Spitsbergen Cabins & Canines

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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