5-day snowmobile expedition to Nordenskiöld Lodge - Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen

About

Day 1
Welcome to Longyearbyen. You will be picked up at the airport by your guide and driven to Basecamp Hotel in Longyearbyen. After check-in, it’s time for your first Arctic activity: a visit to our dog yard where 80 happy Alaska huskies are waiting. You will harness your own dog team and then head out into nature with sleds. Two people share a dog team and take turns driving and riding. Back in town, we recommend visiting one of Longyearbyen’s cozy restaurants.

Day 2
After a good breakfast at the hotel, our guide will meet you in the reception. Pack what you need in a waterproof bag to be strapped onto the snowmobile. Other luggage can be stored at the hotel. We first go to our expedition center for information and a safety briefing, as well as distribution of snowmobiles and warm winter clothing. The trip to Nordenskiöld Lodge is about 120 km. Driving time is around six to seven hours depending on weather, snow, and ice conditions, combined with stops along the way to learn more about the terrain we travel through, as well as lunch. Upon arrival at the cabin, you will have time to relax, enjoy the silence, and just be. The hosts will serve a homemade dinner once everyone has settled in. Because this is a remote destination, it is important that you inform us of any food allergies before the trip.

Day 3
Morning coffee and breakfast are served, and afterward we plan the day’s activities. With snowmobiles, we can reach places around Nordenskiöld Lodge that cannot be accessed on a day trip from Longyearbyen. A unique opportunity to experience areas off the beaten track. We provide a hot lunch and drinks along the way. Nothing beats the experience of traveling through the magnificent Arctic landscape, embraced by the afternoon sun on the way back to Nordenskiöld Lodge. Before dinner, you can warm up in the wood-fired sauna, relax with a good book, or simply enjoy the Arctic silence.

Day 4
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we pack the snowmobiles and start the journey back to civilization in Longyearbyen. Based on weather and trail conditions, we choose the best route back. On the return trip, we stop for an expedition lunch, and the adventure ends where it began, at Basecamp Explorer’s expedition center. Here, equipment and clothing are returned before the guide drives you back to Basecamp Hotel around 16:00. Spend the evening trying a local restaurant.

Day 5
We bet you slept well after the days and nights in the wilderness. Enjoy the generous breakfast at the hotel. Perhaps take a stroll in Longyearbyen before it’s time to head to the airport. We say goodbye, and you return home with plenty of experience and wonderful memories in your luggage.

Minimum: 4 people / 3 snowmobiles
Age limit: 16 years

What’s included:
Activities, accommodation, and meals according to the program.
Warm clothing: snowmobile suit, boots, gloves, helmet, and balaclava Snowmobile and fuel
Guide with necessary safety equipment Search and rescue insurance

Additional costs: Personal travel insurance

Driver’s license:
A valid driver’s license for car or motorcycle is required for snowmobile driving in Svalbard. This must be presented to the guide before departure. Every snowmobile trip requires at least two snowmobiles without passengers for the tour to be carried out. This is for safety reasons. If a snowmobile stops, we must have space to bring everyone back. We reserve the right to adjust the number of drivers and passengers in the group if necessary.

Physical requirements:
This tour is not suitable for people with back problems or pregnant women. This is for your own safety, and Basecamp Explorer cannot take responsibility for health issues if this advice is ignored.

Language:
Safety is always our highest priority, and it is important that our guide can give instructions and be understood. Therefore, it is mandatory to understand and speak English or one of the Scandinavian languages to participate in our tours. The tour will be conducted in English or a Scandinavian language depending on the group’s language skills.

Weather conditions in Svalbard:
Weather conditions in Svalbard change quickly. We may encounter strong winds, snowstorms, thick fog, crevasses, and lack of snow or ice. This means we may need to make changes to the planned itinerary. It may also mean that we do not reach the planned destination or that we must use a different mode of transport or accommodation than described in the program. We will always do our utmost to give you a memorable Arctic experience, but we must be aware of the destination’s uniqueness.

More than a journey:
As part of Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen’s efforts to be climate neutral, we include an additional CO₂ and environmental investment of NOK 250 per guest. This is fully donated to projects that contribute to a sustainable future at our destinations.