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For those who are in constant exploration and search!
Spend unforgettable 3 days to immerse into the roots of the Arctic discovery. During 3 days, you will get acquainted with Barentsburg, a town of Arctic stories. It is the coal mining settlement on the western side of the island with the rich history, local traditions and plenty of things to do.
Adventure, which starts with travelling by open boats between Norway and Russia, Norwegian settlement Longyearbyen and Russian town Barentsburg; visiting husky kennel with almost all the Arctic sled dog breeds with a chance to do dog sledding on wheels. Get acquainted with the nature: reindeers, polar foxes, seals and whales to see if you’re lucky.
3 days of real Arctic experience!
On Svalbard, weather conditions are changing quickly so that is why for the safety and comfort of our guests, the tour program might be changed regarding the itineraries and destinations.
Program duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Starts on Monday
Boat Trip
Esmarkbreen glacier
Hiking
Available for children from 12 y/o
Comfortable hotel accommodation
TRAVEL DATES IN 2023:
09.06-11.06
16.06-18.06
23.06-25.06
TOUR PRICE PER PERSON:
10 150 NOK/person
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
Transfers:
- Transfers from/to your place of accommodation in Longyearbyen
Accommodation:
- 2 nights in the hotel Barentsburg
Meals:
- Breakfast on day 2, 3
- Lunches on the Days 1, 2 (in the restaurant or in the field)
- 2 dinner in the restaurant
Activities:
- Guided tours around the settlements
- Walking/Hiking trips according to the itinerary
- Boat trips according to the itinerary
- Guide Serivces
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
- Alcohol drinks and dishes/drinks beyond the tour program
- Souvenirs
- Other additional services
- Individual travel insurance policy
ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
800 NOK / 2 hours
- Sauna
- Tour to the mine
- Dog sledding on wheels
- Dog trekking
DAY 0 • THURSDAY
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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 • FRIDAY
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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 – Esmarkbreen – Alkhornet – Barentsburg
This day is dedicated to the glaciers, bays and sea. You will enjoy the picturesque variety of landscapes of the Northern Shore of Isfjorden and have a chance to see sea mammals and lots of birds. It will be one of the most exciting days of the whole trip. 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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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 Red Bear Pub & Brewery or Rijpsburg, 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 • SATURDAY
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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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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 • SUNDAY
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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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Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
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Dog sledding on wheels or dog trekking (at extra cost)
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Lunch in the restaurant or in the field
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Departure by open Polarcirkel boats to Barentsburg by route: Barentsburg – Grumant – Colesbay – Longyearbyen
On the way from Longyearbyen to Longyearbyen 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 to Longyearbyen, transfer to your place of accommodation
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
USEFUL LINKS
STATE TRUST ARCTICUGOL
Arctic Travel Company GRUMANT
9178 Barentsburg, Svalbard, Norway
+47 941 541 56 (working hours)