Norway

Svalbard Ski & Sail – Grand Explorer

Intermediate
12 guests
From $11,300

Explore untouched Arctic terrain and ski under the endless light of the midnight sun.

Upcoming Trips

Apr 16 - Apr 24, 2026 9 days
Apr 22 - Apr 30, 2027 9 days
Apr 29 - May 7, 2027 9 days

3 Upcoming Trips View Dates

Overview

Experience world-class backcountry skiing where glaciers rise straight from the sea.

Spend your days exploring untouched terrain on the remote and beautiful Svalbard. Experience the breathtaking scenery and wildlife that draws enthusiasts from around the globe on this backcountry ski touring and sailing expedition along the west coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s largest island.

This trip is in a truly remote and wild environment with wildlife and glaciated peaks surrounding that offer world class skiing. Travel by boat among the majestic mountains and glaciers that rise directly from the sea, it will be an experience of a lifetime. We will sail to a new location every day using our expedition-equipped vessel the Grand Explorer. Travel by boat allows us to access the best ski touring and mountaineering spots in the region. With nearly 24 hours of daylight in the spring, this trip offers full flexibility on our skiing schedule, which we often plan to include a midnight ski!

Gallery

Itinerary

Arrival

Arrive Longyearbyen, Norway, and transfer to hotel.
Day 2

Board the Grand Explorer and begin the journey with almost endless daylight. Once onboard you will meet the crew and get briefed about safety and routines while sailing with on the Explorer. When getting acquainted in your allocated cabins, we will set sail out of Longyearbyen and you can relax and enjoy the pristine scenery. We will be heading far north to Northern Spitsbergen where we will be on our own for the next few days.
Day 3-8

We will cruise the fjords of Spitsbergen in search of excellent terrain and first descents. Our onboard chef will provide excellent warm meals.
Day 9

Return to Longyearbyen, Norway and depart for flight home.
*Flexibility is a must for all Arctic travel. This program is subject to change throughout the journey depending on ice, weather and local conditions.

Inclusions

Ski guide services
One night’s stay in a hotel in Longyearbyen (prior to departure) with continental breakfast and welcome dinner
Group transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the boat to the airport on disembarkation and all miscellaneous service taxes and port charges
Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board the boat
Shore landings and Zodiac excursions as permitted by weather and local conditions

Pricing Details

Cost (per guest):

: $11,300 per guest

Learn More

Our Guides

Meet your guides.

Todd Offenbacher

South Lake Tahoe, California

Andrew Eisenstark

Tahoe City, California

Brian Babbitt

Salt Lake City, Utah

Questions

Get ready for the journey.

: Book your Expedition through our website or call +1-530-582-1246
: If any trip must be delayed due to bad weather, cancelled or delayed transportation, sickness or any other situation for which Ice Axe Expeditions cannot make provisions, all costs incurred during such delays must be borne by trip members.
: All requests for cancellations must be received in writing (via email). Cancellations received up to 180 days prior to departure are refunded less an administrative fee of $500 per person, with no exceptions. If cancellation is received between 180 and 95 days prior to departure, the 50% deposit is forfeited. Please note that for cancellations received within 94 days prior to departure, all deposits are forfeited.

If cancellation occurs within the 94-day period and full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and unpaid monies are due immediately. If for any reason the voyage on the vessel is cancelled, passengers will not be entitled to make any further claim for compensation or damages, for any loss, consequential damage, expenses, loss of time or inconvenience which may result from such cancellation arising, whether or not such cancellation arises in whole or in part as a consequence of any act or omission of Ice Axe Expeditions or its servants or agents. For these and other reasons mentioned below, passengers are strongly encouraged to obtain trip cancellation insurance.

*Please refer to specific expedition pages for varying cancellation policies.
: We require that you have at least $100,000 in medical evacuation insurance coverage. Your insurance policy should cover ski mountaineering/hazardous sports. We cannot confirm each client’s policy individually; it is your responsibility to make sure your policy will cover you while you participate in your activities of choice on the expedition. We recommend including TRIP CANCELLATION/INTERRUPTION coverage in addition to the mandatory medical evacuation coverage.

You can find medical evacuation insurance resources here.

Some expeditions have different coverage minimums, please refer to specific expedition pages for requirements.
: SAS and Norwegian Air have flights serving Longyearbyen, Svalbard (LYR) from Oslo (OSL). It is recommended to book roundtrip airfare from your home city to Oslo (OSL) to accommodate for a SAS or Norwegian roundtrip flight from Oslo (OSL) to Longyearbyen (LYR). Often, you will need to overnight in Oslo to accommodate for flight times. There are multiple hotels at the airport in Oslo that allow for an easy transfer and overnight layover.
: Skis/Splitboard (appropriate for ski mountaineering)
Skins (fit to skis/board)
Alpine touring boots
Ski poles
Ice axe (45-50 cm lightweight)
Ski crampons (compatible with bindings)
Boot crampons
Harness (lightweight alpine)
2 Locking carabiners
Ski backpack (30-40 liters)
Avalanche Transceiver
Avalanche Shovel
Avalanche Probe

See All FAQs

From Our Clients

“Top flight trip with top flight guides. Covered all the bases from start to finish. ”

Todd H., Ophir, CO
Svalbard 2025

“I’ve on both Svalbard and Antarctica expeditions with IceAxe, and they truly deliver a top-notch experience every step of the way. From the clear and timely communication to the flawless logistics, everything is handled with care and expertise. The ski guides are incredibly skilled and make you feel safe while ensuring you have the best time. The locations we skied were nothing short of spectacular, the wildlife we saw was unforgettable, and the scenery was out of this world. IceAxe sets the bar for adventure travel—I can’t recommend them enough!”

Shahed K., Canada
Svalbard 2024, Antarctica 2024

“Whats a week! The trip was everything we imagined and then some. The boat staff was exceptional, friendly and professional. The Ice Axe guides were amazing. Definitely an amazing experience with breathtaking scenery and great backcountry skiing. ”

,
Svalbard 2023

“Our trip was amazing with the open sea, majestic mountains, our ski guides took us to places I will never forget. ”

,
Svalbard 2023

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