Arctic Norway Ski-Sail Expedition

Svalbard and Norway · Norway

Expedition Grade5 daysEurope~£8,000 est.

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Overview

Ski-and-sail is Svalbard at its purest: an expedition yacht out of Longyearbyen noses along Isfjorden and the west coast, and each morning you skin from the shoreline up glaciated summits nobody has touched all season, then ski a single clean line back to the water. Days end with the anchor down in a silent fjord, drift ice knocking against the hull and the light refusing to fade. Polar bears set the rules here. Every landing needs a trained rifle carrier and every camp a watch; your guides' bear and glacier judgement is what you are actually paying for. You will want solid off-piste and touring competence — crevassed terrain, snow from wind crust to corn — but the sailing asks nothing beyond a stomach for open-water passages. April and May bring 24-hour light and the most reliable snow; March is colder, darker and quieter. Berths run £4,000-8,000 for the week depending on the boat, plus flights to Longyearbyen. Book a year ahead — the good yachts carry eight skiers and sell out.