BACKYARD SVALBARD

Oscar II is a gem on Spitsbergen!

On this tour you will experience the most beautiful things Svalbard has to offer, including glaciers, sharp and steep mountains, fjords and Svalbard’s wildlife. You also get to visit the world’s northernmost settlement, at 79 degrees north. For many, Ny-Ålesund is a special and rare place to visit. Those who live there get there by plane, others have to travel by boat. Or like we do then – a real expedition goes!

Trip to Ny-Ålesund

We travel across the Isfjorden by boat, and embark on a 6-day expedition in Oscar II land. We start in Borebukta and end up in Kongsfjorden and Ny-Ålesund.

For this tour you need to be in average good shape. You don’t have to spend the winter in a tent before, but you should have some skiing experience.

We move on glaciers throughout the trip. In fact, 60% of Svalbard is covered by glaciers. This means that the guide must have safety in focus and we therefore choose to have a close follow-up with our guests. Guide-guest ratio is 1:8.

Tours for 2025: On request.

Price NOK 24,000

Polar bear safety

Everyone must take turns being polar bear watch at night. For many, this is the best time of the whole expedition, precisely because they get to be alone up under the midnight sun, how many think thoughts they have never thought before. Maybe you get to reflect on life?

Practical info

You can borrow a tent from Backyard Svalbard. We have sleeping bags and sleeping mats for hire, if you need them.

In camp, we learn to survive in the Arctic nature. We set up tents, boil water for food, drink and cleaning, and we make outdoor gear. The guide will surely show you smart tricks to survive in the winter arctic.

Packing list

For this trip you will need the following:

• Wool super underwear x2
• Wool socks x2
• Mittens and gloves
• Personal buff/face mask
• Toiletries
• Sunglasses, sunscreen
• Outer jacket + trousers. Shell/softshell
• Wool sweater
• Light down jacket
• Sleeping bag comfort -15
• Waterproof bag to keep in the sled (duffel bag type)
• Waterproof bags for keeping smaller items in
• Skis, ski boots, traps, poles.
• Climbing harness (if you have)
• Book/crossword puzzle/audio book/music for alone time.

Day by day program

We pack the sleds on 14 May at our warehouse.

• Day 1. We start the day with a good breakfast at the hotel. With a tingling sensation in the body, we get ready for the trip. We take the boat across the fjord and have lunch at the edge of the ice before we begin our 6-day expedition. Say goodbye to phone coverage! It will be half a day of skiing before we find camp up on Borebreen.
• Day 2. After a good night’s sleep, we get up and make ourselves breakfast and coffee. We have already started making routines for boiling water and how to set up and take down camp. On day 2, the goal is to get to Geitepasset before we set up camp.
• Day 3. Today we will pass a demanding section with cracks down Vintervegen. It is downhill and we will learn to drive downhill with the sledge in front of us. At the end of Vintervegen we meet St. Jonsfjorden, where we have lunch. We go up Austre Osbornebreen and set up camp.
• Day 4. Today we will walk fairly flat and long. We see many nunataqs, mountains that are surrounded by glaciers. Camp No. 4 will be in the middle of Sidevegen.
• Day 5. It is nearing the end of this expedition. Today we will walk down Sidevegen and Kongsvegen. Now we can see the fjord Kongsfjorden, which is the destination of the expedition. Camp No. 5 will be at Kongsbreen.

Day 6. The last bit to Ny-Ålesund is quite difficult for a body that has walked 80 km in 5 days. But once you reach Kongsfjorden and Ny-Ålesund, you deserve to be treated to an ice-cold soft drink or beer. We can visit the Kongsfjord store with the rare souvenirs you can only buy in Ny-Ålesund. The return trip by boat takes over 4 hours, so there is plenty of time to relax and sleep before we have dinner together in Longyearbyen.