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Embarking on a journey to the Arctic, situated in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, will literally take you to the top of the world. Whether you're heading to the Geographic North Pole (the spot where all directions point south, also known as true north) or the Magnetic North Pole (where compasses point), this adventure will lead you through a frozen wilderness. The best time to visit the Arctic is during the spring months, when the cold and darkness haven't yet made the trip impossible, and the ice remains solid enough to traverse. This article provides an overview of the options you can consider for your Arctic expedition.
Steps
Travel by Air
Book a flight. If you have the budget, the quickest and easiest way to reach the Arctic is by air. Most flights to the Arctic depart from Norway, but there are also chartered flights available from Canada. Complete the necessary paperwork and book your ticket.
- Flying from Norway can cost between $10,000 and $20,000 (230 million – 460 million VND). Visit the Polar Explorers website, navigate to "expeditions," and select "North Pole Flights." All the information and forms you need to register for the trip are available there.
- A chartered flight from Canada can be ten times more expensive than one from Norway. To check prices and book a ticket, contact Kenn Borek Air via phone, email, or fax. Their contact details are available on their website.
- Due to the harsh conditions in the Arctic, booking a trip requires a health clearance and travel medical insurance.
- Other types of insurance, such as trip cancellation insurance, are also recommended.
- If you simply want to admire the Arctic without the intense desire to set foot there, you can opt for a scenic flight that flies over the Arctic without landing. This is a much more affordable option. These flights depart from Berlin, Germany, with tickets starting at $500 (around 11 million VND). You can book tickets through the Air Events website.
Travel to Canada or Norway. Flights to the Arctic from Norway depart from Longyearbyen, a village north of the Arctic Circle. Kenn Borek Air, the company that books chartered flights from Canada, is based in Calgary but operates flights to various locations. You can book a ticket to one of these destinations from your current location.
- Norwegian Airlines offers regular flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen. You may need to book two separate flights—one from your location to Oslo and another from Oslo to Longyearbyen.
- You will need to contact Kenn Borek Air to arrange the details of your flights.
Arrive at Barneo. Whether flying from Canada or Norway, your next stop will be Barneo, an ice research station located about 100 km from the North Pole.
- Accommodation and meals at Barneo are typically included in Arctic expedition packages.
Take a helicopter ride. From Barneo, you can take a helicopter to the North Pole.
- The flight lasts 20-40 minutes using the MI-8 helicopter stationed at Barneo.
- Polar Explorers offers ample opportunities for photography and often serves celebratory champagne. However, due to the extreme cold, you’ll have about an hour to take photos before the helicopter returns you to Barneo.
- Another option is to ski from Barneo, an adventure dubbed “the last degree ski.” This guided tour costs around $25,000. You can also travel by snowmobile or dog sled.
- Polar Explorers’ website provides details and fees for these options, along with registration forms. Visit the North Pole Expeditions page and select your preferred option.
- For sports enthusiasts, you can participate in a marathon starting from Barneo in April. This option costs around $15,000, which includes a round-trip flight from Svalbard, Norway, to Barneo, accommodation, and a helicopter ride to the Pole. Visit their website and fill out the online registration forms for the race.
Travel by Sea
Book your ticket. The second option to reach the Arctic is by taking a Russian "icebreaker," a large ship designed to navigate through polar ice. Book a ticket to join one of these expeditions.
- You should budget at least $26,000 for such a voyage. Registration is simple: visit the Adventure Life website, select the "North Pole Ultimate Adventure" expedition, and fill out the registration form.
- Expedition options range from standard cabins with simple twin beds to luxury suites. Premium rooms cost between $40,000 and $45,000.
Travel to Finland. Tourist icebreaker expeditions often depart from Helsinki, Finland. You can book a ticket to Helsinki from anywhere you are. Many major airports offer flights to Helsinki. You can also take a train to Helsinki from various locations across Europe.
Fly to Russia. From Helsinki, you can take a chartered flight to Murmansk, Russia. The expedition ship will depart from here.
- This flight is typically included in the travel package.
Take a ship to the Arctic. Luxury icebreaker ships equipped with comfortable accommodations will depart from Murmansk.
- You will spend 5 to 8 days on the ship crossing the Arctic Ocean to reach the North Pole.
- The 50 Years of Victory ship, designed for Arctic expeditions, offers various amenities to keep you entertained during the voyage, including a swimming pool and a bar.
Travel by Land
Hire a guide or join a race. You can also explore the Arctic by land from Russia or Canada, typically using a sled called a "pulk," and camping on the ice. You can hire a private guide or participate in a race.
- Among the many races to the Arctic, the Arctic Challenge and the North Pole Race require participants to traverse nearly 500 km of icy terrain to reach the North Pole. Since 2016, the Ice Race Association has also organized similar challenging adventures.
- You should budget approximately $35,000 for such an expedition. The cost includes training, flights, equipment, food, and insurance.
- These races are open to a relatively small group of participants, so you will need to contact the organizations for details on registration, costs, etc. Ice Race offers an online registration form, or you can email the organizers.
- Note that these races will take you to the Magnetic North Pole rather than the Geographic North Pole, also known as true north.
- You can also hire a private guide for a longer journey from Russia or Canada. This 800 km expedition is known as the "long route" to the North Pole. These expeditions typically depart in February.
- This journey is by far the most challenging and expensive option, suitable only for those with significant financial resources and endurance. You will need to contact a guide service provider for pricing details.
- Adventure Consultants, a company offering guides for long expeditions, provides online registration forms if you are truly adventurous. After submitting the form, they will contact you to assess your eligibility and availability.
- Even to consider such a trip, you must be in excellent health and provide proof. Additionally, some guides require mountaineering skills, and in some cases, experience with ice axes and crampons.
Fly to Russia or Canada. Book a ticket to the starting point of the race or expedition.
- Races often begin from Resolute Bay in Nunavut, northern Canada. Airlines like First Air, Calm Air, and Canadian North offer scheduled flights from major Canadian cities such as Ottawa and Montreal.
- Long-route expeditions typically depart from Cape Arktichevsky, Russia, or Ward Hunt Island, Canada. Reaching either location usually requires an extremely expensive chartered flight. However, if you book your trip through Adventure Consultants, they will arrange your flight to Ward Hunt Island from Resolute Bay.
Ski northward. Head north with your expedition team until you reach the North Pole. This overland journey is incredibly demanding. You and your team or guide will spend 8-10 hours each day skiing across the ice.
- This is a perilous journey. It requires navigating through towering ice ridges, finding paths around melting ice areas, and camping on ice floes.
- At night, you’ll cook meals and set up camp by building snow walls to block the wind. Temperatures can drop to -40°C.
- If you’re joining a race, prepare for 4 weeks on the ice.
- For the long-route expedition, expect around 60 days of such conditions.
- Some races and guides offer shorter trips starting from locations closer to the North Pole, taking only 2 weeks to reach the destination. If you can’t endure at least a month on the ice, consider these options.
- Upon reaching the Pole, you may camp overnight or be picked up by helicopter and taken to Barneo Station, depending on conditions. The next day, enjoy a hot meal at Barneo before flying back to civilization.
Tips
- The Arctic is extremely cold. If your travel service doesn’t provide cold-weather gear, bring your warmest clothing: thick jackets, ear muffs, boots, thermal pants, gloves, hats, and scarves. If you don’t already own extreme cold-weather clothing, you’ll need to purchase some.
- Companies organizing overland Arctic expeditions often provide sheepskin-lined, windproof outerwear, warm gloves, and face masks. If these aren’t provided, consider buying similar cold-weather gear.
- If you lack experience traveling in harsh Arctic conditions, consider a less challenging option.
Warnings
- The Arctic's temperatures are cold enough to quickly become fatal if you’re unprepared. Other dangers, such as polar bear attacks, are also real threats. If you’re not ready to face these risks, avoid the overland travel option.
