Oscar II Land Polar Journey by Dog Sled View Full Screen Itinerary

Today you will arrive at Longyearbyen Airport where your guide will be waiting to collect you in the small airport terminal. From here you are taken the short ten minute drive back to the city centre of Longyearbyen to check-in to your authentic, cosy hotel. Basecamp Hotel is situated right in the heart of Longyearbyen city centre and within a stones throw from the shops, restaurants and bars.

This afternoon around 4pm you will meet your dog mushing guide who will be with you at all times on the adventure which starts tomorrow across the magical frozen tundra. 

This evening you can dine at the excellent Kroa restaurant next door to your hotel. After dinner we recommend getting an early night before tomorrow's dog sledding adventure begins. 

This morning you will meet the guide in the reception of your hotel at 10 am. After checking that you have all equipment needed for your trip, you will head straight to the Trappers Station (dog yard) in Bolterdalen. Here you will meet all the 80 happy Alaskan Huskies that live at the yard and who are eager to get on the trip.

The guide will show you how to harness dogs and how to mush your own team. Everyone will take care of their own team with guidance from the guide. You will harness, feed and look after your own dogs during this trip and form a special bond with the dogs. After harnessing the dogs, the teams head out to Advent Valley towards Tempelfjorden.

Expedition lunch is served on the way at a suitable sheltered spot. After your first adventurous day, you will set up a tent and fall asleep in soft sleeping bags. Distance: 45km and approx. 150 m of altitude difference.

Breakfast is served at the crack of dawn. Then you will pack up the sledges and drive from the fjord ice up the Murdoch Glacier towards Gipsdalen Valley. You will take a stop for lunch on the way and savour the views.

During the afternoon the expedition party will climb the steep Florabreen Glacier and down the magnificent Nordenskiøldbreen Glacier towards the Billefjorden. Here you will find the Nordenskiöld cabin, were you will spend the night in luxury. After dinner and looking after the dogs, you are able to sleep in a warm bed. Overnight stay Adolfbukta Bay, distance: 45km and approx. 1000m altitude gain.

Over the course of the next days you will truly experience what mushing is really about. Standing behind your dog team you can let the impressions of this pristine enviroment sink in slowly. During these beautiful days in the wilderness you will cross the ice on the Bille, Dickson, and Ekman Fjords. You will then pass spectacular mountains such as Tre Korner, and travel across the mighty glacier systems on Oscar II Land.

Breakfast and dinner is served in camp and and you will stop for lunch during the day at favourable spots. On day 4 you overnight in the area of Hørbye glacier. Distance for the day 30km and approx. 500m gained. On day 5 you overnight in the area of Batty glacier. Distance of the day 40km and approx. 400m gained. During day 6 you set up your tents in the area of Tre kroner close to the impressive mountain. Distance of the day 50 km and approx. 600m gained. On day 7 you will set up the tents in Ny-Ålesund. Distance for the day 40km.

After a visit to the researcher town of Ny-Ålesund, you go south again to the glaciers in Trollheimen and Oscar II land.

If the conditions are favourable during this period you can take some detours, and enjoy this fantastic snowmobile free area. During this trip, the joy of the silence and sense of freedom to be found in this stunning place will amaze you. You will also be able to experience the great Arctic wilderness truly as a polar explorer might do.

Your route then runs through a desolate landscape where the weather and snow conditions set the limit on where and how far you travel each day. On day 8 you overnight in the area of Osborn glacier. Distance for theday 40km and 500m gained. During day 9 you set up the tents in the area of Bore glacier. Distance for the day 40km and 500m gained. On day 10, the expeditions last full day of dogsledding you set up the tents for the last time in the area of Esmark glacier. Distance for the day 40km.

Today you wake up with the view over the ocean and Ymerbukta. You enjoy the last morning in this magical place, before taking the short trip down to the bay were the expedition vessel will pick you up for transport back to Longyearbyen and the civilization. Arrival at Trappers Hotel during the afternoon. Distance of the day 15km and approx and 150m gained.

On arrival back in Longyearbyen you will check into your hotel and be able to enjoy a hot shower and time to relax before a celebratory Expedition Dinner at the top restaurant Gruvelageret.