Spitsbergen Husky Safari

Now here's something you don't do every weekend. Drive a team of huskies or a snowmobile across the wilds of Spitsbergen and sleep on board a ship which has frozen into the ice. Watch out for those polar bears!

An awesome trip that encapsulates all that is great about adventure travel in winter. Drive your team of huskies across wilderness terrain and spend two nights on board a ship frozen into the ice of Tempelfjord. You'll certainly have something to tell your friends about when you get home. Spitsbergen is one of the Svalbard Islands located halfway between Norway and The North Pole. About 60% of the land mass is made up of glaciers and a meagre 6-7% is covered by vegetation. The islands offer untouched, Arctic wilderness with vast mountain areas and magnificent glaciers.

This is a nature lover's paradise. Some of the largest concentrations of birds in the North Atlantic region can be found here. Other animals include Svalbard reindeer, Arctic fox and polar bears. That's why the guides carry rifles!

Price

From: GBP1845 per person (4 nights)

Price Includes

• 2 nights hotel . 2 nights ship frozen in the ice
• 4 breakfasts . 3 lunches . 2 dinners
• 3 day husky safari to the ship frozen in the ice
• Thermo-overalls, socks, mittens, boots, helmet and goggles for the duration of your stay
• Husky team and sled
• Fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors
• CO2 Tax

Price Excludes

• Flights

Day One
Arrivals
The husky safari starts every Tuesday and Thursday from late February until mid May so you need to get out there a day earlier. On arrival you catch the shuttle bus from Longyearbyen Airport (costing approx £5) which takes you to the Basecamp hotel. Dinner isn't included this evening but this gives you the chance to either eat at Basecamp or wander into Longyearbyen and try one of the restaurants.

Day Two
Husky safari to the ship frozen in the ice
At 10am you will meet your guides for a short introduction and briefing before packing for your wilderness adventure. It's a 12km drive to the kennels where approximately 90 Alaskan huskies are waiting to meet you. The noise is deafening. The dogs simply love to be out on the trail and will want desperately to be picked for the safari. Over the next few days, you will be responsible for the care of the huskies in your team so listen carefully to the advice and tips provided by your guide. How you handle the team and sled can be an important factor in your relationship with the team.

And off you go! The dogs will most likely set a blistering pace to begin with but they soon settle into a natural running rhythm as you cross the expanses of Spitsbergen. Lunch will be eaten out on the trail and a long first day ends when you arrive at the Noorderlicht, a schooner frozen into the ice of Tempelfjord.

Despite its unlikely location, the ship has some welcome modern facilities like warm showers and, after a three course dinner, you'll be more than comfortable in your two bed cabin. There is one strict rule that you must abide by. Do not stray from the ship without an armed guard, polar bears may look friendly but looks are often deceiving!

Day Three
Husky safari
Yesterday's exertions and all that fresh air may make you extremely hungry this morning but you'll have to wait for your breakfast because the dogs must be fed first. Once both you and your teams are fuelled up you set off together to explore Tempelfjord and the surrounding area. Mushing here on the Svalbard Islands is an experience that touches the soul. The panting of the dogs and the scraping of the sled's runner against the snow are the only sounds to break the amazing silence. A full day safari includes lunch and sees you return to the ship in the late afternoon. You'll doubtless be ready for a hearty dinner.

Day Four
Husky safari to Basecamp
An early start allows you to make the most of your last day dog sledding and you'll arrive back at Basecamp late in the afternoon. It's difficult to say goodbye to the huskies because the bond grows rapidly between dogs and musher but perhaps the enticement of a few drinks with your trail partners will drag you away. Dinner is not included so you again have the choice of eating at Base Camp or in Longyearbyen.

Day Five
Departure or extend your stay
There will probably be time for some last minute shopping in Longyearbyen before returning to the airport to catch your return flights. We can alternatively arrange for you to extend your stay and try some of the immensely popular snowmobile safaris.

Accommodation Details

Longyearbyen - Basecamp Hotel

You will feel like you are entering a trapper's cottage when you arrive at this hotel which was constructed in 1999 using driftwood, slate and furs as materials.

It all sounds rather basic but nothing could be further from the truth. Each of the 16 bedrooms have their own bathroom and very comfortable beds. In the evenings you can enjoy good food and drink or a quiet conversation under the glass ceiling in the Loft Room. Hopefully the Northern Lights will provide the evening's entertainment.

The Ship in the Ice
Frozen into the ice that covers Tempelfjord is the schooner Noorderlicht, one of the world's most unusual hotels. There are ten guest cabins with two beds each. Bath and toilet facilities are shared. Listen to the ice creak and scan the horizon for Polar Bears but do not leave the ship without an armed guard. Those bears are nowhere near as cuddly as they look!