SKI SVALBARD BY SAILBOAT

SKI TO THE SEA, GET ON THE SAILBOAT AND EXPLORE THE NORWEGIAN ARCTIC WITH ALL THE COMFORTS.

Sailing to the bottom of a mountain, putting on your skis on the beach, riding your touring skis to the top and skiing down the other side of the mountain to the next beach, where our sailboat will pick us up. This is Ski and Sail SVALBARD.

We travel through the Norwegian Arctic of Svalbard, starting from Longyearbyen towards the North along the West side of the archipelago. The best of Svalbard lies outside its best-known fjord, the Isfjorden. Once we leave it behind we enter the pure Arctic, we lose the mobile signal and we can disconnect completely.

The ascents that we complete during our trips will be planned together, according to the group’s ability level, the weather and the general conditions. After our daily ascents, we set out for the next fjord and prepare for the next day.

Svalbard is the territory of the Polar Bear, an animal that we want to see, but from a distance. A whole series of protocols must be followed each time you go ashore and our guides are certified and trained to maintain the safety of the group in the event of encounters.

The sailboat used for this trip is a 23 meter steel sailboat with all the amenities to explore the Arctic. It has 6 cabins and 5 full bathrooms with shower and hot water. Its interior is very cozy with a living room with panoramic views from where you can rest and contemplate the landscape after a day of skiing.

On the trip there will be a mountain guide for every 5 participants, so if it is a large group we can divide according to objectives and level. We will have a captain and assistant who are experts in Arctic navigation between ice and will be responsible for the safety and well-being on board the sailboat.

All food during the week is included and all participants will help with cooking tasks. The only expenses apart from the trip will be air flights and if on the last day the group decides to go out to dinner on arrival in Longyearbyen. There are daily direct flights to Svalbard from Oslo with Norwegian and SAS.

We have about 3 annual Ski&Sail Svalbard departures which are at May. Some are 7 days of travel and others are 9 days. Spots for this trip fill up very quickly even 8-12 months in advance.

“MOUNTAIN SKIING IN THE NORWEGIAN ARCTIC WITH THE COMFORT OF A SAILBOAT”

For this Ski and Sail trip, a correct level of off-piste skiing and having previously done some ski touring activity (randonnee / ski touring / backcountry skiing) is required. Depending on the physical and technical level of the participants and the snow and weather conditions, the mountain guide will adapt the outings for maximum enjoyment. Do not hesitate to contact us to jointly evaluate whether you have the appropriate level of skiing.

If you know that you prefer to go far and steep and are looking for a challenge, our advice is to bring along your group of friends and book an entire boat for yourselves. Weather and snow conditions will, of course, determine what and where we can ski. Even if you already knut each other, we can still tailor the level more to your wishes and skill level.

Navigation is almost always done inside the fjords, so we rarely encounter waves. We will carry out part of our sailing and all members of the group will be able to learn all the techniques and maneuvers on board.

Our trainer Mr. Pablo Ral,  graduate in Physical Activity Sciences, Master in High Performance, Chilean Ski Mountaineering Coach and specialist in endurance sports… can make you a specific personal training plan for this trip.

• Standard training plan (one-time payment): 99€ (Fill out online form, 30 min personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan)
• Premium training plan (monthly): 130€ (Fill out online form, 1h personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan. Weekly monitoring of your progression and monthly readjustment of the training plan)

You can request your training plan at the time of booking your trip or later. (Standard training plans are valid for a maximum of 3 months)

Ski equipment

• Your ski equipment; skis/splitboard, poles, ski boats, skins, helmet if you want
• Ski crampons and/or crampons (mandatory and essential for split-boards)
• Ski bag and boot bag (Required).
• Avalanche equipment in backpack, shovel, probe, DVA transmitter/receiver (Mandatory).

We don’t normally plan trips where boot crampons, axes, ropes and harnesses are necessary, but you can bring them if you want. (Except if it is a private group and you request it)

Sailboat material:

• Rubber boots and waterproof coat are recommended

Other things recommended/necessary on these trips, in addition to travel equipment:

• Backpack (between 20 and 35 liters) with ski carrying straps.
• Socks.
• Mountain ski pants.
• Thermal T-shirt (first layer).
• Fleece lining or similar (second layer).
• Gore-Tex type jacket and pants (third layer).
• Light and thin primalof or feather jacket.
• Neck gaiter.
• Thin fleece-type gloves and thick gloves.
• Hat for the cold and cap for the sun.
• Sunglasses and blizzard.
• Head lamp
• Canteen or thermos, minimum 1 liter. If you choose a Camelbak type bag, keep in mind that the tube can freeze recommending carrying an auxiliary bottle.
• Sun cream and lip protection.
• Snacks (bars, gels, nuts…) to eat in the mountains during the treks.
• Optional: spare batteries, camera, powerbank, first aid kit.

The boats have 220V “EU” sockets for charging phones and cameras when we sail.

Food:

The culinary experience is just as vital as setting the sails or taking the helm! Once aboard, the crew will assign guests into pairs, who will then take turns preparing breakfast, lunch, and dinner according to a scheduled rota.

Worried about your cooking skills? Don’t be! A comprehensive menu plan for the entire voyage is already prepared, with all provisions stocked on board. This menu is adaptable, allowing flexibility based on daily activities whether you catch fresh fish or if the more adventurous cooks want to try something new. The menu plan is supported by a detailed recipe book designed specifically for onboard cooking, with ingredients, quantities, and methods tailored to each meal. Cooking on board is more than just a necessity; it’s a key part of the sailing experience, fostering teamwork, confidence, and a shared appreciation for diverse culinary traditions.

We always recommend that you bring your own energy bars, nuts… so that you can eat while doing the activities.

The Itinerary explains what meals are included each day according to the program. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know on the registration form and we will take it into account.

You can each bring your own alcoholic beverages. (without problem)

Accommodation:

The program provides accommodation in shared rooms. If you want a single room, please indicate this at the time of booking.

Sailboat:
The sailboats are fully equipped with heating to be comfortable inside both when eating and sleeping. They also have a drying area to ensure that all the material is dry and warm before the next ski.

We believe solo travelers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travelers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travelers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

In case you wish that we can look for the best flight combination tickets from your nearest airport to the destination you can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. This service includes monitor the flight prices over time to get the best deal when prices are low and check in of your flight. The administrative fee for this service is 35€ + the flights cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

There are daily direct flights to Svalbard from Oslo with Norwegian and SAS.

We offer you a 5% discount on your IATI travel insurance. The discount is just valid if you buy the travel insurance policy after clicking on the link.

In case you wish that we can look for the best travel insurance that covers the trip destination/activity with your nationality. You can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. The administrative fee for this service is 15€ + the insurance cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

The client is informed that B4Experience will issue the trip without including a cancellation, repatriation or accident policy, unless it is explicitly included in the trip contract and paid in the first payment.

Rescue insurance: Recommended
Rescue insurance is highly recommended on all active trips. It must be taken into consideration that these insurance policies are specific for each type of activity (hiking, climbing…)

The user is informed that the GUARANTEE COMPANY that covers the risks of contractual liability and guarantee against insolvency is MARKEL INSURANCE SE. Our trips are covered by Civil Liability insurance.

Visas, and Entry Requirements
Certainly! It is important to have a valid passport with at least 6 months validity when traveling to any country.

*Remember that EU citizens need Passport to entry to Svalbard, ID national cards are not accepted.

To know the specific visa requirements for your trip, it is recommended to contact your local embassy or consulate, or consult with your travel agent. Remember that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct travel documentation. Visa requirements can vary based on your nationality and your destination. While we strive to keep our information updated, visa rules can change unexpectedly. Therefore, it is crucial that you verify the information yourself and understand that you are accountable for meeting your own visa requirements.

Vaccines
For each trip, clients are solely responsible for having the mandatory and/or recommended vaccines required in each region or country. Consult with your doctor to have all vaccinations before the start of the trip.

The client can take out trip cancellation insurance to be able to obtain payment of the entire amount paid (according to its conditions).

The end user may withdraw from the contracted trip, having the right to a refund of the amounts paid, except for the indicated penalties, but must also satisfy the Agency in the amounts indicated below once the trip has been confirmed. If it is not carried out due to not reaching the minimum necessary places, the client can save the credit for future trips or request a full refund of the reservation.

Cancellation Policy 3:

• • FULL REFUND UP TO 24H AFTER PURCHASE
  • Up to 60 days before the trip 100% refund of the trip amount.
  • Up to 45 days before the trip Refund of 50% of the trip amount.
  • For terms shorter than those described in the cancellation policy, the amount already paid will not be paid.
  • *€250 management fees apply

* Cancellation fees will not be paid for reservations already issued. If there are other non-refundable expenses already issued, these will not be paid either and will be deducted from the amount to be paid.
* The cost of cancellation of issued flights is 100% of the amount.

EXEMPTION OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK
B4Experience offers active trips for different sports and Outdoor activities, as well as information related to these activities through our web platform www.b4experience.com and other channels.

The practice of any activity in nature carries a risk for those who do it, with most of these activities being considered high-risk sports. Each one must know and apply their limits and be aware that regardless of the technical training and physical level one has, their practice can lead to accidents or even death.

The in-person activities and trips offered by B4Experience are carried out on land and activities that may inherently involve risks for those who carry them out and thus clients are informed that they contract them.

DOSSIER DISCLAIMER:

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print/ download a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER:

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. On all Outdoor trips, the routes will be adjusted depending on the weather, the level of the group participants and the risks assessed by the guide/trip leader.

Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.