Svalbard · Spitsbergen · ski and sail
A week of Svalbard skiing aboard the Noorderlicht, from Longyearbyen to Kongsfjorden: each morning the Zodiac lands you on a beach, you skin up towards a summit, and the run brings you back to the edge of the fjord, in the glow of the midnight sun.
From€9,500per person, excluding flights
Ski and sail in Svalbardfrom €9,500
End of May · departure 24 to 31 May 2027
You’ll enjoy
We take you to 78° North for eight days aboard the Noorderlicht, a two-masted schooner built in 1910. From Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard skiing follows the rhythm of the boat: the Zodiac lands you at the foot of the mountain, you skin up, you ski all the way down to the sea, and the schooner is waiting below to take you on to the next fjord.
One departure · May 2027
€9,500per person, excluding flights
We sail once a season, at the end of May, when the snow and the light of Spitsbergen are at their finest. For your own group, we can build a private programme on request and help you book your flights.
Ski and sail also takes you further south, with Lyngen Alps skiing in March, from Tromsø, or ski touring in Norway’s Lofoten Islands. A question about this Svalbard skiing trip? We’ll reply within 24 hours.
Halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, the west coast of Spitsbergen, from Isfjorden to Ny-Ålesund, is lined with glaciated summits, long north-facing couloirs and coastal ridges rising straight out of the fjords.
All week you ski far from lifts and crowds, in the deep quiet of the Arctic. The finest slopes are reached from the sea, and we take you there under sail.
In May and June the sun stays above the horizon all night over Svalbard, and the snowpack is at its deepest. We sail at the end of May for the depth and quality of this late-spring polar snow, and for a light that stays with you from morning to evening.
Slopes rarely exceed 40°, on open, varied terrain, glaciated in places: a true blend of freeride and ski touring.
There are twelve skiers at most, in two groups of six. Each group skis with two PowderWeGo professionals, one for every three skiers, and you ski together at a pace set for enjoyment.
In Svalbard, safety also takes the polar bear into account. Every day your guides, trained in remote-area first aid, assess the snowpack and follow the polar bear protocol.
The ski days
Each morning the chef serves a full breakfast, fresh bread and hot drinks, and everyone makes up their own picnic at the buffet on board. The Zodiac lands you on a secluded beach with your ski touring kit, and you start skinning up. Your guides choose the line as you go, according to snowpack stability, aspect and the conditions of the day.
From the summit, the run opens up over 700 to more than 1,000 m of vertical, in Arctic powder, all the way to the shore. While you ski, the schooner moves on to the next anchorage and waits for you below. You click out of your skis, climb back aboard, and set course for another fjord. That rhythm is the heart of Svalbard ski and sail: four to six hours on skis each day, then the sea.
Built in Flensburg in 1910 and fully re-rigged in 1991, the Noorderlicht is a two-masted, steel-hulled schooner with a reinforced bow. You sleep in a compact double cabin with bunks; a single cabin can be requested, subject to availability.
The saloon, heated for the Arctic, brings the group together after skiing: a snack, then the chef’s dinner, three courses served at one table between 6 and 8 pm, and a self-service bar. A crew of three, the captain and two sailors, look after the sailing and life on board.
The route sets out from Isfjorden, at the latitude of Longyearbyen, runs along the island of Prins Karls Forland, then heads north through St. Jonsfjorden to Ny-Ålesund and Kongsfjorden, King’s Bay, one of the most remote anchorages in the Arctic. Six days of skiing, with scenery that changes every day: open glacial faces, Arctic ridges, polar wilderness as far as the horizon.
In the evening, a debrief with your guides, dinner on board, and sailing under the midnight sun.
The programme
Monday 24 May, arrival at Longyearbyen airport and transfer to the schooner, moored in the centre of town. The afternoon is yours to explore Longyearbyen. Boarding from 6 pm, then a welcome briefing with the guides and the captain: the route, safety and the week’s weather. Dinner and a first night on board, at anchor.
Breakfast, a picnic made up at the buffet on board, then the Zodiac lands you at the foot of the mountain. Skinning up, skiing down to the sea, and back on board while the schooner moves on to the next fjord. From Isfjorden to Ny-Ålesund and Kongsfjorden, by way of Prins Karls Forland and St. Jonsfjorden, the route is adjusted each day to the snow, the weather and the ice.
Monday 31 May, a last breakfast on board, disembarkation in Longyearbyen before 9 am, transfer to the airport and flights home.
The programme may change with the sea, the weather, snowpack stability and the well-being of the group, for everyone’s safety and enjoyment; the guides and the captain have the final word. Allow ten days in all with flights, via Oslo or Tromsø.
Payment: 60% deposit on booking, balance no later than two months before departure, by bank transfer or card; the share of the payment that goes to the boat is non-refundable. Plan on two bags, a travel bag and a ski bag. A special diet or an allergy? Let us know when you book and the chef will take care of it. PowderWeGo designs and guides this trip; our partner agency, Aereau Voyages, organises and sells it. Full details are in our terms and conditions.
Photographs from our ski and sail weeks in Spitsbergen.
Aboard the Noorderlicht, the Zodiac lands you on a beach each morning; you skin up towards a summit and ski back to the edge of the fjord in the glow of the midnight sun. Then you climb back aboard and the schooner sails on, fjord after fjord, towards Kongsfjorden. A week for ski tourers at ease off-piste who want the stillness of the Arctic for their group alone.
Boris Malesset, founder of PowderWeGo, holder of the French BEES ski instructor diploma, the Swiss level 3 ski instructor patent and the Austrian Schiführer diploma
« Naviguer en voilier parmi les glaces, partir en ski de randonnée depuis une plage enneigée jusqu'au sommet d'une montagne, puis redescendre sur une neige immaculée au pied d'un glacier … c'est bien plus qu'un voyage, c'est un rêve. »
Translated from French: Sailing among the ice, setting off on touring skis from a snowy beach to the top of a mountain, then skiing back down on untouched snow at the foot of a glacier … it’s far more than a trip, it’s a dream.
“Boris and his team of great guides & guys opened our eyes and our hearts to a world of skiing that one might only dream of.”
« A l'écoute, pro, rassurants, de bonne humeur! … organisent des expéditions inoubliables dans des pays où la nuit n'existe plus ! »
Translated from French: Attentive, professional, reassuring, in good spirits! … they organise unforgettable expeditions in countries where night no longer exists!
In the press
Le Figaro Magazine · Franck Charton · 2 January 2026
« Le mot d’ordre est double : plaisir et sécurité »
Translated from French: “The watchword is twofold: pleasure and safety.”
Boris Malesset, quoted in the article
Read the feature (in French)
Malou Peterson
Svalbard, 2025
“Impossible not to feel very alive out here.”
Léa Bouard
Svalbard, 2025 · Hokkaido, 2026
“A very special & peaceful place, far up north at the edge of the world”
You ski Spitsbergen with two PowderWeGo professionals for every six skiers, on lines chosen each morning for the snow and the weather, with avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided. We plan every one of our trips from Val d’Isère, where we have been taking clients skiing since 2001, and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
The end of May. In May and June the sun stays up around the clock over the archipelago and the snowpack is at its deepest: that is the window we choose. Our 2027 departure runs from Monday 24 to Monday 31 May, and it is the only one of the season.
A strong off-piste skier, at ease in all snow and on all terrain, with ski touring experience and a feel for deep snow: technical level 3/5 and fitness level 3/5. Allow four to six hours on skis a day, with climbs of +800 to +1,100 m; slopes rarely exceed 40°. To check where you stand: your off-piste skiing level and your ski touring fitness level. Our guide to ski touring in Svalbard: the level, the season, the kit goes into more detail.
€9,500 per person, excluding flights, for eight days including six days of skiing. The price covers seven nights aboard the Noorderlicht with full board, guiding, transfers in Longyearbyen and the safety kit (avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe). Flights, at around €400 to €700, and insurance are at your own expense.
Fly from a major European city via Oslo or Tromsø: allow around €400 to €700 return. We suggest a night in Oslo or Tromsø the day before, and we can book your flights on request; allow ten days in all for the trip.
Svalbard is polar bear country. Throughout the week your guides follow a polar bear protocol, alongside the daily snowpack assessment and the skills of remote-area first aid.
Write to us by email or on WhatsApp and we’ll reply within 24 hours. The booking is confirmed with a 60% deposit, with the balance due no later than two months before departure. The twelve places on this departure are taken several months in advance.
Useful before you go: Visit Svalbard, the official tourist board · Varsom, the Norwegian avalanche forecast · Avinor, Norway’s airports.
Tell us when you’re coming and how many of you there are, and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
Or email us at infoskitravels@powderwego.com
You can also write to us from our Contact page.
8 days / 7 nights / 6 days of skiing
At 78° North, between Norway and the North Pole, the mountains plunge directly into the sea. In May and June, the sun never sets, the snowpack is at its peak, and the silence is absolute. This is where high Arctic ski touring takes place—and the only way to reach the most beautiful terrain is by boat.
Selected by our mountain professionals for the quality and uniqueness of their routes, the off-piste skiing itineraries in Svalbard are a true invitation to dream. Glacial coastal peaks, north-facing couloirs, virgin powder that descends to the sea — and a fully equipped expedition sailboat as your base camp throughout the week.
Ski-sailing Svalbard — Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund
starting from €9,500*
END OF MAY
Spitsbergen
12/13 pax
Ascents +800/+1100m
Ski-sailing
Skiing at the ends of the earth
Personalize this trip
Or contact us at +33 6 51 66 58 53
YOU WILL LOVE IT
Skiing under the midnight sun — descending pristine Arctic slopes under the midnight sun
Disembark the boat at the foot of the mountain, and re-board after each descent
Sailing between the fjords and the most spectacular anchorages of Spitsbergen
The absolute and total silence of polar nature — no upwellings, no crowds, no noise
A unique combination of ski touring and sailing, in the heart of the Arctic
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is Europe's most remote ski touring destination . Its western coast—from Isfjorden to Ny-Ålesund—boasts an extraordinary density of skiable terrain: glacial peaks, long north-facing couloirs, and coastal ridges that rise directly above the fjords. Here, there are no ski lifts, no ski patrollers, no other groups. Only the mountain, the sea, and the snow.
In late May and June, Svalbard enters its most remarkable season. The midnight sun revolves around the horizon for weeks on end, and the snowpack—built up throughout the long Arctic winter—reaches its maximum depth and stability. Lines that would be carved in a few hours at any other resort remain untouched here for days.
The cold, dry Arctic climate preserves deep, skiable snow well beyond spring, making late May one of the best windows of the off-piste skiing season in Svalbard .
Thanks to this ski-sailing safari in Spitsbergen , you'll experience a natural and sensory immersion that no land-based expedition can match. Each evening, the boat sets sail for a new anchorage—a new mountain face, a new fjord, a new horizon. The Svalbard archipelago then unfolds not as a resort, but as an expedition territory.
Our ski-sailing expedition to Svalbard is organized around a unique and seamless rhythm: wake up, ski, sail. Each morning, the group prepares their mountain picnic from the onboard buffet, boards the Zodiac, and is dropped off on a secluded beach with their ski touring equipment. Your guides lead the ascent—choosing lines in real time based on snowpack stability, aspect, and current conditions—before bringing the group back down on descents of 700 to over 1,000 meters of vertical drop in pristine Arctic powder.
The route ascends from Isfjorden to the latitude of Longyearbyen, skirts Prince Karl Island, then heads north through St. Jonsfjorden to Ny-Ålesund and King's Bay—six days of skiing on some of the most beautiful and remote terrain in the High Arctic. Slopes rarely exceed 40°. The terrain is open, varied, and consistently spectacular. A true blend of freeride and ski touring, this trip is recommended for those in good physical condition with an advanced to expert level of all-mountain skiing.
To get as far away from the crowds as possible, our expert guides' selection allows for numerous exceptional descents in open terrain, in powder that is both light and deep. Depending on the weather conditions and snowpack, the guides favor glacier lines, north-facing ridges, or coastal slopes—always choosing the best available terrain for ski touring , day by day.
Life aboard the expedition sailboat is warm, welcoming, and designed for rest and relaxation after long days in the mountains. The common areas are spacious and heated for Arctic conditions. Every morning, the chef prepares a full and varied breakfast—fresh bread, cereals, and hot drinks. Lunches are picnics prepared on board. Dinner is a three-course meal served at a communal table between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.
The self-service bar is available all day; drinks are extra.
The cabins are configured with double bunk beds—compact, warm, and practical at sea. Single cabins are available upon request, subject to availability. The sailboat accommodates a maximum of 12 passengers , divided into two groups of six , each accompanied by two professional mountain guides.
For more details, we respond within 24 hours to any questions regarding this ski-sailing trip to Svalbard . Depending on your ski touring level and expectations, we will provide you with a personalized quote.
Our strengths:
Our expert knowledge of Svalbard and the high Arctic mountain terrain
22 years of experience in ski touring, off-piste skiing and mountain guiding
Premium small group expeditions — maximum 6 skiers per guide team
An uncompromising approach to safety: snowpack assessment, polar bear protocol, first aid in remote areas
A deep respect for the Arctic environment and local ecosystems
You will enjoy:
The splendor and variety of Arctic backcountry skiing — no two runs are alike.
The quality and depth of the late spring polar snow
The extraordinary beauty of the descents on glacial and volcanic terrain
The unique combination of sailing and mountain guiding in the high Arctic
The atmosphere on board: a small group, an expert team, a shared table every evening
Arrival at Longyearbyen Airport. A crew member will be waiting for you at the port and can assist you with your transfer to the sailboat, moored in the center of Longyearbyen. Enjoy the afternoon exploring the town. Boarding begins at 6:00 PM. Welcome briefing with the guides and captain: itinerary presentation, safety protocols, and the week's weather forecast. Dinner on board. First night at anchor.
Each morning, a fresh and varied breakfast is prepared by the chef on board. Before departure, the group prepares their picnic lunch from the ship's buffet. You are then dropped off on the beach by Zodiac with your ski touring equipment. The guides lead the ascent, choosing the routes in real time according to the snowpack, aspect, and current conditions.
While you ski, the sailboat repositions itself towards the next anchorage. The boat awaits you below. Unbind your skis, climb back aboard, and sail towards the next fjord. The scenery changes daily: open glacial faces, Arctic ridges, polar wilderness stretching to the horizon.
The voyage takes you past the island's most beautiful skiing and sailing spots: Isfjorden, Prince Karl Island, St. Jonsfjorden, Ny-Ålesund, and King's Bay—one of the most remote and spectacular anchorages in the entire Arctic. Evenings: debriefing with the guides, dinner on board, and sailing under the midnight sun.
Return to Longyearbyen. Disembarkation from the sailboat before 9 a.m. Transfer to the airport. Return to Europe with the Arctic peaks, glacial tongues, and infinite light etched in your mind.
This program is indicative and may be modified according to sea conditions, weather, snowpack stability, and the well-being of the group. The guides and captain are the sole judges in this matter.
Number of travel days: 7
Number of skiing days: 6
Technical level: 3/5 experience in ski touring and off-piste skiing in deep snow.
Physical level: 3/5 capable of moderate effort for several hours.
Number of participants: maximum 2 groups of 6/7 people + 4 guides.
Our package includes:
For a group of 6 participants + 2 professional mountain guides
7 nights aboard an Arctic expedition sailboat, in a double cabin with bunk beds
Full board: breakfast, mountain picnic, snack after skiing, 3-course dinner
Supervision by 2 professional PowderWeGo guides per group of 6 or 7
Safety equipment: ABS® airbag backpack, avalanche transceiver (DVA), probe and shovel
3 crew members (captain + 2 sailors) for navigation, logistics and life on board
Our package does not include:
The return journey to Longyearbyen (allow approximately €400–700 from major European cities via Oslo or Tromsø — we recommend an overnight stay in Oslo the day before)
Ski touring equipment: clothing, touring skis (minimum width 100 mm recommended, 110 mm recommended), boots, bindings, skins, poles, helmet
Alcoholic beverages and sodas on board
Travel and repatriation insurance (mandatory — to be provided before boarding)
Single cabin supplement (on request, subject to availability)
Private group, customized program or special requests
We can help you book your flights upon request. We also recommend spending a night in Oslo or Tromsø before your flight to Longyearbyen—contact us for details. Any special dietary requirements or allergies? Let us know when you book, and our chef will take care of it.
Plan for 2 bags (travel bag + ski bag).
Our ski-sailing expedition to Svalbard takes place only once per season, at the end of May. **Maximum 13 participants.** Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and departures are made several months in advance.
If you're unsure whether this expedition is suitable for your skill level, contact us before booking. We'll give you an honest assessment—no sales pitch.
Contact us for more information.
