This summer, adventure travel company Off the Map Travel is debuting a unique program that will allow travelers to spend a night on a glacier and search for Norway’s polar bears.
As part of the Night on a Glacier program, guests will stay high up in the Arctic Circle at the island of Svalbard’s Nordenskiold Lodge located at the foot of the blue glacier. From Longyearbyen, the arrival point on the island, guests begin their Arctic journey with a summer dogsledding expedition before joining a guide on a Zodiac boat cruise around the coast to search for walrus, whales and polar bears on the way to the Nordenskiold Lodge. The adventure continues at the lodge with a guided glacier climb to the source, kayaking, and a photo walk where a chance for wildlife encounters is possible around every turn. In the evening, guests will have meals at the lodge, and can partake in a traditional sauna experience, or enjoy more wildlife viewing from the comfort of the lodge.
“This is a spectacular opportunity for adventure lovers,” said Jonny Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel, in press materials. “Svalbard is one of the world’s best spots for seeing wildlife, with May to September the optimal months as the snow has melted. And at the expedition lodge, you’ll enjoy all manner of amenities and comforts with the chance to see polar bears.”
Night on a Glacier programs will be offered May through September 2019 and are customizable to meet the interests and needs of the participants. An example 5-day itinerary would cost $8,353 pp dbl, including all transfers, three nights in Longyearbyen on a B&B basis, two nights at Nordenskiold Lodge exclusively booked on a full board basis, kayaking, Zodiac boat safari, glacier climb, and summer dogsledding.
For more information, visit offthemap.travel. Other unique experiences offered by Off the Map Travel include staying in an igloo in the Arctic and hunting for the northern lights while on a floating barge.
