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Arctic metropolis: Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) – Next to the North Pole!
Hurtigruten Svalbard
5 days/4 nights Sunny winter program at Funken Lodge
Day 1:
Welcome to Longyearyben!
Our team will welcome you at the airport and you will be transfer to our boutique Funken Lodge. Check in. Time to acclimatize.
Funken Lodge is a boutique hotel in Longyearbyen, just a short walk from the town centre. Formerly the reception centre for a local mining company, the hotel is situated on a hill in 'Haugen' and offers breathtaking panoramic views of Hiorthfjellet and Longyearbyen from both the restaurant and the rooms. Recently renovated, the hotel has well-equipped rooms, inviting public areas such as a library and salon, a training room and two saunas.
At all of our hotels we follow the Longyearbyen tradition of removing our shoes when coming inside, and guests are welcome to borrow slippers which can be found at the entrance to the buildings.
PM Wilderness evening at Camp Barentz (Duration: 3 hours)
Experience the magic of being in the wilderness at 78 degrees north and learn all about the polar bear!
Camp Barentz boasts an amazing location at the foot of the mountain, Breinosa, right below Mine 7. One of the buildings at the camp, Barentz Hus, is a copy of the cabin that the discoverer of Svalbard, Willem Barentz, overwintered in on Novaya Zemlya in 1596. Here, far from town, you can take in the stunning Svalbard landscape.
As we arrive at the cosy wooden cabins we will be met by the evening’s host. Good drinks and a delicious homemade reindeer bidos will be served, together with campfire coffee and dessert.
After your tasty dinner, it is time to learn more about the King of the Arctic. With everyone sitting around the open fire in the cabin, the host will share information and photos about our most famous residents.
You are guaranteed to learn something new about polar bears, and you may also here a few tall tales. After the presentation there will be time to take photos of the landscape, before returning to civilisation.
Optional tour: Dinner at Willems Cabin - Exclusive evening with a private chef and host (with a surcharge – Private basis)
We invite you to enjoy a gourmet meal in a luxurious cabin, right in the middle of the Arctic wilderness.
Dinners are served as a 6-course tasting menu created using unique flavors and featuring locally sourced meats, offering an authentic taste of the Arctic. To complement your meal, our experienced sommeliers will create the perfect pairing for the event. An authentic dining experience where the host takes you on the journey from nature to plate.
Capacity: The cabin can host up to 14 people.
Overnight at Funken Lodge
Day 2:
Buffet Breakfast
AM Ice cave tour with snowcat (Duration: 3 hours)
A frozen world appears as you make your way down into the ice cave. Stuck in the ice you can see 1000 year old remnants of frozen plants, fantastic ice formations, narrow passages and big caverns.
When you visit Svalbard you can hardly escape seeing a glacier. Around 60% of the archipelago is covered with glaciers.
We will be picked up by snowcat, and head up onto the ‘Longyear Glacier’, right above Longyearbyen. Longyearbreen is a landlocked glacier, filling the valley between two mighty mountains.
The entrance to the ice cave is difficult to find, but in the middle of the white landscape, you will suddenly see a little opening and a stair leading you down into the magical world of ice and snow.
You will be equipped with a powerful headlamp, and as you follow one after the other into the narrow passage you will light up the ice.
PM Dogsledding in Bolterdalen (Duration: 4 hours)
Try one of the coolest experiences on Svalbard, where incredible views and combined with a great sense of achievement, as you steer your own dog sled through the wilderness.
This tour starts at the dog yard, where nearly 300 eager huskies are waiting for their next tour. You will be equipped with an exposure suit, boots and mittens, before you hop in and help the guide to harness and prepare the dogs. The barking and howling can seem a bit chaotic, but suddenly, it all changes. As soon as the dogs start to run, they become completely silent. The huskies are completely focussed on pulling the sled through the snow, and you can enjoy the magical landscape around you.
Svalbard reindeer are often seen on this tour, and sometimes even Svalbard grouse or polar foxes. At the moraine we will turn our sleds back towards the dog yard. Once back you will be invited in for something warm to drink and a biscuit or two, before returning to Longyearbyen.
Our suggestion: Champagne Tasting at Funken Lodge (Duration: 45 minutes)
The world’s northernmost wine cellar is located in the cellars of Funken Lodge, in the historical alcohol store ‘Nordpolet’. Our selection of Champagne is of the highest quality with many rare vintages.
You will get to try 3 different Champagnes, accompanied by 3 elegant canapés.
This intimate tasting is held by one of our sommeliers, who will also share some unique stories about life on Svalbard.
Our suggestion: Dinner at Funktionærmessen Restaurant (Funken Lodge)
Funktionærmessen Restaurant, voted Longyearbyen's best restaurant, serves a menu of the finest Norwegian produce, available as sharing platters or as part of the chef's 6-course tasting menu.
The Funken Bar completes the experience with a fantastic cocktail menu and light meals, and the wine and champagne cellar under the hotel offers excellent options for a tasting or an accompaniment to any meal.
Overnight at Funken Lodge
Day 3:
Buffet Breakfast
AM Visit to coal mine number 3 (Duration: 3 hours)
Are you ready to enter an old mine full of memories from coal-dusted miners? 20 years ago the coal miners went into the mountain looking for the black gold. How was it like to work in the mines at Svalbard?
You will be picked up at the hotel. Coal mine number 3 is located near the airport and on our way we pass by the Global Seed Vault. We arrive the coal mine with a wonderful view over the Adventfjord.
We put on our helmets and headlamps before we venture into the mine and our "work day" is starting. Our guide talk about the coal mine production while you can hear sounds from the deep in the mountain.
You will be told stories about the miner’s life in Svalbard, how they lived and about the community back in the days.
PM Wilderness safari with electric snowmobile (Duration: 3 hours)
Join us on a whole new way to experience the Arctic. Hop on an electric snowmobile!
The electric motors of our new snowmobiles are completely quiet. The absence of sound is less disruptive to the wildlife, compared to ordinary snowmobiles. So, remember to look around you for animals; the Svalbard reindeer, ptarmigans and polar foxes are something we often see out on tour. Along the way, you will experience the majestic landscapes, combined with learning a lot about the local history and life on Svalbard.
Importante note: A valid driver’s licence for car or motorbike is required to drive a snowmobile. Remember to take it with you on the tour.
Included: Snowmobile suit, shoes, gloves and helmet to use during the tour.
Day 4:
Buffet Breakfast
Day at leisure!
Today, you have a variety of exciting activities to choose from. Here are a few suggestions:
Optional tour: AM Snowmobile safari to Elveneset (Duration: 5 hours)
This is a great adventure for those you haven’t driven a snowmobile before. You will enjoy an unforgettable wilderness experience in the Arctic winter landscape, and get up close to stark Svalbard scenery.
This tour covers a total of about 70 kilometres, and the goal for the tour is Elveneset, a phenomenal outlook point with views over the Tempelfjord and Tempelfjellet.
Tempelfjellet, the ‘Temple mountain’, is 766m high and lies on the north bank of the Sassenfjord. The mountain received its characteristic name from the intricate structures the spring meltwater has carved in the mountainside, which from a distance reminds one of temple ruins.
The landscape on the tour is varied, heading through valleys with soaring mountains on all sides, and at our turning point, Elveneset, we will take a nice break with warm drinks before setting a course back to town.
Included: Snowmobile suit, shoes, gloves and helmet to use during the tour.
Importante note: A valid driver’s licence for car or motorbike is required to drive a snowmobile. Remember to take it with you on the tour.
We offer a diverse range of snowmobile tours tailored to suit each passenger's experience level. Feel free to reach out to us for more information.
Our suggestion: Dinner at Huset Restaurant – The Artic Experience (around 3 hours)
Huset or “The House” in English, is the one of the most important historical places in Longyearbyen. It has been especially significant as a meeting place, where the miners could dine and socialise over the past century.
Our tasting menu is a journey across Svalbard. We tell a story through different servings, which we adapt seasonally, depending on what mother nature has to offer us. We work in collaboration with local trappers, fishers, and foragers to provide ingredients from Svalbard and the Arctic such as seal, reindeer, rock ptarmigan and mushrooms.
Day 5:
Buffet Breakfast
Transfers to the airport - We look forward to welcome you back to Svalbard!
This program is a suggested itinerary. We understand your preferences are unique. For personalized services and programs, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
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