Spitsbergen Cabins & Canines

Husky Expedition

A 3 Day Husky Experience In The Wilderness

Friendly Canines

Harness Up Your Team Of Dogs

Picturesque Location

Relax In A Cosy Wilderness Cabin In Foxdalen

Catch A Glimpse Of The Aurora Borealis

Settle Your Dogs & Look Out For The Northern Lights

Additional Experiences

Add To Your Arctic Experience By Joining A Guided Snowmobile Tour

Spitsbergen Cabins & Canines

This break will give you a unique Arctic experience. Fly to Svalbard, the northernmost airport in the world serviced by a scheduled airline, collect your husky dogs and head off with your guide for a 3-day mushing expedition into the polar wilderness. Days are spent immersed in this wild landscape that is home to the polar bear and previously the domain of hunters and trappers. Nights are spent in a comfortable, modern cabin as far away from civilisation as you can imagine.

Please Note: No previous experience of husky mushing is necessary but a reasonable level of fitness and a love of dogs is essential.

DAY 1 Oslo

Fly to Oslo. Overnight Comfort Hotel Runway Gardermoen, Oslo Airport.

DAY 2 Longyearbyen

After breakfast take the morning flight to Longyearbyen. Self-transfer to the Radisson Blu Hotel Polar for one night. The hotel is situated in the centre of this Arctic outpost and within easy walking distance of the Svalbard Museum. Choose to relax and acclimatise to your surroundings or pick one of the exciting winter excursions.

DAY 3 Cabin & Canines

After an early breakfast you will be driven to the husky home in Bolterdalen. Here you will be given your protective clothing for the trip and an introduction to dogsledding. Help harness the dogs and prepare the sleds (2 people per sled). The dogs will be eager to depart. When you do, the only sound will be the panting of the huskies and the scrapping of the sled skis against the snow. Heading inland, the wide, beautiful Adventdalen grows narrower and the mountains come closer as you follow the riverbed into the valley. A visit is paid to the ice cave in the Scott Turner Glacier and lunch is taken in the snow igloo, as the dogs rest. After lunch, don helmets and headlamps and descend into the ice-cave. Here, melting ice-water has created swirling channels and sparkling crystal formations running deep into the glacier and now frozen in time. Simply mesmerising! The Arctic adventure continues with a thrilling downhill mush before arriving at the simple, cosy cabin in Foxdalen. By now you will know your dogs by name, have an insight to their personalities and appreciate their quiet strength and endurance. Settle the dogs for the evening and help prepare the fire and dinner, before an evening in the company of your fellow human explorers. The dogs and guides keep an eye out for any passing bear and depending on when you travel, you could witness the northern lights or the midnight sun overhead.

DAY 4 Cabin & Canines

The next day you will head with your team of huskies towards Jasonhaugen and its vaired terrain. Your goal today is the Spitsbergen Expedition Lodge. This cosy, well-equipped cabin has 4 bedrooms (sleeping 10 on comfortable bunks), a simple bathroom and gas cooking facilities in the kitchen. It even has a sauna, complete with window to view the aurora or midnight sun from. After unharnessing and feeding the dogs it will be time to relax and unwind beside the roaring fireplace. It will be impossible not to be seduced by the magical light and landscape. A sound night’s sleep is assured.

DAY 5 Longyearbyen

After breakfast you will head back towards Longyearbyen, taking a different return route. A light lunch will be served before returning your canine friends to their home. You will head back to the Radisson Blu Hotel Polar to reflect on the amazing experience you have just had.

DAY 6 UK

Breakfast and self-transfer back to the airport in time for your return flight home.

Radisson Blu Polar Hotel

This hotel was originally built for the Lillehammer Olympics and then transported to Svalbard, where it has become the world’s northernmost full service hotel. Recently refurbished, there is a wide range of warm contemporary rooms to choose from – all with free Wi-Fi. Restaurant Nansen features a la carte Arctic specialities and has panoramic windows looking out to Isfjord and Hiorthfjellet. Barentz Pub & Spiseri is a relaxed and informal meeting place for locals and visitors and offers a light menu. If that is not enough then there are also outdoor hot tubs and jacuzzi’s available for warming up after a day of activities.

95 rooms • Arctic dining with panoramic windows • Informal atmosphere

Longyearbyen Sightseeing

This tour will give you an insight to the history of Longyearbyen and its important international position. You will first be taken to the Longyear Valley and explore the town, before heading out to Adventdalen and Mine 7. This is followed by the airport district and Hotellneset.

Tour Available: All year

Duration: 2 hours

£40 pp

Northern Lights Evening

The Northern Lights can be seen 24 hours a day during the Polar Night. Escape any light pollution and head to Camp Barentz, where you will enjoy an Aurora Borealis presentation, as well as a delicious dinner and drinks.

Tour Available: Sundays & Tuesdays 15th October - 15th February

Duration: 3 hours

£124 pp

Hunting The Northern Lights

This tour takes you deep into the Advent Valley, near to the Mine 7 Mountain. Here you can see the EISCAT antennae, used to study the Earth’s atmosphere. Continue to keep a watchful eye out for the Aurora as you head to Camp Barentz for hot drinks and snacks on your way home.

Tour Available: 15th October - 15th February

Duration: 3-4 hours

£80 pp

Northern Lights Snowcat Safari

Join an exciting trip into the wilderness hunting for the Aurora Borealis. You will be picked up in an impressive red SnowCat, and then driven out into the darkness and across the snow-clad Advent Valley. Frequent stops are made en-route to the long-closed mining town of Hiorthhamn in order to look for the Northern Lights. The guides share their stories of the area whilst you enjoy a hot drink and startling landscape views.

Tour available: 27th Nov - 12th Feb

Duration: 2 hours

£79 pp

Ice-Caving Frozen Adventure

This trip starts with a 1½ snow shoe hike to the Lars Glacier, where equipped with headlamps, helmets, harnesses and crampons you will descend into a fascinating world below the ice. Walk along glistening crystal passages formed by the melting waters under the glacier. On this breathtaking journey, you will see mesmerising shapes formed of ice and stones. You need to have a good level of physical fitness to participate and may have to crawl in some places.

Tour Available: 01st November - 01st February

Duration: 5 hours

From 01 Feb this tour is operated by SnowCat, which takes you to an ice-cave in the Longyearbyen Glacier. This excursion requires an average level of fitness and is not suitable for those suffering from claustrophobia or restricted movement. Helmets, headlamps and ice-spikes supplied.

Tour Available: 01st February - 17th May

Duration: 3 hours

£88/95 pp

What's Included

Return flight to Longyearbyen (via Oslo)
1 night at the Comfort Hotel Runway, Gardermoen Airport, Oslo
2 nights at the Radisson Blu Hotel Polar, Longyearbyen including breakfast
2 nights at the in wilderness cabins, including breakfast, lunch and dinner
Breakfast throughout
2 night husky expedition programme as described
Outdoor clothing such as mittens, facemask/balaclava, thick hat, goggles, winter shoes and thermal suit. Shared equipment and experienced guide who is equipped with all necessary safety equipment, as well as search and rescue insurance.