About
Experience the midnight sun and summer in Svalbard on this hiking expedition across the beautiful Nordenskiöld Land. We begin our hike in Longyearbyen, cross the mountains and the valleys for four days, before we arrive to our unique Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel located on the west coast of Spitsbergen.
Pre-Departure Day:
Gather at the reception of Basecamp Hotel at 3 PM to meet your guide. This is an opportunity to acquaint yourself with fellow travellers, prepare for the program, and receive information about the equipment. If you need to do any last-minute shopping, the sports shops in town will be open until 6 PM.
Day 1:
At 8 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel and transported to Bjørndalen, Bear Valley, just outside Longyearbyen. We will follow the reindeer's path into Bjørndalen and ascend our first mountain, Fuglefjellet, reaching an altitude of approximately 500 meters. From the mountaintop, you can admire stunning views of Isfjorden while we pause for an expedition lunch. Afterward, we continue our westward hike until we reach the initial campsite. Everyone will contribute to setting up tents and preparing dinner together. In the evening, we will visit the deserted Russian mining settlement of Grumant. Upon returning to camp, it's time to retreat to our sleeping bags for a well-deserved rest. Throughout the night, we will take turns as polar bear guards.
Day 2:
Following breakfast with a picturesque view of the Arctic fjords, we pack our bags and secure our hiking boots for another thrilling day on foot. We descend to the coastline and arrive at Coles Bay, another fascinating part of Russian mining history, where we will pause for lunch. Crossing the river in Coles Valley, we continue a bit further before setting up camp for the night. After a long day, it's a pleasure to unwind at the campsite, savouring dinner and enjoying the tranquil Arctic ambiance in good company. Before retiring to our tents, we establish a rotating schedule for polar bear watch.
Day 3:
After breakfast and dismantling our camp, we proceed westward towards the Russian mining town of Barentsburg. Today's hike covers a slightly longer distance than previous days, but the terrain is flatter and easier to traverse. Along the way, we will pause for a warm expedition lunch and pass by Barentsburg in the afternoon. Although we have encountered various old Russian settlements during the past days, this is the only one still inhabited by around 400 residents. Continuing a bit farther, we establish our final wilderness camp for the night.
Information regarding tours with any form of connection to Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard
Owing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the related violations of international law and human rights, an extraordinary general meeting in Visit Svalbard has decided that all products, tours, services or other offers with any form of connection to the Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard, will be removed from Visit Svalbard’s platforms.
This specific activity does not have any economic ties to Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard, and is therefore still available on visitsvalbard.com.
For more information, see the media release from Svalbard Tourism Council and Visit Svalbard: https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/news/trust-arcticugol-excluded-from-the-svalbard-tourism-council
Day 4:
Following breakfast, we dismantle the camp and embark on a short boat journey across the fjord to the Russian water station. There, we lace up our hiking boots once more and trek the final kilometers towards Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel. Depending on weather conditions, we may choose either the inland route or the coastal route. Upon reaching Isfjord Radio, our hosts will greet us with warm beverages. Then, a memorable dining experience awaits us at Isfjord Radio – a culinary journey you won't easily forget.
Day 5:
Indulge in a leisurely morning, savoring the fantastic breakfast at Isfjord Radio while admiring the dramatic scenery surrounding the former radio station in the west. Perhaps it's the perfect time to visit the sauna before lunch? After a final taste of Isfjord Radio's cuisine, it's time to return to civilization. The boat departs at 17:00, offering you a fresh perspective on the landscape you traversed on foot. We arrive in Longyearbyen, carrying unforgettable experiences with us.
Minimum: 4 persons
Age limit: 15 years
What's included?
- Activities, equipment, accommodation, and meals according to the program.
- Search and rescue insurance
- CO2 investment 250 NOK*
Additional costs:
Personal travel insurance. Personal expenses and equipment.
Explore more: We recommend booking one or two overnights in Longyearbyen before and after this adventure.
Please contact us at spitsbergen@basecampexplorer.com to book accommodation at our unique Basecamp Hotel.
Mandatory clothing and gear for expeditions in Svalbard
- Woolen underwear as the base layer
- Warm wool or flees trousers and sweater on the top
- Two sets of layers of socks (thin and thick woolen socks)
- Wind- and waterproof pants and jacket. We recommend spacious clothing because air is the best insulation.
- Woolen glowes with wind and waterproof outer gloves
- A pair of working gloves or mittens to have when setting up and packing down the tent camp
- Warm and windproof hat
- Two warm buffs of natural material
- Sunglasses min. category 3
- Sunscreen factor 50 (not based on water)
- Waterproof back pack for personal and shared equipment (around 65 litres)
Pack all your personal equipment in a couple of small waterproof bags, rather than one big one due to limited space and we can get wet if it rains. Do note that you need to carry some of the common equipment’s as well as your personal equipment. In total this will sum up to around 20 kg. Storage for other luggage during the trip: Basecamp Hotel.
Physical requirements:
We will walk around 12-15 km per day. The route follows no set trails, you should be able to move in varied terrain such as grass slopes, boulders, and moraine safely and independently. To reach our destination, we will also have to cross rivers. This trip requires very good physical fitness and is not suitable for persons suffering from back pains or pregnant women, and this is due to your health and safety. Basecamp will unfortunately not allow participation in such case, as we cannot take responsibility of any health issues due to neglecting this advice.
Language:
Safety is our top priority during our trips. It is necessary for you to be able to communicate in English or a Scandinavian language if you want to join our excursions. The tour language (English or a Scandinavian language) will be chosen based on the group's language skills.
Weather conditions in Svalbard:
In Svalbard, weather conditions can change quickly. We can meet heavy winds, snowstorms or thick fog, crevasses and lack of snow or ice. This means we might need to make changes to the planned route, and this might lead us not arriving to the planned destination. It can also mean that we need to use a different transportation style or accommodation than what was described in the program. We will always do our outmost to give our guests a great experience in the Arctic, but we must be aware the characteristics of the destination.
More than travel
As part of Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen’s efforts to be climate neutral, we add an additional CO2 and environmental investment of NOK 250* per guest. This is donated in its entirety to do good projects contributing to a sustainable future in our destinations.
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
