Svalbard Ski and Sail in the White Bear’s land

About this activity

Svalbard Ski and Sail

Svalbard Ski and Sail, Ski mountaineering in the land of the white bear, on board of a fantastic sailing ship.

Svalbard Ski and Sail is a lifetime experience. Sailing on board of the fantastic Rembrandt Van Rijn ship we will arrive at the bays of Svalbard islands, lands of glaciers and polar bears. We will climb from the sea to the summits with the skins of seal, then descend skiing in the snows to the north of the world, well beyond the Arctic polar circle!

Highlights

• Trip duration: 9 Days – 7 Days on board of the sailing boat
• Period: May
• Accommodation: Ocean-A sailing boat
• Skill level: intermediate skier
• Fitness level: intermediate
• Trip level: intermediate
• Equipment: see the equipment list in FAQ’s section
• Departure/Return: Oslo Gardermoen Airport
• Start of the Cruise: 17 May 2025, from the port of Longyearbyen
• Return time: Transfer to the airport on time for the flight

Description

We will sail aboard the ship between fjords and bays, and we will leave from the sea for our ski mountaineering trips that will develop through glaciers. The difficulty of the trips will be medium, the differences in height between 1000 m and 1400 m, the snow should be dusty.

Ski mountaineering, however, is only a part of this journey, which can in all respects be considered a cruise. Unique scenarios in a glacial land would suffice to justify the trip, but with a little luck it will be possible to meet wildlife such as whales and cetaceans, seals, walruses, arctic foxes, reindeer and certainly many birds. And why not, also the Polar Bear, better by observing it from a distance!

Svalbard Islands

The Svalbard islands, also known as Spitsbergen, are an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, located between the 74th and 82nd north, and is one of the most populated lands north of the planet, with about 2500 residents. There are no roads, except the small center of Longyearbyen, you can move on foot, by sled or by boat.

The climate of the Svalbard islands is decidedly polar, along the coast slightly attenuated by the presence of the sea, especially on the west coast, lapped by the current of the gulf. In summer, temperatures reach 5-6 ° C.

The Polar Bear

The symbol of the Svalbard Islands is the Polar Bear, which is present, according to one of the most accredited censuses, with about 3000 specimens! Virtually one per inhabitant! The Polar Bear is constantly hungry and therefore aggressive and dangerous.

The statistics do not report aggressions to groups of ski mountaineers, the most frequent are the attacks on the campers during the night. However it is essential to move armed, with the primary intention to remove the Polar Bear, but with the possibility to defend itself, firing if absolutely necessary.

The Ocean-A sailing ship

Ocean-A is a huge steel ketch with a total length of 22.65 m. It has an ocean sailing qualification without restrictions in wind and waves and has also received the ice strengthening mark from PRS: we can sail even in difficult Arctic waters, where ice formation is the order of the day.

The total sail area of ​​over 190 square meters consists of two forestay sails on rakes and the main and mizzen on straight running and offering a number of possibilities for the selection of the surface of the furlers and booms.

The yacht is equipped with an additional mechanical drive: a 220 hp Cummins engine, which, combined with a four-ton fuel tank, allows for very long sailing independence without calling at ports, even in unfavorable wind conditions.

Prices and availability

The leading Guide is a fully certified IFMGA Montain Guide.

You can book this activity in any date/dates within the availability periods. We tailor your experience to meet your every need, from your fitness level to your skiing ability.

• 1 pax: €4200

Notes

Don’t hesitate to contact us for any other question/information.