The ultimative Svalbard crossing

The ultimative 10 days  Svalbard Crossing:
An authentic Arctic expedition

Each day will reveal a new face of the Arctic and we will we will follow the quiet rhythm of expedition life. This is where endurance meets wonder, and every kilometer takes you deeper into the untouched wilderness of Svalbard. It is important to be aware that the elements rule here and itinary can change depending on weather.

Day 0 – Arrival in Svalbard
Welcome to the Arctic and the northernmost town Longyearbyen! Once you have arrived in Longyearbyen, we’ll take you to our expedition centre for briefing. We’ll go through the gear, safety and logistics ensuring every sled and ski is ready, checking up on the equipment list, ensure everyone is properly prepared, and make any necessary last-minute purchases. Finally, we pack the sleds and urge you to get a good night sleep before we start our crossing tomorrow morning. 

OBS: Accomodation, meals and transfer is not included for the first night

Day 1 – Starting your journey to the West

• Pick-up from your hotel.
• Gear check and instructions for the snowmobile ride.
• Departure (two people per snowmobile). Remember to bring your driver’s license!

Start your day with a good breakfast and send a message home as we will now go offgrid and start our big adventure. We will go by snowmobiles approx 120 km east out into the valley and the wilderness to get to our starting point at Agardhdalen. This journey itself offers breathtakning views of glaciers, mountains and even the wildliving Svalbard reindeers looking for food underneath the snowcovered landscape. After a few hours we reach our starting point. We unload, harness our sleds, click into our skis and take the first steps westward into the Arctic wilderness. 

From here it will go uphill towards Passbreen. This is just a magnificent Arctic experience with spectacular scenery with glaciers. When we arrive at our first camp spot it’s established and here we will help each other with setting up tents, boiling water, and establishing a routine. After our dinner, under the midnight sun, we will take turn being a bear watch in the evening but when you crawl into the sleeping bag you will feel calm and tired.

Day 2 – At the edge of the wild towards Kjellstömdalen

• Breakfast and melting more water.
• Breaking camp.

It’s important to start the day with a solid breakfast to get fuel for the journey.  The silence is complete. There will be time to consider the balance of body and mind as we go more downhill towards Kjellstömdalen. We might pass wildlife as we move on. When we reach our campspot for the night we will start the preparations for dinner and have a bear watch. The experience can be used as a form of recreation and for being offgrid you can probably start to feel that you are “in the moment”, enjoying the silence and surrroundings.  

Day 3 – Passing Kjellströmdalen

We are near Kjellströmdalen which is the boarder between Nordenskiöld Land, Heer Land and Sabine Land. The valley is approx. 27 kilometers long. Camp is set up. Normally the landscape will start to be more flat for the next couple of days. 

Day 4 – Passing Svea 

Svea is located at the head of Van Mijenfjorden. It was a former mining settlement in Svalbard that closed in 2020 and which has now being dismantled. We will not be visiting but here we might see a cabin in the distance and get a feeling of human civilization. 

Day 5 – Passing Kaldbukta (Cold Bay)

Kaldbukta (Cold Bay) on Svalbard is a vast, shallow, 11.5 km-wide bay at the mouth of the large Reindalen valley in Van Mijenfjorden. It is known to be the place where the bigger rivers like Reindalselva, Semmeldalselva and Kalvdalselva meets the fjord, creating wide and icy tidal flats. It’s a place of geological significance and a key feature of Nordenskiöld Land’s landscape, offering a sense of Svaldbard’s vast, cold wilderness. The landscape will graduately change.  

Day 6 – Up Fridjofbreen (Glacier)

We will reach Fridjofbreen. From here it will be uphill. Fridtjofbreen is a roughly 30 km² glacier and about 10 km long, flowing from Grønfjord glacier into Van Mijenfjorden, making it the largest glacier in Nordenskiöld Land. It’s known for its dramatic ice formations and wildlife viewing opportunities. 

Day 7 – Down Grønfjordbreen  

Today our movement will be more calm as we go along near Grønfjordbreane. Grønfjordbreane is the common name for Vestre Grønfjordbreen and Austre Grønfjordbreen, two glaciers with a combined area of ​​20 km². The area is notable for the mining settlement of Barentsburg on the fjord’s eastern shore.  

Day 8 – Crossing Kongressen and Linnévannet

We will cross over via Linnévannet south of Isfjord Radio. This will also be the last day sleeping in tents and cooking in the wilderness after an amaxing crossing. Linnévannet is a valley know for its large water and moraine areas and with pointy mountains. The areas is also know to have a rich wildlife with birds during the summer and reindeers looking for food during winter. 

Day 9 – Isfjord Radio

We are still far from civilizaion and in the Svalbard wilderness and the plan is to end our trip in west at Isfjord Radio which is located at Kapp Linné. It is a former radio station and weather post situated on the outermost part of the Isfjorden, approximately 90 km from Longyearbyen. It played a crucial role in sending weather reports, distress signals and messages to ships and mining settlements in Svalbard. It was automated and destaffed in 1999 after which it was converted into a hotel. A hotel where we will spend our last night and a 5 course dinner after crossing Svalbard on skis sharing our best memories of this tour.  

Day 10 – Buffer day: Rest & Recovery

Once back in town, we return the equipment, check into the hotel, and enjoy a well-earned shower. A flexible day to relax, unwind, and let the adventure sink in. If the weather was challenging earlier, this day serves as a buffer for adjustments. For those with energy left, we recommend a gentle walk or sightseeing tour to explore Longyearbyen (and this is possible to prebook through us as well). 

OBS: Accomodation, meals and transfer in Longyearbyen is not included for this night

Day 11 – Departure

Time to say goodbye to the Arctic if you do not wish to prolong your stay and enjoy what the small town Longyearbyen has to offer for great experiences.