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A grinning husky in harness with its sled-dog team on the snow

Winter package · 8 days

Husky & Ice

Eight light-winter days that go deeper into the ice. You snowmobile frozen valleys, descend into glacier ice caves, spend a full day driving a dog team, and look for reindeer on the white tundra. From €2,590 per person, January to April, as the daylight returns.

Length
8 days · 7 nights
From
€2,590 pp
Season
January to April
Base
Hotel in Longyearbyen · 7 nights
Guiding
English-speaking guides

Deeper into the winter landscape

Eight days lets you reach past the town and into the country around it. You cover frozen valleys on a snowmobile, drop into glacier ice caves, and give the husky team a full day rather than a single lap. With a spare day held back for weather, there is room to do each thing properly and still slow down between them.

The light-winter window

This trip runs January to April, so you catch winter as it turns. January and February keep the dark skies and the blue midday twilight; by March the sun is back and the days grow quickly, until April brings long, bright hours on the snow. That returning light is also when the Svalbard reindeer are more often out on the tundra, though, like the aurora, wildlife is never something we promise.

Guided by the conditions

Snow, ice and weather change quickly this far north, so your guides set each route on the day rather than following a fixed plan. What stays constant is the small-group pace, the warm gear, and people who know how to read an Arctic winter and keep the days both safe and worthwhile.

On this trip

What you’ll see and do

A snowmobile on a snowy trail

Snowmobile the frozen valleys

You ride out across frozen valleys and snow-covered terrain on your own machine, covering ground a sled can't reach in a day. Your guide leads at a steady pace, with stops for hot drinks and the wide views along the way.

The blue interior of a glacier ice cave

Into the glacier's ice caves

You walk onto a glacier and down into caves shaped by meltwater, where the ice runs deep blue overhead. Routes are chosen for conditions, and your guide handles the access, crampons and headlamps.

A husky sled team running on snow

A full day with the dog team

A whole day at the husky yard: harnessing the dogs, learning the handling, then driving your own sled across the snow. There is time with the team before and after the run, not just a quick lap.

Svalbard reindeer on snowy tundra

Reindeer on the white tundra

As the light returns, the short, stocky Svalbard reindeer are often out on the snow near the valleys. Wildlife is wild and never promised, but the brighter late-winter days make sightings more likely than in the dark months.

Day by day

Your 8 days, day by day

8

8 guided days, 7 nights based in Longyearbyen.

  1. 1

    Day 1

    Arrival in Longyearbyen

    Your transfer brings you in from the airport and you check into your hotel. The evening is free, with a short briefing from your guide on the week to come.

  2. 2

    Day 2

    First snowmobile day

    Out on your own machine through frozen valleys, learning the controls before the longer rides later in the week. Hot drinks and wide Arctic views along the route.

  3. 3

    Day 3

    Into the ice caves

    You head to a glacier and descend into its blue ice caves, fitted with crampons and a headlamp. Steady pace, with the route set by the morning's conditions.

  4. 4

    Day 4

    A full day with the dogs

    A whole day at the husky yard, harnessing, handling and driving your own sled across the snow, with plenty of time among the team.

  5. 5

    Day 5

    Snowmobile deeper out

    A longer ride further into the frozen landscape, watching for reindeer on the white tundra as the daylight stretches through the day.

  6. 6

    Day 6

    A flexible winter day

    A spare day to use the best weather, whether a guided outing, an aurora attempt if skies allow, or time in Longyearbyen's museum and cafés.

  7. 7

    Day 7

    Longyearbyen and the valley

    A calmer day around Longyearbyen, with last looks across the snow before your final evening.

  8. 8

    Day 8

    Departure

    Breakfast and your transfer to the airport, seven nights of Arctic winter behind you.

The fine print, up front

What your price covers

What's included

  • Guides who speak English on every day
  • Full winter gear and safety equipment
  • Transfers from the airport and to each activity
  • 7 nights in a Longyearbyen hotel
  • All listed activities: snowmobiling, ice caves, husky day, tundra outing
  • Search & rescue cover

Not included

  • International flights
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Most lunches and dinners
  • Optional extra excursions

From €2,590 per person, double occupancy. Flights to Longyearbyen are not included. Your final price depends on your exact dates and group, and we confirm it within 24 hours.

From the season

What it actually looks like

Green aurora over snowy mountains
People watching the aurora under a dark sky
Longyearbyen town under winter snow
Snow peaks over a dark fjord at dusk

Good to know

Before you book

What is the light like from January to April?

These are the light-winter months. January still sits in the polar night, with a blue twilight around midday, but the sun returns in early March and the days lengthen fast. By April you have long, bright hours on bright snow, good for snowmobiling and spotting wildlife.

Are the northern lights included?

We run aurora attempts when skies are clear, especially in January and February, but they are never guaranteed, since the lights need solar activity and a clear sky together. As the daylight grows through March and April, dark-night chances shrink, so book earlier if the aurora is your priority.

How warm will I be, and what should I bring?

Temperatures often range from −10 to −20 °C, colder in wind or out on a snowmobile. Bring warm base and mid layers, and we supply the heavy outer suit, boots, mittens and headgear so you stay warm through long days outside.

How demanding is the snowmobiling and the ice caves?

You should be comfortable with active days. Driving a snowmobile takes concentration and some upper-body effort, and the ice caves involve walking on ice with a little scrambling. No prior experience is needed, as your guide teaches the basics first.

When is the best time for this trip?

January and February suit travellers who still want dark skies and aurora chances. March and April bring returning daylight, brighter snowmobiling and a better likelihood of seeing reindeer out on the tundra.

Is this suitable for solo travellers?

Yes. Activities run in small groups, so solo guests share the snowmobile rides, ice caves and husky day with others on the same dates. Tell us your plans and we'll sort the room arrangements.

Make Husky & Ice yours

Tell us your dates and who’s coming. We’ll confirm the plan and the exact price within 24 hours, no pressure.

Plan this trip