Summer Nature Holidays - 15 -
Base Camp

Itinerary (1)

Day 1 :
Fly from Paris to Longyearbyen. You will be welcomed at the airport under the midnight sun. You spend the night in a guesthouse near Isfjord (the ice fjord) at 78° latitude.

Day 2 :
Distribution of equipment and exploration of Longyearbyen, the main town of the archipelago and the point of departure of all polar expeditions. In the evening (or the following morning), we cross Isfjord by boat and set up camp on the North bank of the fjord.

Day 3 :
Introduction to basic sea kayak techniques. Then we spend a few hours getting used to the kayaks amongst the icebergs. In the afternoon, we walk in the wild tundra at the foot of the mountains; this is an opportunity to get to know the local Arctic world. Return to base camp.

Day 4 :
A day of kayaking near the impressive face of the Wahlenberg glacier, which throws itself into the sea a few kilometres away from the base camp. On a sea carpeted by thousands of blocks of ice with changing reflections, we try to find our way through this sparkling, jangling mirror. Return to base camp.

Day 5 :
A magnificent walk for the day on the ridge overlooking the huge Wahlenberg glacier. There’s a vast panoramic view of Spitzbergen’s polar mountains from which we discover the extraordinary world of ice. Return to base camp.

Day 6 :
Outing in sea kayak near the face of the Svea glacier. There are gigantic icebergs, an impressive show of walls of ice collapsing into the sea with an infernal roar. We carefully approach ringed seals. Sometimes, seals (the permanent residents), sticking out a curious muzzle, approach our craft, as if surprised by our presence.
With care, we approach the face of the glacier, taking in all the grandeur and the power of this river of ice. At around 50 metres high, enormous seracs collapse into the sea with muffled rumblings, sending showers of falling water and creating a disproportionate wave. This transforms quickly into sumptuous undulations, making the sea of ice crystals jangle.
Return to base camp.

Day 7 :
Lovely walk for the day on another ridge, which overlooks the huge fjord of Ekman – a succession of glaciers and sheer mountains, formed by cliffs of ochre draperies. We have the feeling we dominate these vast polar expanses. Return to base camp.

Day 8 :
Walk on the Svea glacier (the flat part, so no technical problem) to the face of ice falling into the sea – discovering the mineral and ice world.

Day 9 :
We make the most of our last moments of peacefulness to explore the remote expanses of the tundra. We do a short kayak trip amongst the ice floes. Return by boat to Longyearbyen. Spend the night in campsite.

Days 10 to 11 :
Days of relaxation and comfort in Longyearbyen before departure. We offer you the chance to discover the Arctic birds that are not found on the base camp site – in the valley of the bear, Bjørndalen, where you can observe colonies of thousands of Arctic marine birds (little auks). Or you can trek for the day on the high glacial plateaux overlooking Longyearbyen.

Day 12 :
Fly from Longyearbyen to Paris.

(1) For atmospheric reasons, all descriptions are indicative and non-contractual.