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Genuine Adventure Week across Svalbard, the fullest immersion into the Arctic nature that has never taken place before!
2 massive glaciers, 3 really different outstanding towns, and countless bays, mountains, valleys and fjords of incomparable beauty – that’s the only tour of its kind on the archipelago!
You will travel across the Arctic land and get close to its pure ecosystem while hiking through tundra and moraines and passing through the Svalbard fjords on boats to not only admire but touch a glacier and listen to its icy but melodic signing. In the week journey, you will have a chance to meet the animal world of archipelago: polar foxes, reindeers, walruses, seals, whales and maybe the Arctic King – his majesty polar bear. You will travel to the last place of wilderness in the whole Europe!
To feel through the past and present life of the archipelago, you will visit settlements where each is special:
- Barentsburg, a town with no bounds and full of Arctic stories of then and now, the warmest place in the Arctic as you feel at home as soon as you arrive;
- Longyearbyen, a little Scandinavia and administrative center of Svalbard;
- And legendary Pyramiden, our Arctic time machine which will bring you back to the 80s to see a period of developed socialism in a few steps from the North Pole in the real-time mode.
The dream of unity between human and nature, modern people and millennia-old island comes true within 7 days!
Starts every Monday
Boat Trip
2 glaciers
Hiking
Available for children from 12 y/o
Comfortable hotel accommodation
TRAVEL DATES IN 2023:
26.06-02.07; 03.07-09.07; 10.07-16.07;
17.07-23.07; 24.07-30.07; 31.07-06.08;
07.08-13.08; 14.08-20.08; 21.08-27.08;
28.08-03.09; 04.09-10.09; 11.09-17.09;
18-24.09
TOUR PRICE PER PERSON:
21 500 NOK
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
Transfers:
- Transfer from/to your place of accommodation in Longyearbyen
Accommodation (6 nights):
- 3 nights in the hotel Barentsburg
- 3 nights in the hotel Pyramiden
Meals:
- Breakfasts (from the Day 2)
- Lunches on the Days 1-7 (in the restaurant or in the field)
- 6 complex dinners in the restaurants
- 1 beer tasting
Activities:
- Guided tours around the settlements
- Visit to the Husky Center in Barentsburg
- Walking/Hiking trips according to the itinerary
- Boat trips according to the itinerary
Guide services
Boat rent (open Polarcirkel boat), fuel
Rent of survival suite Helly Hansen and safety equipment incl. portable radio set, satellite phone, GPS-navigator, warning beacon, etc.
Insurance covering search and rescue, evacuation costs in case of emergency.
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Flight to/from Longyearbyen
Accommodation:
- Accommodation in Longyearbyen on the Day 0 (1 night)
Meals:
- Meals on the Day 0
- Alcohol drinks and dishes/drinks beyond the tour program
- Individual travel insurance policy
- Souvenirs
-Additional Services
ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
600 NOK / Person
150 NOK / Person
690 NOK / Person
800 NOK / 2 hours
- Dog sledding on wheels – 790 NOK/person
- Dog trekking – 490 NOK/person
- Tour to the mine – 600 NOK/person
- Other additional activities
DAY 0 • SUNDAY
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Arrival in Longyearbyen by one of the day, evening, or night flights from Oslo or Tromsø
Please note that for this night, the place of accommodation in Longyearbyen should be booked from your end at extra cost. One of the options to accommodate in Longyearbyen can be our guesthouse Russkiy Dom. Please kindly feel free to contact us to double check the availability.
Longyearbyen is the capital of Svalbard. It is the northernmost populated area with approximately 2400 inhabitants, 50 nationalities. Longyearbyen was founded in 1906 by John Longyear and named after him further on. This is a town with a particular temper that has been loved by adventurers, explorers, fans of the North and wilderness.
DAY 1 • MONDAY
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9:00 Pick up from your place of accommodation in Longyearbyen to our expedition center Russkiy Dom
In the expedition center Russkiy Dom the guide will get you familiar with the safety instructions during the sea passage and will help you to fit the equipment and get ready for departure.
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Departure by open Polarcirkel boats to Barentsburg by route: Longyearbyen – Grumant – Colesbay – Barentsburg.
On the way from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg in the open Polarcirkel boat you will enjoy the freshness of the second biggest fjord of the archipelago, Isfjorden, translated from Norwegian as «Ice fjord». The route is dedicated to the history of the first Russian mining town on Svalbard, Grumant, and Colesbay. These settlements were founded in the beginning of 20th century, so practically, it was a starting place of the Russian mining development on the archipelago. Grumant and Colesbay were connected with each other by a narrow railroad used for the coal transportation and which still can be spotted from the sea. If the weather permits, we will try to dock near the towns at the historically important place – the hut of Vladimir Rusanov, to walk around. During the sea passage, you will also pass by majestic bird-cliffs and even have a chance to spot some whales and dolphins in the fjord.
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Arrival in Barentsburg and check-in in the hotel Barentsburg
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Lunch in the restaurant Rijpsburg
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Guided tour around the settlement
Barentsburg is the warmest place in the Arctic as you feel at home as soon as you arrive. On the tour, your guide will get you acquainted with the town stories of then and now and you will live through traditions of the locals.
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Visit to the Barentsburg Husky Center 78° NORDDOGS
As soon as the excursion is over, the dogs of the Husky Center will welcome you and will crave for cuddles and stroking. Images of the Amundsen Pole exploration will appear just in front of you and you’ll explore the uniqueness of the Center as there are about 80 dogs of almost all the Arctic sled dog breeds.
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Dinner in the Rijpsburg restaurant, tasting of local beer
To summarize the impressions of the day you’ll head to the first brewery on Svalbard, where you will taste locally made beer brewed on water from the glacier lake Stemme located just across the fjord. You will find out what sorts are there and define which one is your favorite.
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Overnight in the hotel Barentsburg
Barentsburg is the Russian «capital» of Svalbard. It is a town of Arctic stories written by Dutch explorers, Russian and Norwegian trappers, American and German merchants, adventurers, Soviet builders of communism and Russian miners. Barentsburg was founded in 1921 by the Dutch as a coal-mining settlement. Since 1931 it has been under the State Trust «Arcticugol» administration. The population is approximately 500 people.
Polarcirkel is an 8-meter-long boat of high endurance and created by Norwegian shipbuilders specifically for marine passages in the Arctic. The boats are equipped with a large power engine Yamaha (200 HP), echo sounders, emergency beacons and marine radio communication. Therefore, we provide special Arctic rescue suits by Norwegian brand Hansen. It will keep you warm, protect from the wind and give a boost of confidence during the boat trips.
Barentsburg Husky Center would probably be the cutest and fluffiest location in Barentsburg. 80 doghouses on the Grønfjorden shore stand against the background of the magnificent Esmark glacier (Esmarkbreen). When we started the project, we soon realized that there is plenty of various North sled dog breeds and at different times they all were actively involved in the exploration of the Arctic and dog sledding sport. Thus, we had an idea to create a project of the kennel with all the Arctic sled dog breeds. Nowadays, there is no kennel of the sort.
DAY 2 • TUESDAY
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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Sea passage by open boats and hiking trip along the picturesque coastlines of Isfjorden
Depending on weather conditions, the first stop-over is possible at the cape Festningen – marvelous rock fortress with a lighthouse navigating close-going ships. Hiking here is easy and diverse. You may go through gorgeous landscapes of tundra combined with the marvelous mountains sharpened by the wind or you may walk on the seaside and maybe meet a seal. Our goal is to get to Russekeila – the Russian bay on the shore of the cold open ocean the view of which you may enjoy from a lovely modern hut of Ivan Starostin, where you are going to have lunch and listen to the stories about the first overwinterings on Svalbard.
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Picnic in the cosy interiors of the Starostin hut
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Sea Passage in the open boats Esmarkbreen
You will enjoy the picturesque variety of landscapes of the Northern Shore of Isfjorden and have a chance to see sea mammals like walruses, seals and whales. Prepare yourself for a short hike to feel the real Arctic. Pure wildlife is around!The singing voices of the Esmarkbreen glacier and its breathing create such immersion into the Arctic nature that will leave you speechless.
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Return to Barentsburg
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Dinner in the Northernmost fish restaurant Rijpsburg
The menu includes dishes made with the fresh Arctic fish species: cod, haddock, wolffish, Arctic char, salmon, and herring. Besides, we catch cod, haddock, wolffish, and the Arctic char ourselves in waters near Barentsburg, and the product is completely prepared with our own hands. During the fishing season from June to October, it’s possible to have a meal cooked with “24-hour catch” meaning that the period between catching and cooking is not more than 24 hours.
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Overnight in the Hotel Barentsburg
Starostin hut got its name after a legendary pomor trapper, Ivan Starostin, who spent over 30 winters on Svalbard and never left the island during the last 15 years. He lived at the Russekeila bay near the Linne Lake and River. It was one of the biggest trappers’ settlements. Starostin lived there with other Pomors and was regularly visited by his companions and family from the mainland.
DAY 3 • WEDNESDAY
This day is free of open boat sea passages so you can relax and enjoy your day with activities in Barentsburg before to continue your adventure across the Arctic land. This day is important as on one hand, it lets us arrange program at a stable rhythm, on the other hand, it provides a certain flexibility so that if due to the weather conditions, the program needs to be changed, it is possible to keep it the same full and rich. Breakfast will take place in the hotel restaurant.
You can choose activities of your taste among the following options:
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Before breakfast you may start with a Tour to the mine of Barentsburg (at extra cost)
It is the only operating coal mine in the world where you can get into with a tour. You can see cooperation between man and nature, mechanisms of getting into the ground depth and mine reinforcement. The tour is guided by a real miner so that you will get first-hand knowledge.
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Dog sledding on wheels or dog trekking (at extra cost)
You will have an option to try yourself as a real musher and go for the dog sledding on wheels or dog trekking along the shore of Grønfjorden to see one of the most breathtaking views around. (5-7 km, at extra cost).
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Visit to the Souvenir Shop and Post Office
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Dinner in the Northernmost fish restaurant Rijpsburg
Take a pick on the restaurant you like the most and enjoy the meals in good Arctic traditions!
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Overnight in the hotel Barentsburg
DAY 4 • THURSDAY
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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Departure to Pyramiden. Day Sea Passage in the open boats by the route: Barentsburg – Longyearbyen – Skansbukta – Pyramiden
You will have a chance to visit magnificent Skansbukta with the gorgeous mountain which reminds of a castle. And then it’s the moment to go back in time with the time - travel machine of Pyramiden.
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Lunch in the field at Skansbukta
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Arrival in Pyramiden. Check-in in the hotel Pyramiden
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Guided tour around Pyramiden
You’ll have a guided tour in the settlement, learn the history of the place, visit well preserved buildings of Canteen, School and Kindergarten, Swimming pool and restored Cultural House with a warm cafeteria. The atmosphere of enthusiasm and nostalgia will be there with you at the place that has been revived in the middle of nowhere by hands and hearts of the 21st century polar people.
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Dinner in the Restaurant Pyramiden
After the whole day in the boat, warm and cozy Pyramiden will amaze you with its hospitality and warm you up with the set meal of the particular Soviet elegance. Then, before you get to your cozy bed you will be able to enjoy the evening on the sofas and a screen playing documentary films about Pyramiden past times. There is no internet or phone connection in the settlement, so for some people it becomes a digital detox and the gadgets do not interrupt sincere conversations and pure fun.
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Overnight in the hotel Pyramiden
Pyramiden is a settlement located at the bottom of the mountain and named after it. It was founded in 1911. It's a town located in between mountains, the huge glacier and moraine. In 1956 the settlement started coal production and in the 1970s-1980s a perfect socialism model system was built. In 1998 Pyramiden was preserved but its infrastructure arranged in the Soviet period has come down to us. Anyone who has spent at least a couple of hours in Pyramiden makes a point in this place's uniqueness. Today the town is open and it grows as a tourist location. A boiler house, hotel, restaurant and film stock cinema have been renovated. Pyramiden attracts not only tourists but also film directors, journalists, free riders and bloggers from all over the world.
DAY 5 • FRIDAY
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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Hiking in the surroundings (10-16 km)
One of the best ways to explore the region is to walk and hike in the surroundings of Pyramiden which is very special and various in its mountain landscapes. There is a number of routes on every taste and level of training. Our guides can bring to Bukhta Petunia or to the waterfalls in Odindallen.
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Lunch in the field
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Dinner in Pyramiden Restaurant
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Overnight in the hotel Pyramiden
DAY 6 • SATURDAY
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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Hiking to the Pyramiden mountain or to the Table Mountain
Pyramiden mountain is the signature of the whole region. Its form reminds of man-made pyramids, even though the architect was the Arctic wind. From a height of 937 meters, you will see not only the settlement itself but also the whole region of Billefjorden with its land and sea glaciers, sharpened summits and limitless Lomonosov plateau – the glacial plateau of a space over 600 sq. km
As an alternative itinerary, there is a route to the Table Mountain (Yggdrasilkampen) rich on variety of the reliefs, closure to the Jotunfonna glacier and a breath-taking view on the town of Pyramiden and of course, Nordenskiöld glacier. Depending on different factors the guides will decide which route to take.
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Lunch in the field
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Dinner in Pyramiden Restaurant
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Overnight in the hotel Pyramiden
Nordenskiöldbreen is a signature of Svalbard, one of the most beautiful glaciers on the archipelago and surely, the most well-known one. The glacier tongue gets into the glacial plateau of around 600 sq.km area and its wall shake the imagination with the height and colors. Thunder-like sounds of its ice pieces can be heard yet from the town of Pyramiden.
DAY 7 • SUNDAY
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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Visit to the Souvenir Shop
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Short hike to the Bottle House and the Galerie (at extra cost)
“Bottle house” – is very unusual house built of glass bottles.
Such a house appeared as a result of Norwegian laws forbidding the disposal of glass bottles (as well as other garbage) on the archipelago. This is the solution that the miners came with – they converted garbage into building material and created a very interesting place among tourists.
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Lunch in the restaurant
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Departure to Longyearbyen by open boats with a stop-over at the massive Nordenskiöld glacial wall.
It is a common spot for polar bears to hunt seals, so there is a chance to meet them, but from the safe distance, of course.
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Arrival in Longyearbyen
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Transfer to your place of accommodation in Longyearbyen
On Svalbard weather conditions change quickly so that is why for the safety and comfort of our guests, the tour program might be changed regarding the itineraries and destinations.
ACCOMMODATION
Comfortable accommodation in Barentsburg
Comfortable accommodation in Pyramiden