On the Telegraph Route

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival and airport transfer.

Guided town tour.

Dinner & overnight at Basecamp Hotel, Longyearbyen.

Day 2

Half-day dogsledding intro.

Expedition briefing.

Packing & preparations.

Overnight at Basecamp Hotel, Longyearbyen.

Day 3–7

Dogsledding expedition to Isfjord Radio.

Overnight in tents & Isfjord Radio.

Wilderness guiding & polar routines.

Day 7 (evening)

Return to Longyearbyen.

Farewell dinner at Gruvelageret.

Overnight at Basecamp Hotel, Longyearbyen.

Day 8

Departure and airport transfer.

Departures : March 29, April 5, 12, and 19.

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN LONGYEARBYEN & CITY INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the world’s northernmost city, where your Arctic adventure begins. Upon arrival, your Basecamp guide will meet you at the airport and bring you to the characterful Basecamp Hotel for check-in.

Once you’ve settled in, it’s time to explore Longyearbyen, on foot or by car, depending on the weather. This is your first taste of life at the edge of the world.

In the evening, all expedition guests and guides gather around the dinner table at Basecamp Hotel. This is where introductions are made, stories begin, and the spirit of the journey starts to take shape.

DAY 2 – DOG SLEDDING INTRO & EXPEDITION PREPARATION

After a hearty breakfast at Basecamp Hotel, your guide will pick you up and take you to our Expedition Centre, the starting point for your Arctic journey. Here, you’ll receive your first full introduction to the expedition ahead. Your guide will walk you through the route to Isfjord Radio, the weather forecast, and what to pack for life in the wild.

Next, you’ll be outfitted with expedition clothing and gear for your very first dog sledding experience. Today is all about getting familiar with your dog team, learning the rhythm of the sled and understanding how to pack and prepare for several days in the field.

The sledding trip heads to Trapper’s Station, where 80 eager huskies and your guide will teach you the essentials of polar travel. After a test run on the sled, you’ll also practice setting up camp and organizing the sleds with gear.

Back in Longyearbyen, there’s time for any last-minute purchases of personal equipment or clothing. Dinner is on your own in town and we’re happy to help with table reservations at one of our favorite local spots.

DAY 3 – START OF THE POLAR EXPEDITION & IMMERSION IN THE WILDERNESS

The expedition begins the moment the dogs start to howl. Your guide picks you up at Basecamp Hotel at 10AM, and together you drive out to Basecamp Trapper’s Station, home to our eager Alaskan huskies. There, each participant will be given their own sled and a team of six dogs, your partners for the days ahead.

Each sled carries your personal gear as well as a share of the expedition equipment, this is the real thing. Once everyone is ready, we head straight into the white wilderness. Today, we aim to cover around 50 km through Arctic valleys and open plains before setting up camp. Along the way, there’s time to take photos, fuel up with snacks, bond with your dog team, and enjoy the raw beauty of Svalbard in sunshine, snow, or silence.

As the day winds down, we care for the dogs first, always. Then we set up our camp together and prepare a warm, well-deserved dinner under the Arctic sky. This is not just travel. It’s expedition life, lived fully – one trail, one dog, and one story at a time.

DAY 4 – CROSSING TO ISFJORD RADIO & LODGE SETTLEMENT

There’s nothing quite like waking up to Arctic silence, crisp air, and the promise of a new horizon. Unzip your tent to reveal yet another breathtaking view, shaped by snow, light, and weather. Your huskies are already awake, tails wagging, ready to greet you with the same joy and energy that carried you through the day before. Once the dogs are cared for, we gather around for a simple but satisfying breakfast, coffee in hand, before packing down our wilderness camp.

By afternoon, a different kind of luxury awaits: Isfjord Radio Station, your remote and refined base at the edge of the world. Once a cold war-era radio station, now transformed into a boutique wilderness hotel, this is where comfort meets isolation in the best possible way. After settling your dogs on their night lines and checking into your room, you’ll have time to unwind. Explore the Arctic library, sip something warm in the lounge, or relax in the sauna with a view of sea and sky.

As evening falls, an Arctic-inspired dinner is served, rich in local flavours, wild ingredients, and the stories of Svalbard. From tent to table, wilderness to warmth, few journeys offer contrasts this unforgettable.

DAY 5 – EXPLORATION AND RELAXATION AT ISFJORD RADIO

Slow Arctic morning, breakfast with a view. This day is yours to fully absorb the magic of Isfjord Radio Stationand the surrounding wilderness of Kapp Linné. After a leisurely breakfast, your host will take you on a guided tour of the station, once a vital link in Arctic communication, now a remote boutique hotel like no other.

During your stay, you’ll also help care for the huskies alongside your guide and fellow adventurers. They’ve carried you far and now it’s your turn to give back with food, affection, and a clean, cozy camp.

Make time to dive into the Arctic library, enjoy the stillness in the lounge, or step into the sauna overlooking the sea. Watch the waves – you never know what kind of wildlife might pass by. As evening settles in, a new Arctic-inspired menu is served, rich in taste, storytelling, and the essence of Svalbard. This is your pause in the expedition. Wild, yet deeply comforting.

DAY 6 – RETURN JOURNEY BY DOG SLED TO LONGYEARBYEN

Breakfast and farewell to the edge of the world After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to pack up and begin the two-day journey back to Longyearbyen. By now, you’ve found your rhythm, are confident in your sled, connected with your dog team, and fully immersed in the flow of Arctic expedition life.

As we leave Isfjord Radio behind, the landscape opens up in all its wild and dramatic beauty. With around 50 km ahead, the day offers time to take in the surroundings of wide valleys, frozen coastlines, and the silence only Svalbard can deliver.

In the afternoon, we set up our final tent camp and settle in for one last night under Arctic skies, a moment to reflect, rest, and savour the experience before returning to civilization. You came as a traveler. You now is a musher.

DAY 7 – FINAL STRETCH & CELEBRATION IN LONGYEARBYEN

The final stretch of your Arctic expedition. Today we complete our return to Basecamp Trapper’s Station and eventually back to Longyearbyen. After five days of pure wilderness, teamwork, and life on the trail, one thing is certain – tonight, you’ll sleep like never before. Dog sledding across Svalbard is no ordinary journey. It demands presence, determination, and sometimes a bit of muscle, whether you’re helping your team up snowy hills or guiding the sled through deep drifts. But every challenge met brings with it a deep sense of achievement.

You’ve covered 200 kilometers through Arctic wilderness, led your own dog team, and lived life like a true polar explorer. Once the sleds are unpacked and the huskies are settled back into their homes, your guide will drive you to Basecamp Hotel, with a head full of memories and a heart full of stories. We end the adventure with a celebration dinner at the wonderful restaurant Gruvelageret.

DAY 8 – LONGYEARBYEN, CULTURE & DEPARTURE

We hope you’ve rested well after your amazing adventure to Isfjord Radio and are ready to start the day with another generous breakfast at Basecamp Hotel. This day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Take time to explore Longyearbyen’s unique culture and stories. We recommend a visit to Mine 3, the Cable Car Centre, or the Svalbard Museum, each offering insight into life at the top of the world. Or simply wander the streets, stop by local shops, and pick up a souvenir or two from your time in the North.

When the time comes, your guide will drive you to the airport and send you off with a warm farewell and maybe a final tip for your next Arctic journey. You didn’t just visit Svalbard – you became part of it.