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Enjoy a very different kind of Christmas adventure this year. Take the your family to the land of the Polar Night this Christmas for an exhilarating four day adventure in the true Arctic Wilderness. Adventure travel pioneers, Basecamp Explorer have created a magical journey through the winter-wonderland landscapes of the Svalbard Archipelago in the far northern reaches of Norway. From tobogganing and learning how to make snow-sculptures through to ice-fishing and dog-sledding, this trip offers a spine-tingling array of activities for both adults and children age six and up.

On the edge of the Polar Circle at 78° North, the 23 bedroom Isfjord Radio remote wilderness station serves as the stylish base for this trip. Built in 1933, the historic building was positioned at the top of the world to help navigate ships. Today, the remote setting serves as the perfect backdrop for this boutique hotel, giving guests the opportunity to experience the powerful raw beauty of the Arctic in comfortable surroundings, with cosy fireplaces and cashmere throws.

The 90km journey to Isfjord Radio is an adventure in itself. Travelling across the snow covered landscape, over shining glaciers, jagged mountains and frozen fjords on snowmobile is the only way to reach this chic hideaway. A warm welcome from the hosts with hot chocolate, home-made snacks and a toasty sauna is guaranteed.

Itinerary

Meet our guide 10:00 am at Trapper’s Hotel. After a briefing with our guide we will give you warm clothing, like the overall and winter boots, and then head to the snowmobiles. It is time for the Christmas Adventure! After a lesson for snowmobile drive and safety issues, you will head out to the wilderness and towards Kapp Linne and Isfjord Radio. It is a unique feeling to drive to the dark wilderness. Only a faint light behind the mountains color up the sky and on cloudy day you cannot tell the difference between daytime and night time. We will arrive to the remote boutique hotel Isfjord Radio before the evening, where our staff is ready to welcome us with warm drinks. 3-course dinner and accommodation in double rooms at Isfjord Radio

Today is Christmas eve – the exiting day when Santa starts his trip from the North Pole to visit all the families around the world. After a tasty breakfast, we will set out side to hunt for the Christmas tree. If we are lucky, we might find a rare pine tree growing alone in the tundra. Once back inside we will set up the tree to the living room. But we must have some decorations too. After lunch, we will set up a Christmas workshop, where we can bring out the creativity in us and make beautiful decoration to the tree. For adults we have a optional snowmobile safari to Barentsburg, the remote Russian mining town. Explore the life of an isolated 5 / 7 arctic town and visit some Russian buildings. Here you can really feel the mining history of Spitsbergen. This is full day trip with expedition lunch on the way. Once back at the Station it is time to dress up for the evening. We will have a delicious 5-course Christmas dinner served to us. If we are lucky even Santa might drop in before he sets out to his big tour around the word. We are most surely the first place after his start from the North Pole! 5-course dinner and accommodation in double rooms at Isfjord Radio

Today is Christmas day. After a long evening we will take is slow today. After tasty breakfast, we will dress up warmly and head out side to the close by lake. Here we can sit on the reindeer skin and ice fish under the stars. Our guide will set up a grill to warm up some sausages and hot coffee. You can make snowmen, have snow fight or toboggan down the closet hill. Whoever catches the biggest fish will have a trophy! After a morning full on fun on the ice, it is time to head back to the station to warm up our toes. In the afternoon, we will have snow sculpture competition for the children. Let your creativity to fly. For adults we can offer optional snowmobile safari to hunt the northern light. Travel outside the station lights and if you are lucky you can see the northern lights dancing on the sky.

Today it is time to say good-bye to the radio station, dress up to our snowmobile suites and head back to the civilization. We will have a full day with snowmobile adventure thought the magical nature of Spitsbergen making interesting stops along the way. Before evening, we will arrive to Longyearbyen.

Notes