end

• Take only a small backpack that fits between your legs (drinks, camera, cell phone in it).
• You don't need to print your reservation or show your documents - just report your name at the office in the centre.
• Windproof clothing is ideal, as there is often a strong wind at the glacier.
• Hiking shoes are not necessary, the terrain around the glacier landing site is comfortable for walking

10 best hotels in Ilulissat