Journey to where Norway meets the North Pole and you’ll find the Svalbard archipelago, home to some of the coolest ski runs and Arctic backdrops in the world! Starting in Longyearbyen, the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, embark on a week-long ski odyssey under the 24-hour Midnight Sun, during which you’ll tour untouched summits, shred untracked lines, and explore places no one’s ever seen before. From mild cruisers to bone-chilling couloirs, skiers of all skill levels will find a run of their own. And the best part? You won’t have to share the slopes with anyone.
Sample the unique mix of Arctic corn and perfect spring powder
With 24 hours of sunlight, you’ll get the most out of your days on the slopes
New, untracked areas become accessible as summer progresses and the ice melts
Enjoy a week of sailing and ski touring under the Midnight Sun! Make your way to Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost settlement, join a seasoned local guide, and chase the freshest lines on remote and untouched mountains! You will be aboard the Ocean Sherpa sailboat, and you will switch locations almost daily to reach the best snow and get some epic descents. Your guide will adapt the touring to your group’s goals and abilities. All you have to do is enjoy the views and pick the most exciting slope you want to shred!
Fly into Svalbard Airport just northwest of Longyearbyen and get transferred to your hotel in town. After you go over the trip logistics, get a good night’s sleep. You’ll need it for the adventure to come!
Get settled in the sailboat, your home for the week. Head towards the beautiful Isfjorden, a majestic fjord in Svalbard. You will anchor in Trygghamna, which is where you’ll have your first day of skiing! The bay Trygghamna translates to “safe harbour”, as its calm seas give travelers the opportunity to disembark the boat and explore the wonderful surroundings.
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Light dinner
With today’s locations being Trygghamna and Ymerbukta, you will have plenty of options to leave your first turns in fresh snow. You will find lots of terrific and exciting terrain options here. Once you return to the boat, you’ll be served a delicious meal before heading towards St. John’s fjord.
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today you’ll wake up in the wonderful St. John’s fjord, an area said to have potential gold hidden! Better go out and search for it, maybe you get lucky.
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
The destination for these two days is Krossfjorden. You are now 79 degrees north, not far away from Kings Bay and Ny-Ålesund. This is the northernmost place of this tour, so make sure to fully enjoy the moment and take in this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
This island is also known as the Foreland, as it’s the westernmost island in the Svalbard archipelago. These were most likely the mountains that William Barentz discovered in 1594, and he gave them the name Spitzbergen (due to how pointy they are).
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Isfjorden has countless skiing opportunities, and depending on the weather, your guide will take you to the best spots. Ski your heart out, as this is the last day of skiing!
Accommodation: Ocean Sherpa sailboat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
After a full week at sea and in remote mountains, it’s time to return to civilization. Disembark the boat, explore the charming Longyearbyen, and catch your flight in the afternoon!
Meals: Breakfast
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
Your home for the week is the Ocean Sherpa, a 34-meter (111-foot) long sturdy steel ship with beautiful woodwork that can accommodate up to 10 guests. There are 6 double guest rooms with an ensuite shower & wash basin in every cabin. You’ll have a professional crew of sailors and guides with you onboard.
A spacious deck holds an inviting saloon with a bar and a panoramic view, granting you the chance to spot wildlife and enjoy the landscapes. The crow’s nest in the mast and the accessible jib net offer great opportunities for photography.
The steel, reinforced hull and top stability make Ocean Sherpa a safe ship in all weather conditions, ready for ice operations. The ship is certified and maintained to the highest safety standards—she is under class and complies with Solas and is voluntary operating under ISM.
To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for 7 full days, covering miles of complex Arctic 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.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.
In order to join this sailing & skiing tour in Svalbard, you need to be an experienced backcountry skier.
Don’t worry if you’ve never been sailing before! You’ll have professional guides and crew onboard with you, and they will take care of everything. Still, the sails are easily handled so even unexperienced guests can take an active part in the handling of the ship.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For clothing, we recommend bringing:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent it with your guides upon request, just let us know when booking!
Although there can never be guarantee of sun, May in Svalbard brings relatively good and stable weather. You’ll sail from point to point and go skiing depending on the weather conditions. Your guide will make sure to maximize your skiing time.
Regarding temperatures, it’s generally around -10°C (14°F) at sea levels with a variability throughout the day. Naturally, the nights are colder and temperature can vary depending on the altitude. Check out our clothing and equipment recommendations. We recommend packing more than you need, because the weather can come in quickly, and a sunny morning can soon become a stormy afternoon.
Group sizes and pricing:
Min. age requirements:
If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to this ski tour in Svalbard, most people fly into Svalbard Airport near Longyearbyen, the largest city in the archipelago and the starting point of this tour. There are daily flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo, Norway, but we encourage you to book early. Norwegian Air flies from Oslo, while SAS arrives from Stockholm.
Flying to remote Svalbard takes a while, so plan your journey ahead, and spend a day in town before departure on this tour. Your guide will organize for a minibus to transport you and your gear to your hotel in Longyearbyen.
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.
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!
For set dates, a 25% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure.
Secure your spot for 2025 with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you’ll be the first one to know. Pick the month that suits you best and we’ll let you know once the dates are live—don’t risk missing out on your bucket list adventure!
Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
