Ski & Sail in Norway’s Lofoten Islands & Lyngen Alps

Things to know

• What’s included?

  What you get on this adventure:

  • • Experienced, IFMGA certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • 8-day Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring & sailing experience
    • Accommodations in a shared cabin (bunk or double bed)
    • Linen, pillows, duvets, hand towels
    • All meals throughout the trip (breakfast, lunch, dinner, apres-skis)
    • Non-alcoholic beverages (tea, coffee, juice, water)
    • All boat-related expenses (fuel, harbor fees)
    • Use of fishing equipment
    • Warm suits and life vest

  What’s not included:

  • • Transportation to and from the Svolvær Harbor
    • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
    • Shower towels
    • Alcoholic beverages
    • Personal insurance
    • Guide gratuities — optional
• What’s the boat like?

  Your home for the week will be one of the three sailboats your guides have at their disposal. You will board Jolly, Alma, or Varden.

  To get an idea of what they look like, here’s a brief description of Jolly, a 49-foot long Långedrag steel cruiser. This Dutch-built boat is equally as sturdy as it is comfy and spacious, so you can rest assured that Jolly will never fail to protect you even if the seas get rough. Its five cabins snuggly accommodate up to seven guests aboard, with whom you can mingle in the common area in the center of the boat—but don’t miss the chance to bask in the sun on its huge deck if the weather’s nice! Jolly moves with some help from the wind and can easily reach a cruising speed of 6.5-8 knots to give you a comfortable ride.

• What about the food?

  The Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring & sailing adventure is an all-inclusive one. There’s not a thing for you to worry about on this cruise. After a full day out skiing, you’ll get back to your cozy sailboat and a delicious meal.

  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are included in this trip, as well as non-alcoholic beverages (tea, coffee, juice, water). Regarding the food, vegetarian, vegan, fish, or meat dishes are available—you won’t be left hungry. All of it can be prepared as Arabic, Indian, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, or Norwegian food, courtesy of Jolly’s incredible cook Maria!

  If you’ve got any special dietary requirements, let us know upon booking.

• How fit do I need to be?

  To enjoy this Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring & sailing, you need to be in good enough shape to climb anywhere from 3,280 to 4,920 ft (1,000-1,500 m) above sea level. You will be on your feet for several hours a day for 6 days in a row, covering several miles of terrain every day. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

• What if I’ve never backcountry skied or sailed before?

  To participate in this Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring & sailing adventure, you need to have backcountry skiing experience. There will be an expert guide with you who will take care of the planning and help you hone your skiing skills, but the tour is not meant for total beginners.

  If you’ve never sailed before, that’s absolutely fine! There are no sailing prerequisites to join this tour, though having some sailing skills is always a plus. The crew can handle all aspects of the boat without any assistance, but your guides believe that the best way to truly experience sailing is to join in on the action. The extent to which you participate is entirely up to you and your level of comfort.

• What do I need to bring?

  For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

  • • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
    • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
    • Ski crampons
    • Ice axe or whippet
    • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
      • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
      • Lightweight snow shovel
      • Avalanche probe

  For personal items, we recommend bringing:

  • • Helmet
    • Warm clothing for skiing and sailing
      • Wool long-sleeved top and bottom base layers
      • Wool or fleece top mid-layer
      • Insulated down or synthetic puffy jacket
      • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
      • Waterproof shell pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
      • Extra medium thick top layer
    • Gloves and mittens
    • Warm hats (thick and thin)
    • Rubber boots or any waterproof shoe (soft-sole only)
    • Shower towels
    • Comfy slippers to use indoors
    • Sunglasses
    • Synthetic or wool underwear and socks
    • One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
    • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
    • Non-breakable water bottle
    • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
    • First aid kit
    • Toiletries (including sunscreen and lip balm with SPF)
    • Daypack large enough to carry all items you might need throughout the day
    • Personal medications
    • Headlamp (with extra batteries)
    • Camera — optional
• Can I rent equipment?

  All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:

  • • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe
    • Alpine touring or telemark skis (or splitboards), touring boots and poles

  You can rent all the ski gear you need from Arctic Rentals in Kabelvåg, 10 minutes away from Svolvær, the starting point of your tour. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and prices:

  • • For this group Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring adventure, the maximum number of participants is 7.
    • That’s the boat’s maximum capacity.
    • It takes a minimum of 4 participants for this tour to operate. The trip gets confirmed at the moment that at least 4 people have paid the deposit. Please refrain from purchasing plane tickets prior to the confirmation.
    • These trips get sold out really fast and the chance of them not happening is extremely low!

  Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski touring & sailing adventures can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.

  If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Deposits and cancellation policy

  For regular dates, a $750 deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.

  • • If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to sixty (60) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund minus the full deposit amount.
    • If Client cancels the Booking between fifty-nine (59) and thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking minus the full deposit amount.
    • After that deadline, Client is not entitled to any refund.
• Getting there and meeting location

  Your Lyngen Alps & Lofoten ski tour & sailing adventure begins in Svolvær Harbor in the Lofoten Archipelago of Norway. You can get there by air, ferry, or road.

  • • Svolvær has its own airport, Svolvær Airport, Helle (SVJ), 4 miles from the town. You can take a flight to Svolvær from larger airports in Norway.
    • You can take a ferry to the Lofoten islands from Bodø. A very scenic ride takes you to Moskenes or Svolvær, depending on the ferry route you choose. From Moskenes, you can take a bus or drive to Svolvær.
    • There’s also the option of going by car or bus, though it does take longer.

  You’ll meet your guides and your team at Svolvær Harbor between 2 and 4 pm of Day 1.

• Safety measures in Norway

  We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.

  Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans. Personal travel insurance is mandatory.

  We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to.

  If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!