Arctic Circle Expedition
Overview
| Prior experience?: | None required |
| Departure date: | 16th Feb – 23rd Feb 2021 |
| Duration: | 8 days including travel |
| On snow: | 6 days |
| Maximum group size: | 12 participants |
| Full costs: | €1,990 + flights (approx €450) |
| Additional costs: | Travel insurance |
| Guides: | Ronan Mullen, Kieran Creevy |
Highlights
- 150km north of the Arctic Circle
- Based in a remote cabin
- Off-grid: no electricity
- Water from ice-hole
- Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing
- Camp in the Arctic in winter
- Northern Lights
What’s included
- All in-country fees.
- Pre-departure training in advance of the trip
- All specialist equipment hire: skis/sleeping bags/jackets etc
- All meals
- Internal transfers
- Accommodation
- Expert tuition & guiding
Arctic circle Expedition
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to push yourself, learn new skills and survive the extreme cold of the arctic regions. Arctic Circle Expedition.
We believe in small groups where everyone gets the chance to learn plenty of new skills. Business experts might say that it’s counterproductive but our aim is to get you to a level where you have can undertake your own expeditions having learnt the necessary skills, confidence and ability to risk assess.
We provide all specialist equipment required: -26 degree sleeping bags, sleeping mats, jackets, mitts, skis, ski boots, poles and more. We don’t want you having to purchase the equipment you may not use again or will get very little use from in the future.
Zoom briefing and training day in Wicklow in advance of the trips is included, you’ll have the opportunity to meet the guides and get hands-on with some of the kit.
Flights: you can book your own online but we recommend you use our travel partner. If you book your own online make sure that package is included in the price as many comparison sites do not include this.
Our Arctic Circle Expedition gives you the opportunity to spend 6 days on the snow. We move on cross-country skis with an opportunity to snowshoe also. You don’t need any experience, our expert guides are with all the way and you’ll learn loads of new skills. Our goal is to learn all skills required to spend a night camping out in the Arctic Winter, we pull all our kit in on sleds as we ski to the campsite. Full costs for this expedition are: €1,990 + flights (approx €450). This includes all meals, internal transfers, accommodation and specialist equipment hire: snowshoes, down jackets, arctic sleeping bags etc. Click below to reserve your space today. You can pay the balance in instalments.
Arctic circle Expedition: Accommodation
Our trips are based in our off-grid cabin in Northern Finland. There is no running water, no electricity. It’s hostel style accommodation in mixed bunk rooms. Daily chores are part of the experience with water to be taken from the ice-hole in the nearby river, firewood brought in to heat to cabin etc. We use the sauna each evening for rejuvenating and cleaning.
We don’t know. We are going ahead with our plans and offering all participants a 100% refund on deposit and fees if it’s impossible to travel. We hope that this will allay your fears and that you’ll join us on this amazing adventure.
8 Days for the Expedition. The first day will be spent travelling to Northern Finland, 150km north of the Arctic Circle. We then have 6 days on the snow in Finland. The last day is spent travelling back to home.
No experience is necessary but fitness is important. It would certainly help but we don’t expect everyone to have experience. Cross-country skiing is different than downhill. The skis are much narrower and you wear lighter boots. It’s more about technique and efficiency than speed. Full tuition will be provided over the first 4 days on the Arctic Circle Expedition.
Included in your expedition fees is the hire of specialist cold weather clothing and sleeping bags. You’ll need to bring thermal clothing, warm fleeces, hat and gloves, boots etc. More details will be provided on our training sessions, however, we are endeavouring to cover as much costs as possible in the expedition fees so you won’t have to invest in specialist equipment.
We have space for 10 to 12 participants.
The expedition fees are €1,990. Flights are extra. You can arrange your own flights but it’s important to note that unless you do so through a travel agent you will have very little support if there are problems with flights. You can fly from Ireland, UK or anywhere in the world but we ask that you are on the flight into Kittila on day of arrival.
Insurance (see below).
Warm clothing, outdoor boots, etc this is all kit you probably have already, if not we can advise on how to best purchase, we offer all participants a 15% discount in our store.
It is essential that all participants take out additional insurance for the expedition. This should cover repatriation to your home country and rescue fees. Let us know if you need details on insurance companies. Your policy must cover Europe and have ‘guided cross country skiing’ as an activity. We also advise that you apply for your EHIC (formally E11). As this is serious undertaking participants must be aware that the risk of cold injuries and ski related injuries is higher.
Lead Guide is Ronan Mullen who has worked in the outdoors professionally for over 20 years. Ronan is an extreme weather expert and has explored many areas in Scandinavia, Morocco, the Alps and beyond. He is also European Expert in Mountain Rescue. Renowned Outdoor Chef and Guide Kieran Creevy will also be joining us. Both Ronan and Kieran and International Mountain Leaders, highly qualified to lead groups all over the world. Arctic Circle Expedition.
The expedition will be based in an old woodcutters lodge. It’s off-grid, no electricity, no running water. The accommodation can be best described as hostel-style, there is one large communal bunk room, heating is by log fire and lighting by solar power (but this is rarely available!). Toilets are in another building outside. There are no showers but there is a traditional style sauna which also provides hot water for washing.
This expedition is no walk in the park, you will need to be fit but you have time to build your fitness and we will provide you with a personalised fitness program to get you ready.
This Arctic Circle Expedition is provided by our expedition company: Sustainable Adventure Experiences WHR UG.
‘Brilliant trip, great fun and got me to the point where i can now push on to longer trips and ski independently with confidence. Couldn’t have ask for more!’
