Welcome to
polar bear territory
Crossing Svalbard:
Enjoy an exclusive ski adventure in the Nordic wilderness
Crossing Svalbard on skis takes you through one of the most beautiful landscapes the Arctic has to offer: The jagged mountains that gave the islands their name frame our tour, providing a striking contrast to the deep, dark fjords. Silence blankets the islands at this special time of year when the light returns, creating a stunning atmosphere.
Highlights
We travel by snowmobile to the east coast of Svalbard, where our journey begins
We experience the "arctic silence" for days on skis
We move through a fascinating landscape of fjords and mountains
The midnight sun still provides beautiful light at this time of year
We take turns looking for polar bears in majestic surroundings
Expedition Essentials
Date: 1 - 15 April 2026
Trip duration: 2 weeks
Requirements: This expedition involves skiing, pulling sledges, and camping in a tent. It requires physical fitness, good health, team spirit, and prior expedition experience.
Polar bear safety: If necessary, we will each take turns on polar bear watch at night. A polar bear warning fence will also be set up around the tent each night.
Equipment: Ulrich Expeditions will provide you with most of the expedition equipment. Thomas Ulrich has perfected many parts of the equipment himself. As an expedition participant, you will be equipped by Ulrich Expeditions in the same way as the very top polar explorers are today. You only need to bring a few items of equipment yourself. Ulrich Expeditions will provide you with a detailed equipment list.
Prices (target price per person)
4 participants CHF 10’450
5 participants CHF 9’540
6 participants CHF 8’950
7 participants CHF 8’500
Included in the price: The above sum includes flights, hotel accommodation and meals in accordance with the travel program.
Not included: Personal equipment (according to the equipment list). Personal health, accident and evacuation insurance for the polar region. Cancellation insurance. Additional costs due to postponements and/or delays due to external circumstances (e.g. weather or flight delays). Additional, voluntary activities.
Expedition Details
Starting Point Longyearbyen. In Longyearbyen, the capital of the archipelago, we make our final preparations. Longyearbyen is one of the northernmost settlements in the world, with about 2000 people living in this unique place, about 1300 kilometers from the North Pole. Here we ar able to get used to the Arctic air and make final adjustments to our equipment.
To Agardhbukta on the east coast. On snowmobiles, we embark on a fast journey into the wilderness that starts right at the town’s border. We cross the island to Agardhbukta on the east coast. There, the snowmobiles leave us - from now on we move slower, quieter and on our own as we begin our ski adventure. In April, temperatures in Svalbard can drop to -30° Celsius, but it can also be much warmer. We head south into Inglefield Bay, continue over Inglefield Glacier into Rinders Bay and further over Van Mijenfjord, past Kapp Schollin to Kapp Linnée.
On skis towards Kapp Linnée. On average, we walk about 7-10 hours a day, with short breaks every hour. Everyone pulls a sledge with their luggage and some of the group's equipment. Our ski tour ends at Kapp Linnée, where another means of travel is used: a boat takes us back to Longyearbyen and from there back to civilization.
“Svalbard is the kingdom of polar bears! We must respect the fact that we are only guests in their territory.”
“Arctic nature is harsh and wild, yet fragile. That’s why more then half of Svalbard is a protected area.”
See our other guided expeditions
Arctic
Crossing Greenland with kites: For the fun of flying
Antarctic