Svalbard South to North ski expedition
About the expedition
The Svalbard South to North Ski expedition is one of the most challenging and rewarding ski expeditions imaginable. Following a rarely skied route across the entire island of Spitsbergen, this extraordinary adventure takes you through vast glaciers, dramatic mountain ranges, frozen fjords, and vast valleys, exposing you to the full spectrum of Arctic weather and wildlife.
Covering more than 620 kilometers, the expedition offers a constantly evolving experience, shaped new each year by ice conditions and weather. Along the way, you gain a deep insight into Svalbard’s raw natural beauty, as well as its rich cultural and geological history, making this not just a physical challenge, but a true exploration of the high Arctic.
GUIDE: Morten Tobias Rostille will guide this expedition, no one has guided the Svalbard South to North more times than Morten, so you're in good hands. Read more about Morten here.
AVAILABILITY:
2026: fully booked. (Write us if you are interested in joining)
2027: 4 available spots (Guaranteed departure)
Scroll down to read feedback from our previous South to North expeditions. Or watch our Online seminar from the 2024 trip here.
Whats included
All emergency, and glacier rescue equipment
All foods and drinks - regardless of diet. We take pride in providing good meals and snacks for everyone
Snowmobile transport to and from skiing
All common equipment such as tents, stoves, pulkas, shovels...
Administrative costs for applications with The Governor of Svalbard
Obligatory search and rescue insurance
Whats not included
Personal equipment
Transport to and from Svalbard
Accommodation, food and drinks in Longyearbyen before and after the expedition
Travel insurance with special coverage for Svalbard expeditions
Info
Dates
2026: 24th March - 29th April
2027: 23rd March - 28th April (Tentative)
Price
2026: NOK 125.000,-
2027: NOK 135.000,-
Blog
Svalbard South to North-West 2025
Who can join?
Svalbard South to North (Svalbard på langs) is a true challenge. Yet, with the right training, guidance and equipment, almost everyone can make it. If you are already in good physical condition, one year of training is more than sufficient. Nevertheless, this expedition will likely be your toughest yet, thus it is beneficial to have some past experience with winter camping. This is however not a requirement and we are more than happy to provide help and training prior to the expedition.
The Route
The route is the result of years of experience, and many hours spendt researching sattelite images and the changing conditions on Svalbard.
Plan
Day 1 to 3
Everyone arrives in Longyearbyen within 23 March. After everyone has checked into their hotels and gotten sorted, we will meet and begin packing! We will spend this entire day, and the next for our preparations. On the third day a 6 hours snowmobile trip awaits as we travel to our starting point for this adventure!
This is the blog for 2026 Svalbard south to North ski expedition. The blog will be updated every day with text, photos and a live map.
Week 1
The expedition starts at the border of South-Spitsbergen National Park. It is not allowed with motorised travel beyong this border, so we continue south by skiis until we reach Sørneset, the Southernmost point of Svalbard. The mountains here are magnificent, and we are moving through a beautiful landscape of glaciers and sea ice. .
Week 2
When we reach Sørneset we will turn our noses North and begin our traverse! It is surprisingly nice to see the mountain from the opposite side, and most people saythis week is the best. The pulkas are lighter and we are all getting into the good expedition groove. After about 2 weeks we are back at the National Park border, wher we pick up our depot.
Week 3
During week three we will pass the abandoned mining village Svea. From here we go through Kjellstrømdalen and onto the great glacier plateus. On Filcherfonna and Lomonosovfonna we can look down on the East coast on one side, and the mountain landscape in the West. This week we may also see other people, as we will pass a popular snowmobile route. If we have time we will ascend Svalabard's tallest mountain - Newtontoppen!
Week 4
We are approaching our goal, but first we have to climb the steepest glacier on this trip, the Trinity Hall glacier. After this test of strenght we will continue across Åsgaardsfonna, a beautiful landscape that provides light and easy skiing. From here on we follow along Polheimflya until we reach Verlegenhuken - the Northernmost point! From here we will travel back to Longyearbyen by snowmobile, and arrive by midday. In Longyearbyen we will celebrate this feat as we see fit and enjoy good food and a hot shower.
Photogallery Svalbard South to North Ski Expedition 2025
Photogallery Svalbard South to North Ski Expedition 2024
“Morten knows Svalbard back-to-front and inside-out. He is a fantastic guide, and he runs a tight ship with Rakel.” — Ali
Feedback
“I am so happy that I got the opportunity to experience Svalbard and a winter trip together with such wonderful people and under such safe and good leadership from Rostille Guiding.” — Nina
“Super happy, in every way and sense! A trip in magnificent surroundings.” — Marit
“With the great experiences I've had with Morten as a guide, the choice is easy for my next trip. On Svalbard, I noticed that the guide was on home turf.” — Øyvind