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6 days - Independent adventure tour | True Arctic Wilderness.
Basecamp Nordenskiöld is the northernmost cabin for commercial trips on Svalbard. The cabin is located far away from any civilization and offers excellent possibilities for longer expeditions. It is situated in Billefjorden, right beside the mighty glacier Nordenskiöld. During summer you can reach the cabin by boat from Longyearbyen and during winter you can drive there with dog sledges or snowmobiles. No matter which season you pick it is certain to be an adventurous trip!
With no running water or electricity Basecamp Nordenskiöld is a true hunting cabin like those used by the trappers, but with modern comforts. We use wood for heating and get our drinking water from the melting glacier. There are 5 big bedrooms with fantastic arctic views, 11 comfortable beds, indoor toilet and a traditional sauna. The cabin is modern and comfortable with big windows giving away to the mighty glacier. Lying in the glacier moraine, the cabin is well hidden from any by passer-by.
This is a place where you are guaranteed privacy. You can enjoy your breakfast while looking right over to the magnificent Nordenskiöld glacier or relax in the sunny terrace with warm coffee while you watch polar bears hunt for seals on the sea ice.
If you are looking for a true arctic story with big glaciers, mighty mountains and rough moraine, this is the place to come!
Highlights include
- Have you heard the sounds of a calving glacier? Listen to them for four nights
- Explore beautiful Arctic land, glacier moraines and climb to mountain peaks
- Stay the farthest you can reach by motorized vehicle in Spitsbergen, and the base for expeditions to the blue glacier
- Warm yourself up in the sauna after a long day’s exploring
- With no running water or electricity, Nordenskiöld is a true expedition lodge in the middle of the Arctic.
- Day 1
- Arrive Longyearbyen - explore this 'wild west town'
- Day 2
- Transfer to Basecamp Nordenskiöld by rib boat
- Day 3
- Glacier walking on the majestic Nordenskiöld Glacier
- Day 4
- Hiking to the mountains and then return to Longyearbyen
- Day 5
- Fossil hunt with pack dogs and quad biking safari
- Day 6
- Departure Day
- Start/End Place
- Longyearbyen, Svalbard tours
- Country Visited
- Svalbard tours
- Duration
- 6 Days
- Group Size
- 2
- Type
- Active
- Suitability
- Active independent tour suitable for singles, couples & groups
- Code
- BCN001
Details
Transportation
Rib Boat transfer
Included
- 3 nights in lodge/hotel in Longyearbyen including breakfast
- Private guided tour of Longyearbyen
- 2 nights at Basecamp Nordenskiöld on full board
- Return transfers to Basecamp Nordenskiöld
- Activities and necessary equipment at Basecamp Nordenskiöld including rescue suite, hat, gloves & goggles
- Search and rescue insurance
- Service of experienced English speaking guides & service staff during Basecamp Nordenskiöld
- Activities included from Longyearbyen: Quad Bike Safari, Fossil Hunt with pack dogs and evening Beer Tasting event.
- 24-hour emergency service
- Taxes and service fees
- Booking with Confidence. We want you to be confident in booking with 50 Degrees North, and we will always have your best interest and safety in mind. In these times of uncertainty during the COVID-19 crisis, we have put in place further measures to make booking with us easier and more flexible.
Not Included
Flight tickets to/from start and end points, any airport taxes, travel insurance, visas, gratitudes and any items of personal nature.
There is no alcohol included in this package price.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Longyearbyen - explore this 'wild west town'
Arrive Longyearbyen and private transfer to your hotel. This small hotel, 5 kilometres from the airport, is centrally located, offering 24-hour reception, free WiFi, a terrace and modern rooms with a flat-screen TV. Once you have settled in, you will have a private tour of Longyearbyen. Enjoy the small township of Longyearbyen with its polar museum and church.
Accommodation
Svalbard HotellRestaurants
Day 2 - Transfer to Basecamp Nordenskiöld by rib boat
With no running water or electricity Nordenskiöld is a true hunting cabin like those used by the trappers, but with modern comforts. We use wood for heating and get our drinking water from the melting glacier. There are 5 big bedrooms with fantastic arctic views, 11 comfortable beds, indoor toilet and a traditional sauna. The cabin is modern and comfortable with big windows giving away to the mighty glacier. Lying in the glacier moraine, the cabin is well hidden from any by passer-by.
The guide will pick you up in the reception area of your hotel at 8am. You will have a quick look at the itinerary for the upcoming weekend. There will be time to make sure you have packed all of your travel essentials into a smaller bag (waterproof bags are recommended). Your excess baggage can be stored in the storage room at the hotel. You will be provided with all necessary equipment, such as survival suits, goggles, hats, boots and gloves.
Then head down to the harbour and get settled in open RIB-boats. Get ready for some fresh air, sea spray and close encounters with the Arctic wildlife of Svalbard. The fjords are teeming with Arctic birds, walruses, seals, and belugas this time of year. Enjoy a hot lunch once at Nordenskiöld Lodge, with a spectacular view of the Nordenskiöld glacier. You will explore the moraine landscape on foot and get to know the surrounding area. Your guide will be happy to share their knowledge of the area and of the glacier itself! Return to the cabin before nightfall, and you will have time to relax in the sauna before dinner is served.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Basecamp Nordenskiöld. Accommodation in double rooms.Day 3 - Glacier walking on the majestic Nordenskiöld Glacier
Today is glacier day! Your guides will introduce you to the equipment while teaching you some basic safety rules. You will be provided with all the necessary equipment for the glacier hike. The glacier is situated just a stone’s throw away, and we will have to cross a small river to get to our starting point. We hike up and down the glacier, crossing multiple smaller crevasses. There are few more beautiful places in the world to enjoy an outdoor expedition lunch. The view of Adolfbukta and Billefjorden is nothing short of spectacular.
Did you know that 60% of Spitsbergen’s surface is covered by glaciers? If the weather gods are on our side, there will also be time for an afternoon kayaking trip to the glacier front. Be on the lookout for curious seals! We top off the day by relaxing visit to the sauna, followed by a much-appreciated hot meal.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Basecamp NordenskiöldDay 4 - Hiking to the mountains and then return to Longyearbyen
After breakfast you have a chance for your last hike. You can have one last photo walk to the glacier front or hike to the moraine to take the last pictures of the wildlife and the shiny glacier. Enjoy lunch at the cabin before returning to the civilization. Make a stop in Pyramiden on the way back to Longyearbyen and get to see the Russian settlement up close. The settlement was closesd down in 1998, but has opened again for visitors. It is a fascinating place to visit. You will return to Longyearbyen by boat and arrive during the afternoon or early evening.
Meals
1 Breakfast1 Lunch
Accommodation
Svalbard HotellDay 5 - Fossil hunt with pack dogs and quad biking safari
At the head of the valley where Longyearbyen lies, there are two glaciers, Larsbreen and Longyearbreen. Over thousands and thousands of years, Longyearbreen has eroded the mountain beds and pushed out rocks and gravel to create a large moraine. In the surrounding mountains, we can find 40-60 million year old plant and animal fossils. Today's trip starts in Nybyen, where with the company of pack dogs, equipped with hammer and safety glasses, you will go in search for fossils.
There is no obvious path to follow as you make our way up towards the glacier, over the moraine area which changes from year to year. It is quite stony and uneven terrain, but the tempo kept at an easy level, so that we have plenty of time to look for fossils. We will also have the company of one of the happy local uskies, and you will learn a little about the role that these dogs have had on Svalbard.
After lunch, you will then go on a quad safari through the wilderness. For four hours, you will drive from Longyearbyen to Adventdalen and then to the top of local mountains with fjord views. You will visit a trapper's station on your return leg, home to 100 Alaskan huskies. Have a hot drink before returning to town. Outer clothing, helmets, boots and so forth included.
On your return to the hotel, you will join a beer tasting session before dinner.
Meals
1 BreakfastAccommodation
Svalbard HotellDay 6 - Departure Day
Private transfer to the aiport for departure.
Meals
1 BreakfastPrice per person, based on twin share.
30 Sep 2022
Important Information
Please note this tour starts on a Thursday from the beginning of July until the end of September.
It is recommended that you have to be in fairly good physical condition to be able to participate on the adventure week. The trip is not recommended for persons suffering from back pains. Over 15 years of age only.
We can help with your flights up to Longyearbyen. During summer, these flights can get busy.
Gallery
Interactive Tour Map
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Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. Please ensure that you have this organised as we will need to see proof of this upon issuing your tour documentation. Please contact us for a quote or visit http://www.suresave.net.au/