About
Experience the Midnight Sun and Summer in Svalbard on Foot Through Beautiful Nordenskiöld Land
We hike from Longyearbyen, across mountains and valleys, through Colesdalen, all the way to Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel at the very western edge of Spitsbergen.
Day 1:
Welcome to Longyearbyen. You will be picked up at the airport by your guide and driven to Basecamp Hotel in Longyearbyen for check-in.
In the afternoon, participants and the guide meet at the hotel to review the upcoming expedition days.
The guide will also go through the equipment list to ensure everyone has what they need for the days in the field.
Dinner is served at the hotel.
Day 2:
You will be picked up at the hotel at 8:00 AM. We begin the hike in Bjørndalen, a few kilometers outside Longyearbyen.
The route starts with a steep climb up Fuglefjellet, which is about 500 meters high.
At the top, we take a lunch break while enjoying the stunning view over Isfjorden.
We then head west to our first campsite. Everyone helps set up tents and prepare dinner. Later in the evening, we take a trip to the abandoned Russian mining settlement of Grumant. During the night, we take turns keeping watch for polar bears.
Day 3:
After breakfast, we pack up for another exciting day. We descend to the coastline and reach Colesbukta, which has an interesting history tied to Russian mining. Here we have lunch.
Afterward, we cross the river in Colesdalen and continue hiking before setting up camp for the night. After a long day, it will be nice to relax at the camp, enjoy dinner, and good company. We will continue the polar bear watch rotation throughout the night.
Day 4:
After breakfast, we pack up and continue west toward the Russian town of Barentsburg.
Today’s hike is a bit longer than previous days, but the terrain is flatter and easier to walk.
After a lunch break, we pass Barentsburg in the afternoon.
We have explored several old Russian settlements in recent days, but Barentsburg is the only one still inhabited, with about 400 residents.
We continue into the wilderness and set up camp for the last night outdoors.
Day 5:
After a hearty breakfast, we pack up and are transported by boat across Grønnfjorden toward the wilderness hotel in the west. We are dropped off a few kilometers before Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel. We take either an inland route or a coastal route.
Upon arrival at Isfjord Radio, we are welcomed by the friendly hosts with warm drinks. Then it’s time for an Isfjord Radio dinner—a culinary experience you won’t forget. Tonight, you can sleep in a warm, comfortable bed inside the station.
Day 6:
Enjoy a relaxed morning with a good breakfast at Isfjord Radio. If you wish, you can also take a sauna before lunch.
And if you dare, you can even swim in the Arctic Ocean.
Afterward, there’s time to relax with coffee in the lounge or a book in the library before the boat departs at 5:00 PM.
From the boat, you’ll see the same landscape you hiked through from a completely new perspective.
We arrive in Longyearbyen with unforgettable experiences in our luggage. The guide drives you to Basecamp Hotel for check-in.
Enjoy the evening at one of the town’s restaurants.
Day 7:
Start the day with a generous breakfast at Basecamp Hotel before a truly historic experience: a tour of Mine 3.
Experienced guides take you into the old mining tunnels and share stories about life as a miner in Svalbard.
After the visit, you might have time for a quick lunch before we drive you to the airport with your luggage full of spectacular memories.
Info:
Minimum: 4 people
Age limit: 15 years
What’s included?
- The price includes all activities, equipment, accommodation, and meals according to the program
- All camping equipment, thermos, cup, and cutlery
- Search and rescue insurance
Additional costs
Personal expenses and equipment, as well as personal travel insurance
Mandatory expedition clothing for Svalbard
- Wool base layer against the skin
- Warm wool or fleece pants and sweater as mid-layer
- Two sets of wool socks (one thin pair and one thick pair)
- Windproof and waterproof pants and jacket. We recommend roomy clothing because air is the best insulation
- Wool mittens with windproof and waterproof outer layer
- A pair of lighter work gloves for setting up and packing down camp
- Warm and windproof hat
- Buff made of natural material
- Sunglasses, minimum category 3
- Waterproof backpack for personal and shared gear (approx. 75 liters)
Pack as lightly as possible for this trip while bringing the essentials. Personal gear should preferably be packed in smaller waterproof bags that can be compressed in the large backpack. Space is limited, and gear may get wet if it rains.
Note that all participants must carry some shared equipment in addition to personal gear.
This adds up to around 20 kg per person. Basecamp Hotel can store your remaining luggage during the trip.
Physical requirements
The trip requires good physical condition. Each participant carries a 60–80 liter backpack with personal and shared equipment.
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 can change quickly in Svalbard. Strong winds or thick fog can make it challenging to travel by boat. This means that weather, wind strength, and direction may sometimes force us to change the planned route, schedule, and program. In the worst case, we may not reach the planned destination, and situations may require us to use a different mode of transport or accommodation than described in the program. We always do our utmost to give you a great experience in Svalbard, but we must be mindful 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.
Information about trips with any connection to Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard
Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the violations of international law and human rights this entails, an extraordinary general meeting of Visit Svalbard decided that all products, trips, services, or other offers with any connection to Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard will be removed from Visit Svalbard’s platforms.
This specific activity you are viewing has no economic connection to Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard and is therefore still available on visitsvalbard.com.
For more information, see the press release from Svalbard Tourism Council and Visit Svalbard AS:
https://www.visitsvalbard.com/informasjon-for-besokende/news/trust-arcticugol-ekskluderes-fra-svalbard-reiselivsrad
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