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4 days - Out of this world 24-hour darkness, Arctic adventures and dogsledding
This 4 day trip is designed to make it easy to discover the unique winter atmosphere of Svalbard, one of the planet’s last great frontiers. Spend your days thrill seeking in and around Longyearbyen, one of the world’s northernmost settlements, and enjoy Svalbard’s mystic and magic during the Polar Nights!
Spitsbergen offers Arctic experiences on the edge of the inhabitable world, but it’s not as inaccessible as people might think. There are no roads beyond Longyearbyen. Here, you really are on the border of civilization. Outside the city only, the vast wilderness is waiting for you. Despite its history of coal mining and trapping, Spitsbergen is still mainly pristine wilderness. One of the most fragile ecosystems anywhere on Earth.
Between October and April, the conditions vary drastically weather and daylight wise, from total darkness to wonderful spring sunlight. This program alters accordingly.
As a Certified B Corporation, 50 Degrees North has designed this tour using handpicked local hoteliers and suppliers who share our ethos of delivering services and activities of high social and environmental standards.
The CO2-e per person per day of all tours is carefully measured following each season. We fully offset all emissions of our tours on your behalf, and we constantly look at ways to reduce emissions where possible.
Bus transfers in Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen is 2.50 hr flight from Oslo or 1.35 hr flight from Tromsø and a scenic one as it skirts the long coast of Norway. On arrival, there will be a local airport bus waiting to take you into Longyearbyen.
Check into the Basecamp Hotel and head off for stroll around the small township of Longyearbyen - enjoy the polar museum and church.
You will be picked up at your hotel by our guide. Together with the guide and rest of the group, you go through today’s route and equipment. After a short car ride, you arrive to Trapper’s Station situated in Bolterdalen, where 90 friendly Alaskan huskies are eager to meet you.
Our guide will introduce the principle of dogsledding and help you to harness your own team. On this trip, two persons share one dog team, and can take turns in driving. Head off mushing into Bolterdalen valley, and as you leave the Trapper’s station, enter the real wilderness of Spitsbergen. Take in the scenery around you and enjoy the arctic silence as your dog team does the work for you.
Once back at the station, you will help to take care of your team, unharness them and give them a few pats and hugs. Before heading back to town, you have chance to look around at authentic Trapper’s Station with many interesting items from trapping time, enjoy a warm drink and hear some stories from mushing at Spitsbergen. (4 hours in total).
Why not head down to the floating sauna along the fjord for some icey swimming and warming up.
Experience the darkness of the Polar night from a snowmobile, driving through valleys, getting out of town and into the arctic wilderness. The guide meets you at your hotel and as he/she escorts you to the snowmobiles, tells you more about the coming trip, safety rules and gives you a lesson in how to drive a snowmobile. You will get all the essential equipment you need to keep you warm for enjoying the day ahead. Snowmobiling into the darkness seems endless and the arctic silence is overpowering. The route is planned around the conditions. Experience the magic of the polar night, the excitement of snowmobile driving, hopefully see some wildlife, and find a nice spot with a view. You will stop during the trip to enjoy a hot drink and some biscuits.
Transfer by bus to the Longyearbyen airport.
All prices listed twin share, per person. Prices are indicative. For last minute bookings: prices are subject to availability.
By the end of October the last rays of the sun disappear below the horizon, and Svalbard heads towards a period of darkness. For more than two months, between mid-November and the end of January, darkness prevails around the clock. During the darkest times there is no telling if it is noon or midnight. When the sky is clear, stars light up the sky. The Northern Lights and a full moon bounce their light from the snowcovered mountains, and suddenly the darkness doesn’t seem so overwhelming. By February, the light returns slowly. Light blue, pink, and purple colours light up the scenery. Finally, the sun hits the first mountain peaks.
Please bring wool socks, wool mittens to wear under the scooter gloves, Inner layer: wool, Mid layer: Sweater and pants in fleece or wool for your snow activities. You will also need to bring your drivers licence for the snow mobile trip.
Please note prices for goods in Svalbard are quite expensive, however, due to tax reasons, alcohol is comparatively cheap.
You may like to add snowcat drives or ice cave exploring onto this itinerary.
ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY:
At 50 Degrees North, animal welfare is a top priority during all our tours and packages. We carefully select suppliers who adhere to strict animal welfare standards, ensuring that wildlife interactions are respectful and comply with local, national, and international regulations. We avoid offering excursions that involve captive wildlife, except where they are properly regulated, and all activities are designed to minimise disturbance to natural ecosystems. Our travellers are educated on responsible, including responsible animal interactions, through our 'Responsible Travel Tips' for travellers, and our guides are trained to lead by example, promoting ethical conduct towards both wild and domesticated animals. By prioritising animal welfare in every aspect of our tours, we ensure that your travel experience is both enjoyable and ethically sound. Read our article on Animal Welfare to learn more.
Resident of Longyearbyen, our friend Maria Rossi shares with you her 'top ten things to see and do in Svalbard'. Regardless of season, the magnificent outdoors, high standard in hotels and fine dining options (along with the jolly old pub) will cater for all your requests.
Hot air ballooning in Lapland whilst watching the Northern Lights, hiking up volcanoes, glamping in Greenland, a private meeting with Santa or climbing three peaks in Norway - see our collection of unmissable travel experiences across our Nordic and Scandinavian region.
We wish to ensure that the Arctic wildlife stays unaffected by tourism and so we share these new AECO guidelines.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. The safety of our travellers, staff and operators is a major priority of 50 Degrees North. With an operational office in Norway, 50 Degrees North has access to an up-to-the-minute flow of information regarding the countries we work in. We are also in regular contact with the various operators we use. Their in-depth knowledge and understanding of their various areas is vital.
Norway has a few items that typically surprise travellers when visiting Norway for the first time. Alcohol and luxury items are heavily taxed and therefore prices are higher than you would expect. On the other hand, necessities such as bread and milk, are taxed low and therefore are great value.
We recommend that you bring all the alcohol you’re allowed to bring into the country when you arrive. There are many lovely parks and balconies where you can enjoy your duty free. However, be sure not to bring more than you’re allowed!
As of May 2014, the allowances according to Visit Norway are:
Alcoholic beverages:
Minimum age: 18/ 20*
1 litre of beverages with more than 22% up to and including 60% alcohol per volume as well as 1½ litre with more than 2.5% up to and including 22% alcohol per volume or three litres with more than 2.5% up to and including 22% alcohol per volume
and
2 litres of beer with more than 2.5 % or other beverages with more than 2.5% up to and including 4.7% alcohol per volume.
This means that you may for example bring with you five litres of beer provided you do not have any other alcoholic beverages with you.
*For importing alcoholic beverages with more than 22% alcohol per volume the minimum age is 20.
It’s illegal to bring extra alcohol into Norway and can end up costing you. Another thing you should bring and not buy in Norway is razor blades. Good razor blades in Norway are expensive.
