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After optional touring and resting in Longyearbyen, join Rob, Tom, the boat crew and chef, and board the 150-foot Noorderlicht, a two-masted gaff-rigged sailing yacht. Captain Floriss and his crew know which fjords offer sensational skiing, how to get there, where to anchor, and how to show the gang a good time. You will be ski touring every day after lifting anchors in Longyearbyen. Skiing days last from 5 – 9 hours. All in all, an amazing adventure and a trip of a lifetime!
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Make the most of your visit to Svalbard with this 3-day extension! You can add this option upon checkout.
After your arrival at the airport in Longyearbyen from Oslo, your guides will transfer you to the hotel. Spend the first day exploring the town and Polarmuseum, and learn about the history of Svalbard. On the second day, ski tour close to town and return to the hotel for an après-ski. Spend the third day discovering the area around Longyearbyen on skis or try out a snowmobile tour to the town of Barensburg, a small Russian mining town, before you retire to your hotel and get some well deserved rest!
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Arrive at the airport in Longyearbyen from Oslo and your guides will transfer you to the hotel. Around 4 pm, board the yacht and go through the safety briefing with your group and guides. The departure is usually around 6 pm.
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It usually takes only one hour to sail in the Isfjord to the first ski tour. From there, you will be sailing along the West Coast of Spitzbergen to sample some of the best ski touring in the world and peak ascent the group of islands. In May and June the sun shines for 24 hours in Svalbard, which leaves a lot of flexibility for departures. Discover harbours like Ymerbukta or visit the small pubs nestled in industrial arctic harbour towns north of 79°.
Gradual, scenic climbs give way to long, beautiful runs back to the water. And best of all, the warm, comfortable boat awaits tired skiers at the end of the day. After each day of skiing, return from the shoreline by a Zodiac motor boat back to the yacht, with the smell of delicious dinner welcoming you.
Finish off your day on the deck with a glass of wine, enjoying the contrast of the sea and the magnificent mountainscape with the everlasting sun above the horizon. Arrival back in Longyearbyen is usually around 4 pm. Enjoy your last evening and join your group for a farewell dinner on the boat.
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Bid farewell to the yacht and crew in the morning after breakfast and head back to the airport.
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What you get in this adventure:
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- Experienced, certified ski guides with extensive knowledge of the area
- Eight days of backcountry ski touring and sailing
- Seven-night yacht rental with crew (harbour fees and permit fees)
- Breakfast and multi-course dinners on board, lunch supplies
What’s not included:
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- Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
- Pre-trip 3-day extension
- Trip insurance
- Air travel
- Alcoholic beverages
- Dinners in Longyearbyen
- Hotel in Oslo en route
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This Svalbard expedition is ideal for intermediate to advanced backcountry skiers. Every day, you will travel 10-20 km (6-12 miles), with tour lengths ranging from 1100-1500m+ (3,609-4,921 ft). All participants should feel comfortable on black level resort runs as you will be skiing on glaciated terrain with variable snow conditions.
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Due to the terrain, location and length of tour, this adventure is for intermediate to advanced backcountry skiers. If you’re just starting out, we recommend heading out for some intro touring with a guide and gaining some backcountry experience.
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Clothing list
- Wool or synthetic socks and liner socks
- Long underwear top — synthetic or wool
- Light fleece or wool sweater
- Wind shell — nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type jacket
- Waterproof breathable jacket
- Warm insulated jacket — down or synthetic
- Long underwear bottoms — synthetic or wool
- Multipurpose stretch nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type pants
- Waterproof breathable pants
- Warm hat — wool or synthetic
- Brimmed cap for sun protection
- Face warmer — scarf, neck tube or balaclava (optional)
- Light gloves — wool, synthetic or leather
- Insulated gloves or mitts with waterproof outer shell
- Spare gloves or mitts
- Handkerchief for blocking the sun (optional)
Snow Safety Equipment
- Avalanche beacon with good batteries (and spares)
- Shovel
- Probe (2.4m or longer preferred)
Travel Equipment
- Skis or split board
- Ski strap
- Ski or snowboard boots
- Poles
- Climbing skins
- Skin wax (or a candle)
- Ski crampons — mandatory
- Binding repair kit to fix your personal travel setup
- Ski helmet — optional
Personal Equipment
- Pack (30-40 litres)
- Sunglasses (both orange and dark lenses help a lot for travel in all conditions)
- Goggles (orange lenses)
- Sunscreen and lip cream (SPF 30+)
- Head lamp with good batteries
- Insulated water bottle or thermos (1-2 L)
- Lunch bag or container
- Personal blister kit (i.e: Leukotape-P and Compeed/Second Skin blister pads)
- Pocket knife — optional
- Camera — optional
- Binoculars — optional
Glacier Gear list
- Harness — fitted for over your ski clothing
- Locking carabiners (x2)
- Non-locking carabiners (x2)
- Prussik cord (5m x 6mm) —optional
- Sewn sling (120cm) — optional
- Lightweight ice axe — optional, don’t bring if you don’t have one or don’t like steep skiing
If you have any questions regarding the equipment list, feel free to contact us prior to booking.
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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 can be rented from Sport Centeret Svalbard
- Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from Sport Centeret Svalbard
Ski rental locations are in Longyearbyen and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
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A certified ski guide will take all of the guesswork out of your time in the backcountry. From tour planning to route selection, terrain management, avalanche safety, and gear knowledge, your guide’s expertise and backcountry experience will ensure you have an unforgettable ski touring adventure.
It doesn’t matter your skill level, whether you’ve never backcountry skied or you’re seasoned on the slopes, skiing with a guide has its advantages. Your techniques will sharpen, you’ll learn how to navigate terrain safely, make smart decisions, and most of all, you’ll remain safe in unfamiliar terrain.
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For this adventure, the maximum number of participants is set at 12. You can join this adventure on your own or in bigger groups until all the spots are taken. Single supplement is available to add upon checkout.
All pricing is per person.
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- Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this ski tour adventure.
- Minors may be permitted to join the tour on a case-by-case basis. If you plan to ski with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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Mitigating avalanche risk is paramount for any excursion in the backcountry — that’s why it’s best to tour with a guide! Rest assured, your guide will set objectives that are attainable for the weather conditions on that particular day. Of course, inclement weather can always get in the way of backcountry skiing, but your guide will know the best course of action to take if the weather takes a turn.
On the rare occasion of truly bad weather, your guide will present you with suitable, safe alternatives. The most common practice is to move to a nearby location if it exists, or to reschedule your backcountry ski tour to a more favorable day.
If backcountry skiing is not possible on your scheduled day and no options presented are viable, you will be issued a full refund.
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We highly recommended 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.
As we’ve recently seen, travel plans can be abruptly halted, so it’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance that covers cancelled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans. For peace of mind, we suggest you consider both options of insurance.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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To get to Svalbard, most people fly into Longyearbyen, the largest city on the Norwegian archipelago where your adventure begins. 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.
Your guide will transfer you from the airport to your accommodation. During the evening you will have a briefing with your guides and find out the rest of the details.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Svalbard, please refer to Visit Svalbard.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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