Norway

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, roughly midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, with its largest island, Spitsbergen, located at almost 80⁰ North. With its Arctic climate, the archipelago is home to polar bears, reindeer, arctic fox, seals and walrus and features mountains, fjords and icecaps, with the majority of the archipelago being comprised of glaciers. Svalbard’s frozen landscape is one of the most unique adventure destinations on the planet and is perfect for both a polar expedition and cold-climate training. It will whet your polar appetite and is a perfect ‘stepping stone’ for those looking at crossing the Greenland icecap or skiing to the North or South Pole.

An expedition route in this remote region will be dependent on terrain and weather conditions at the time, but is likely to involve covering 10 – 20km per day through expedition style skiing, and towing your own gear and some communal group equipment in a sled. Skiing over alpine passes and glaciers, whilst taking in spectacular views of jagged peaks, valleys and fiords during the day, the nights will be spent in tents where temperatures can drop to -35C with only stoves, polar sleeping gear and high-energy food keeping you warm. A high level of fitness and some previous Nordic skiing experience is useful. The best time to undertake this expedition is March to April.