Svalbard Winter Expedition
Fascinating journey through the winterly Arctic
The winterly landscapes of Svalbard are among the most unusal destinations, which can be reached today. The tremendous expanse and loneliness of the High Arctic, the splendid daily changes of pastel colors in this primeval nature, belongs to the greatest adventures one may experience.
Temperatures between minus 10 to minus 40 Celsius are the rule during March and April, but should not frighten you. Like astronauts you'll be equipped with a special outfit: snow-scooter-dress, secial boots and a face-mask!
   

You will be driving your own motor-sledge (if you are driving a car or a motor-bike, you will learn to drive this vehicle very quickly). And you will experience a feeling of freedom, which you have hardly ever felt before in your life. There are no fences, no limiting roads in the Arctic, you'll be driving cross-country through endless valleys, across the sea, mountains and huge glaciers.

Requirements:
You don't need a special training or physical condition for this tour. You should be healthy, that's all! More important is however: Your psyche should be balanced. We discourage persons from participation, who are easily getting stressed or frustrated, who tend to panic in unusual situations, who are depressive.
Kindly take note: The proverbial "remoteness" of the winterly polar environment may become a trauma for sensitive persons. It is not primarily the cold, which might be leaving an impact, it's rather the experience, that you'll be once "far-from-everything"! The psychically robust ones can easily take this as a challenge. They even love this feeling as special "kick". If you join, you will experience nature closest and one of the last real adventures on earth!

Provisions and fuel will be towed on a trailer-sledge. We'll be staying overnight in guest-houses, huts, one or two times in a storm-proof tent (special mattress will be provided).

Itinerary:
The following program is tentative, as it will be highly dependent on the actual weather- and ice-conditions. Whatever we'll undertake, safety will remain our first priority.

1st day:
Flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen

2nd day:
Arrival in Longyearbyen early in the morning. After a sleep, we check and supplement the equipment, you'll be instructed how to use the snow-scooter and at the end of the day you'll be skilled enough already to climb the steep Longyear glacier.
Sightseeing in Longyearbyen, two overnights in the guest-house

3rd day:






We pack and start our expedition with an easy drive across some mountains to Colesdalen. That's an abandoned coal-mine of the Russians. We continue along the frozen coast of the Ice-Fjord until we reach a spacious Russian hut. Let's stay overnight there and enjoy the marvelous sceneries around. During the day we'll probably see the Svalbard reindeer, a different species compared to the caribous of the Canadian Arctic, the reindeers in Greenland or Scandinavia. You are free to stop anytime for picture-taking.

4th day:
This day will become a bit more challenging. At first, we drive to Barentsburg and visit this oldest and most important Russian settlement on Svalbard. There are about 800 people left, miners from all over Russia. Since the decline of the Sovietunion however, their live-conditions became very modest. It appears as if they were forgotten... You'll see a difference later that day once we reach a modern Norvegian mining-village: Svea .
But getting there is still a piece of work, it's far! We'll pass hills and extended valleys with deep soft snow or hard pressed snow-formations. Not only once you'll get stuck somewhere, and we will all have to use our shovels, to lift and pull, until we get the heavy machines going again.
You'll be appreciating the comfort of a Norvegian guest-house in the evening.
Overnight in the Guest-house

5th day:
We'll explore the lonesome surroundings of Svea during this day, and probably drive in southerly direction. In the evening we return to the settlement.
Overnight in the Guest-house

6th day:
Our route leads us through very quiet and remote valleys. We're heading towards the uninhabited East-coast. Once we arrived there, we'll follow it in northward direction. Fantastic panoramas will appear. Majestic glaciers are flowing towards the frozen sea...
If you like to see Polar-bears, it's your chance here! Don't worry, we'll be equipped with a gun - just in case. We have to look for a safe place to stay overnight and shall establish our camp. We'll sleep like the Eskimo, altogether in one tent, on special mattresses, but still on ice. The tent will be heated with our kerosin-stoves during the night.
Overnight in stormproof tent

7th day:
If conditions are good, we climb up a glacier, shall even reach a summit with our scooters. You'll have an unforgettable view over the vast icy desert along the East-Coast - from North to South. And you'll also enjoy our descend towards the Temple-Fjord. We'll certainly pause at the mighty Van Post Glacier next.
If weather demands it, we could take a more direct route via the "Adventsdalen" in order to reach Longyearbyen. However, we might have to spend another night in the tent, close to a former trapper's hut at Fredheim. If we can make it, we shall continue to Longyearbyen that day.
Overnight in the guest-house

8th day:
We'll have the opportunity to explore the surroundings of Longyearbyen. After a short drive we reach the other side of the Advents Fjord and the oldest houses on Svalbard. You might also be interested to test a dog's-team in the afternoon for a few hours (optional). In the evening we'll return our scooters.
Overnight in the guest-house


9th day:
Departure early in the morning

Date:
pls inquire

Number of participants:
Minimum 4, maximum 6 persons

Included is the following:
- Flights and program as mentioned
- overnights as mentioned
- full meals during the scooter-tour from and to Longyearbyen
- snow-scooter, trailer, fuel
- outfit: scooter-dress, face-mask, boots
- big stormproof tent, cooking utensils, rifle
- insulating mattress
- VHF-radios, MayDay-transmitter, GPS-navigation

- special sleeping-bag can be rented

- experienced guide

- Search&Rescue insurance

The vehicles will be insured. However, the participants are liable themselves for all damages they cause at the scooters or other equipment up to the amount of NOK 10.000,-
If you prefer complete insurance-cover, this will be additional NOK 150,- per day.


Not included are:
- meals and beverages in Oslo/Longyearbyen
- personal expenses
- entrance-fee (museum)
- additional costs for accommodation in case of delay
  (caused by severe weather conditions or flight-delay)
- obligatory travel-insurance.


Price: please inquire

If you are interested in this adventure, kindly contact