Wildlife Wilderness Camp - Hike to the Top

Difficulty level (out of 5): 

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

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• 23.07.2024 - 26.07.2024
• At 07:30
• 4 days (change to 3 days)
• 16 years*

No experience with glaciers or kayaking is required as our guide will give the individual training/guidance.

The trip is moderately demanding in terms of physical fitness. The hikes take place in rugged terrain with a lot of sand/stone as a base, so sturdy hiking boots are required.

It will also be natural for the participants to take part in the daily camp work such as polar bear watch, cooking, fetching water and washing dishes.

Price includes:

• Transport round trip
• Food
• Tent
• Sleeping mat
• Personal kayak clothing such as a drysuit and life jacket
• Necessary equipment for glacier hiking
• Guide with necessary safety equipment

Recommend to bring:

• Good, warm and sealed hiking boots
• 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 hot 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

We believe that plenty of time in peace and quiet is important to feel and digest the Svalbard experience. On this trip, we will have two full days of trekking.

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After an afternoon of kayaking to the glacier front, and a full day on the glacier, we will walk through the lush landscape on the west side of Ymerbukta and up along the majestic Värmlandsryggen.

Day 1:

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

After breakfast at 7:30 am, you will be picked up by the guide at your accommodation. After a short briefing, we will pack the personal safety equipment to bring along on the trip. The guide takes us to the harbour where the boat awaits, and we will head for Ymerbukta, where we will be set ashore at our camp by smaller boats. We will then settle in the camp and get ready for a kayaking trip. Dressed in dry suits and life vests, we will take place in our steady double kayaks and prepare for a trip along the shoreline to the Esmark Glacier front. Before start, the guide will teach us kayaking techniques and provide supervision. The kayak is the perfect vessel when our goal is to get really close to nature and experience the silence while looking for seals and sea birds. We will find a suitable spot to go ashore to have our lunch while enjoying the view of the glacier front. Back in camp after an active day we will prepare our dinner, and if weather permits, we will round off the day around the bonfire. Some of us have to stay awake during the night as polar bear guard.

Day 2:

After a sound breakfast, we will pack the glacier equipment and head for the Esmark Glacier with its impressive front. Wearing crampons and harness, we will hike onto the glacier. With supervision from the guide, we will hike on clear blue ice, over deep crevasses, while linked together by rope where necessary.

We have our lunch on the glacier with a beautiful view over the mighty glacier formations and the inlet ahead. Back at the camp, we will prepare our dinner while we let the impressions sink in. This is a relatively long day which we will spend on the glacier.

Day 3:

After two nights spent out in the arctic scenery, we should start to feel a certain connection to our surroundings. After the same morning ritual as the day before, we will now make an even closer acquaintance with the scenery and landscape around us. We will hike from the camp towards a high peak, the natural goal of the day. The hiking alternatives are many on this side of Ymerbukta, but the long and appealing Värmlandsryggen is the most tempting. Only a few meters of elevation are necessary to get a magnificent view over fjord, mountains, plains and glaciers. We want to spend the whole day out, but the trip can easily be adjusted to participants’ wishes distance wise. Back in camp, we will enjoy another dinner in the midst of our new friends.

Day 4:

We clear the camp and then go for a hike in the surrounding areas before the boat picks us up to take us back to Longyearbyen.

When returning to Longyearbyen, it’s smart have the hot lunch on the aft deck in case / and often some interesting observations of wildlife in the Isfjord.

On our way back to Longyearbyen, we pass the russian settlement Barentsburg as well as the abandoned mining town of Grumant before arriving at bustling bird life along the cliff face of a bird mountain known as Fuglefjella. Estimated arrival in Longyearbyen is 19:00.

The schedule for this tour may be altered due 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.

Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions strongly distances itself from the invasion and war in Ukraine. Barentsburg and Pyramiden are owned and operated by the Russian state-owned Trust Arktikugol, but most of the inhabitants are Ukrainians. By visiting the settlements, you support the Russian state's company. We will not visit any of these settlements.