Travel Scandinavia Baltic Tours Antarctica Expedition Cruises

Categories Arctic Tours Adventure & Eco Travel Winter Tours Svalbard Spitsbergen

Experience Svalbard's winter! Magical landscapes, glacial ice cave, dog sledding and cabin life.

Itinerary

You will be collected from your accommodation at 9:00am, and driven about 10km into the Advent Valley to Green Dog. Here you will be equipped with exposure suits, winter boots, headwear, balaclavas and ski goggles, and are ready to continue to the dog yard in Bolterdalen.

The guide will provide a thorough briefing on dog sledding before you help to harness the dogs and fasten them to the sleds. The guide will drive first with two participants in their sled, followed by the other sled with two participants. While we prepare the air will be filled with the barks of happy dogs in anticipation of the tour, but as soon as we set off the silence of the Arctic will sink over both the dogs and the landscape. You will be able to enjoy the wildlife and scenery in Bolterdalen. The Polar air will be nearly deafeningly silent, with the only sounds coming from the sleds and the busy Huskie paws. After about 2 hours mushing we will arrive at the ice cave. We will put on our helmets and headlamps as we descend into the cave, while the dogs will have a chance for a well-earned break and snack. The ice cave is created during the summer, when meltwater runs through the glacier. During the winter this water freezes, creating fantastic channels and artistic ice crystals in the clear, still air inside the glacier. No matter what the temperature outside, the cave is at a steady -2°C.

After a tour within the glacier we will experience the exhileration of downhill mushing through the moraine and out through Bolterdalen. We will continue towards Foxdalen where our cosy little cabin awaits.

Once the fire takes off in the oven the temperature will rise quickly while we feed the dogs. If the northern lights or the beauty of the surrounds don’t keep us outside, then we will spend a cosy evening inside enjoying good food, the warm fireplace and interesting mushing stories until it is time to creep into our sleeping bags. Sleeping bags, groundsheets and food are provided for you.

The following morning we will harness the dogs again and set off towards Jansonhaugen and the excited and varied terrain that is found in that area. After a good day behind the sleds we will make our way back to the dog yard. Depending on weather and conditions we expect to be back at the hotel at around 3-6pm.

Notes