Halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole lies Svalbard, a majestic archipelago that’s a must for any serious skier. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the 79th parallel, where we won’t have to share slopes with anyone else, where we’ll ski powder, and where the sun never sets. The best way to experience it? By boat, of course, which is why we put together this ski touring adventure under the Midnight Sun! Some epic descents and million-dollar views are guaranteed, and we’ll be able to find anything from steep gorges to mellower slopes. And with the evening approaching—with the sun lingering on the horizon—we’ll end our days on our safe boat, with a glass of wine and a terrific atmosphere!
When it comes to ski trips, this is as epic as it gets. Join us on our 8-day sail & ski trip in Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago boasting incredible ski runs and fabulous views! We’ll set sail from Longyearbyen, the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, and ski our hearts out during this week, all under the Midnight Sun! A professional guide as well as expert crew will be by your side, you’ll spend a week aboard a sailing ship, and you’ll have most meals included in the price. You’ll also get a professional photo reportage and videos! And you’ll give back to the local community as well as to the environment—your guides will make sure to include an activity to support the local community and 10 trees will be planted per participant as part of the CO2 compensation.
Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, so make sure to make suitable travel arrangements to get there by Day 1 of your adventure. After you arrive at Longyearbyen Airport, get to your sailboat, and the adventure begins! Settle in, get to know the crew, and make yourself comfortable. Once we check the gear, review the boat, and listen to the safety briefing, we’ll set sail towards the first ski spot!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Sailing ship
Every day we’ll alternate sailing sections of 2-3 hours with crisp tours directly from the jetty or from the beach, which we reach by dinghy. On days when the weather is good, we naturally prefer ski touring to sailing, whereas bad weather days are ideal for covering longer distances, which allows us to climb the most challenging lines and peaks.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Sailing ship
We will sail back towards Longyearbyen and disembark the ship. If you’d like to stay longer here, or even spend a night and go on a city tour, just let us know upon booking! We’ll be happy to arrange an extra night for you.
once in a lifetime thang! Svalbard
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
In order to join this ski touring adventure in Svalbard, Norway, participants are expected to have previous backcountry skiing experience as well as good fitness for medium-length tours. No experience necessary with use of crampons and ice axe.
Typical ascents in the area are between 4 and 9 km (2.5-5.6 miles), and take between 4 to 8 hours. Slope gradients are mostly below 25-30 degrees above the glacier plateaus, but there’s a possibility of reaching up to 40-degree powder snow slopes, should you opt for gorges and steeper downhill variants.
No sailing experience is required! Though you’ll spend your week aboard a ship, there are expert skippers on board who will navigate their way through the Arctic wilderness.
Here’s a list of clothing & equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Yes, you can! Your guides offer the following rentals (price per person for the whole week), which you can add to your booking upon checkout:
Half-board is included in the price of this ski touring trip in Svalbard, Norway. Out of your guides’ commitment to animal welfare, they do not offer fish and meat on their tours. Nevertheless, you can order what you like at local restaurants, whether vegetarian or animal-based.
What you eat between breakfast and dinner is up to you, so lunches and snacks to replenish your energy levels are not included. It’s best to take dried fruit, chocolate, cheese, wholemeal bread and energy bars—remember that you’ll carry this in your daypack, don’t make it too heavy.
On Svalbard, extreme conditions and limited availability affect the local cuisine. The local cuisine therefore reflects a mixture of traditional Arctic ingredients and international influences. Here are some examples of foods that are typically consumed in Svalbard:
Group sizes and pricing
Ski touring in Svalbard, Norway, can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Longyearbyen, the starting point of your ski touring adventure in Svalbard, Norway, it’s best to first fly into Oslo. From Oslo, there are direct flights to Longyearbyen. The number of flights per day depends on the season, and these flights are usually operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines).
Make sure to reach Longyearbyen by Day 1 of the adventure, as that’s when you’ll embark the boat, settle in, and start sailing.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, we partnered up with Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their insurance packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s insurance. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
A 30% 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—thirty (30) days before the start date, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
Our trip to Svalbard was a fantastic experience. The accommodations on the boat where very comfortable with great food being served every day. The views from the boar and ski touring where extraordinary as was the wild life we encountered. Exped Tribe organized the whole trip smoothly and the crew used was professional as well as fun to hang around with.