Billefjorden Kayak Expedition - Nordenskiold

Difficulty level (out of 5): 

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*Minimum 4 (out of 6) participants above 18 years old:

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• 30.07.2024 - 03.08.2024​
• 1+4 days
• 16 years*

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Participants should have some experience with kayakpaddling. Inexperienced must have good physical shape and favour a challenge. Paddling for several days puts a lot of strain on the arms and shoulders.

We use double kayaks and stay as close to the coastline as possible. The trip is moderately demanding with distances of 15-20 km each day.

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Max. drysuit size: XXL

Max. passenger height: 1.95 m

Price includes:

• Transport round trip
• 2-person kayak
• Personal kayak clothing such as a drysuit and life jacket
• Food
• Tent
• Sleeping mat
• Guide with necessary safety equipment

Recommend to bring:

• Warm socks
• Warm clothes
• Cold drink
• Camera in waterproof bag
• Backpack
• Sleeping bag*

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*NOK 600 sleeping bag rental

After booking confirmation, you will receive our complete recommended equipment list for this expedition.

We serve warm meals. Bring your own packed lunches if needed.

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Larger luggage can be stored in our warehouse or in your accommodation's luggage room.

Extra clothing and equipment: Arctica

During summer, the long fjords serve as a lifeline for the arctic nature on Svalbard. Here the seabirds nest in the cliffs, the fox hunts for bird eggs in the beach zone and the polar bear hunts for seals on the ice floes inside the glaciers. Billefjorden, at the heart of Isfjorden, is such a fjord with bustling wildlife in the summer.

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At the same time, Billefjorden offers a fantastic mountain and glacier landscape, in addition to many cultural monuments from previous human activity on Svalbard. On this trip, like the previous Arctic explorers, we will explore this fjord by sea. During four full days of kayaking, you will get a rich Svalbard experience on this trip.

Day 1:

Good planning and careful preparations are part of the trip, and important that all participants are in Longyearbyen. The guide will pick you up at your choice of accommodation at 4 pm for a first meeting and the preparations of the tour. You will have the opportunity to get to know the other participants and the guide will help you check if you brought the necessary equipment. You will get an update on the plan and the weather forecast. We will spend some time packing and preparing the kayaks for the next day before we end the meeting. Those who need to supplement their equipment will have time to do so before the sporting goods stores close at 6 pm.

Day 2:

*Remember to ask for an early breakfast if you're staying at hotel or guesthouse!

Departure from Longyearbyen by boat. A two-hour voyage lies ahead of us before we arrive at Skansbukta (Skans Bay). Here, we will go ashore and prepare the kayaks for our trip into Billefjorden. Skansbukta has a rich plant and bird life and also features remains of Svalbard’s trapping history. We will take an easy walk in the area before we get into the kayaks. We will pass the abandoned Russian mining town of Pyramiden before camping with a clear view of the Nordenskiöld glacier, named after Gustav Adolf Nordenskiöld. The town was founded because of the coal mining activity in the area, however the town was abandoned in 1998.  The length of this journey is about 15 km.

Day 3:

We will kayak a short distance in the morning before we reach Petuniabukta area. We pass Pyramiden, which has modern architecture and housing, a cultural centre, a sports hall, a school and an abandoned mine. The town is completely abandoned. We paddle over Petuniabukta (Petunia Bay) to Adolfbukta and further towards the Nordenskiöld Glacier. We will set up our camp overlooking the mighty glacier front and a rich variety of birdlife. In this area it is also possible to see Svalbard’s biggest seal, the bearded seal, which can weigh up to 350kg - an exciting sight when sitting in a kayak. The length of this journey is about 18 km.

Day 4:

We will take our time kayaking in this area. Large chunks of ice continually calve from the glacier, which limits how close to the glacier we can get. Seals are usually very curious about kayakers, so there can be many exciting photographic opportunities here. On our way out of Adolfbukta we pass by Brucebyen (Bruce town), which was founded by the Scots in 1919. Like many others, they discovered that mining for minerals on Svalbard is an expensive business, and the cabins were abandoned after a few years. After we paddle a little further and put up camp for the night. The length of this journey is about 12 km.

Day 5:

In front of us lies Billefjorden and the horizon. We paddle towards the sun, out to Phantomodden, which is the last stop on the tour. On the way, the landscape begins to open up, and wide tundra plains dominate the coast. We will have time to discuss the events of the previous days, and enjoy the silence of travel in the kayaks. We will be picked up in the afternoon and will return back to Longyearbyen around 7 pm. The length of this journey is about 18 km.

The schedule for this tour may be altereddue to weather and size of the group. On Svalbard, the weather shapes every decision. Polar bear in the camp will also lead to changes as we are bound to protect its existence.

If the group makes good time, we will change the pick-up place, thus enabling a longer trip. There might be time for the group, together with the guide, to plan some hikes. The area where we will kayak is filled with exciting and interesting history, and offers some really great wildlife experiences. We will meet birds and animals up close and hopefully get some good photo opportunities.

All equipment and food will be brought with us in the kayaks, and we will change location of our camp every day.