Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be able to ski?

We often get told, “Help, I can’t ski!” No worries, at Arctic Adventure that’s not a problem at all.
In fact, we don’t go skiing at all!
Instead, we do touring cross-country skiing.
And don’t panic: this is not the fast cross-country skiing you might know from the Olympics.
We move at a relaxed pace of about 2.5 kilometers per hour.
So ski experience is absolutely not necessary, almost anyone with a good level of fitness can participate!

What about the cold?

Another common question is, “Help, I can’t stand the cold.” Again, you don’t have to worry about this.
Our guides are not fans of cold themselves, but they know exactly how to stay comfortable in winter conditions.
During the tour, you will learn all about how to keep yourself warm.
So you can enjoy the beautiful nature without any problems.
So don’t worry too much about the cold.
We’ll do that for you.

Is your question not among them?

Do you have any other questions?
Don’t hesitate to contact us!
We are ready to answer your questions and would love to help you make your winter expedition an unforgettable experience.

General

We offer a variety of treks and expeditions, including Blue Label hikes, Red Label treks, and Black Label expeditions. All are dedicated to adventure, nature and providing a unique experience.

In terms of adventure and challenge, you can compare this to slopes; blue, red and black. By this you recognize the level or difficulty.

The tours we offer take place throughout the year. The focus is on winter and summer.

With each tour, we make sure to include a unique element that you won’t easily find anywhere else. For example, in northern Sweden we go to the most remote place in Europe. In the middle of Sarek.

Our expeditions are unique because of the combination of adventure, personal attention, expert guides and our focus on small groups.

The programs and itineraries we create ourselves and are carefully composed with the starting point being to offer a special and unique (winter) experience.

Because we divide our trips into Labels (levels) it is easy to estimate which trip suits you.

Our guides are professionally trained and have years of extensive experience leading expeditions and treks.

They are passionate professionals with a love of outdoors and adventure, giving them a wealth of knowledge.

Many guides have completed outdoor training such as WGA level 1 and often WGA level 2, for example, or have done several serious polar expeditions.

All guides also have wilderness first aid certification. WAFA, WFR, EFR or equivalent.

The guides are not volunteers. They are professionals and for their work, of course, they get paid.

The group size is kept small to ensure a personal and safe experience. This means that in winter there is a maximum of 7 participants and 1 guide. In summer it is a maximum of 9 participants and 1 guide.

During our workshops (Green Label), there are sometimes more participants.

We carefully choose our destinations based on their unique natural beauty and suitability for adventure activities.

Of course, we also consider safety in the process. Where are the exit routes. How to provide help when needed. Are there alternate route options for when the weather turns?

We also prefer to choose a place that is not (yet) completely run down and where you won’t find mass tourism.

In our choice of location, we also consider the possibility of getting there. For example, many of our starting places are accessible by train.

Practical questions

This varies from trip to trip, but generally accommodation, meals, the guide and often materials are included. On-site transportation is also included in the trip price.

Transportation from home to starting point and vice versa must be arranged by yourself. Sometimes this is included in the trip. This is then clearly communicated.

By not offering transportation to the start location, you can arrange this yourself. Thus, everyone can perform his/her desired mode of travel.

We recommend traveling by train. This is more sustainable and often makes for a longer vacation.

Yes, special dietary needs can be facilitated, but please indicate in advance.

We arrange all meals between the start and the last evening. Given the conditions, we have to adjust the diet; after all, it is often well below zero in winter so that requires a different diet than you are used to. Think lots of nuts, energy bars, oatmeal, soups and freeze-dried meals.

Until now, everyone has been able to participate, despite a sometimes complicated diet. It is also possible that your diet is so specific that you would like to control the food yourself. That too is possible.

Travel insurance is highly recommended and sometimes mandatory.

Tip; you can get good travel insurance specifically for outdoor activities from NKBV and the Dutch Ski Association. In any case, make sure that winter travel includes winter sports coverage.

You don’t need ski experience.

So no worries, we’ll be touring langlauf, which is mostly horizontal and slow.

So you don’t have to ski down a mountain. Before departure, the guide will explain all about the tour langlauf skis and technique. This doesn’t require years of experience and you can go right out after the explanation!

Yes, we often arrange almost everything; In winter those are touring langlauf skis, special ski boots, sleeping bag, tent, sled, navigation and communication equipment.
For summer you can rent those following items through us: backpack, sleeping bag, mat, tent, hiking poles.
Group equipment we arrange.

You just need to arrange your personal clothing. You can rent a down coat for the winter at a small additional cost. If you have signed up for an expedition, we will organize a so-called fitting moment in the Bever in Houten before winter.

Most winter trips take place in northern Sweden or southern Norway.

You arrange your own transportation to the starting point and therefore you are free to choose how you want to travel (plane, train, car or a combination of these).

For summer trips, air travel is sometimes included in the package. Read the trip description for each trip to see the differences. We can advise you with your options for getting to the starting spot.

No. All on-site costs are included in the trip price.

So you don’t have to deal with unexpected costs or expenses. All personal expenses for souvenirs or drinks at the hotel, for example, are of course at your own expense. We also do not charge any administration or booking fees. What you see is what you pay.

Preparation

You don’t have to be a marathon runner, but good fitness certainly helps.

It varies by label.

For Blue label; think about being able to hike 10 kilometers with a 10-pound backpack, 10 days in a row. For Red Label, the recommendation is to be able to walk 15 kilometers with a 15-pound backpack, 15 days in a row. At Black Label, that’s 20 kilometers a day, 20 kilos and 20 days in a row.

Don’t manage to walk that often? You can also go running. Then consider the following:

For Blue label; 10 kilometers of running within 1 hour. For Red Label; 15 kilometers of running within 1.5 hours. At Black Label; 20 kilometers of running within 2 hours.

Do you have questions or doubts about whether you can handle this? Get in touch with us!

General health is paramount! Make sure you have good basic fitness.

There will be an online meeting with all participants and the guide a few weeks before departure. That way you can meet everyone and ask your final questions.

Our YouTube channel has a playlist of videos for good preparation. Be sure to check this one out. Of course, we will send you a comprehensive packing list.

During a trek or expedition

Keep moving, eat enough and dress well.

The cold in Arctic regions is dry and different from that in the Netherlands. With the right clothing and activity, you will stay wonderfully warm.

Thus, we use a thick down jacket for those times when we pause and stop, or are busy in camp.

You will be given a packing list with everything you need. In addition, the guides know all the tips and tricks like no one else and will be sure to teach you.

We often start and end at a cabin or hotel, where you can shower.

Showering is not possible during the tour. If there are overnight stays in a wilderness cabin during the husky trek, a real Swedish sauna is often available.

Basically just like in Holland in the bush. But then a little fresher or colder….

We will be wild camping. For each location of a camp, you agree with each other where you do your needs. At the start of the tour, the guide will elaborate on this.

For female participants, the question of how to deal with menstruation often comes into play. This actually does not differ compared to normally. You can contact one of our female guide for sharing her experience and tips.

It depends greatly on your cellular network and our location, but assume minimal.

A great opportunity to really go offline and experience nature for a while! The guide can always be reached by satellite phone through the basecamp manager.

Contact information will be shared in advance so you can pass it on to the home front.

We recommend you leave your electric toothbrush at home, as well as any other unnecessary devices with a plug.

Logically you want to take pictures, but of course you need full batteries to do that. In the cold, batteries and accumulators drain faster than they normally would. The guide can give you all kinds of tips for this during the tour.

We recommend bringing 1 or 2 good powerbanks, depending on the capacities and intensity in which you will be using something.

Obviously, we hope not! Should it be so, the guide and our basecamp manager will help you return to the nearest inhabited world.

From civilization, you can arrange your own transportation home. Often your travel insurance company can help you with this, and our basecamp manager is also here to help.

The additional costs involved are the responsibility of the participant.

No, rather not in the winter.

It is safer to sleep two people in a tent. You can then help each other if needed and also a lot cozier. In addition, we carry quite a lot of equipment and gear that we all literally and figuratively have to drag along in the pulkas.

Therefore, it is necessary to go out with as little weight as possible, and by sharing tents, for example.

During summer trips, however, you can sleep alone in the tent. Note that you yourself carry the tent in your backpack and thus you do not share that weight with another person.

That chance is very high in winter! Because it is a natural phenomenon, you can never say this with 100% certainty, but the probability is very high in winter.

It requires some ideal conditions (such as a clear dark night) that are common in winter in Sweden and Norway.

Fat chance that you will therefore see the Northern Lights!

During our expeditions, you may encounter different types of wildlife, depending on the location.

We respect the natural habitat of these animals and ensure that our presence has as little impact as possible.

What you may encounter are (Depending on the trip and location): moose, reindeer, Arctic fox, snow grouse, Arctic hare, crows, whale, seal, bald eagle and most importantly lots of tracks.

Safety

Safety is our top priority.

The motto of the guides is: ‘Out of your comfort zone. ‘Within the safety zone’.

The guides are experienced and know all about moving and staying in the arctic climate. They always carry multiple communication and GPS devices that can be used in case of emergency. All guides are MFA (first aid) certified.

Moreover, we carefully plan locations and routes minimizing all risks of accidents. But excluding accidents is never possible. You join us on an adventurous journey.

We have detailed emergency plans and our guides are trained in first aid and crisis management.

Moreover, there is always a basecamp manager available in the Netherlands who can support and help implement the emergency plan.

The weather in Arctic regions can be unpredictable.

Our guides are trained to keep an eye on the weather and adjust plans as needed. Safety always comes first, so if the weather poses a risk, we will adjust our program or route or seek safe shelter.

Bookings and participation

Bookings can be made directly through our website.

https://arcticadventure.nl/expedities-overzicht/intakeformulier-voor-deelname-aan-een-expeditie/

Yes indeed!

Indeed, most participants enroll on their own.

Not always that the partner has the same interest. That partner doesn’t know what he’s missing…. :-)

So individual participants are welcome and it’s a great way to meet new people.

Basically, everyone is welcome! As long as you are physically able to complete the trek or expedition, you can join. Under 18 years old, you can join only if a parent accompanies you.

Attention!
With old age unfortunately comes knee and hip problems in many people. It’s a shame when you have to drop out halfway through because of something that could have been anticipated. Therefore, we ask you to take a sports medical examination.
 We do this because it’s nice if you can actually do the trip.Are you over 60 and going on a red label trip? Then we recommend a sports medical examination for our tours.If you are over 65 then this examination is mandatory for every trip. For the Black Label expeditions Everyone must undergo a major sports medical examination Do you have any questions about this? Then get in touch.

You may always exchange a trip for another trip up to 1 month before departure.Our complete cancellation policy you can read here.

Yes you can. How cool! This is possible, we also organize expeditions for colleagues, families and friends.Please contact us for customization to discuss the possibilities.

With a minimum of 5 (winter) or 7 (summer) participants.
The maximum number of participants is 7 in winter and 9 in summer.

Should there be very many applications, we will consider organizing a second trip.If you are interested in a trip that is full, always let us know!

Sustainability and responsibility

We are committed to sustainable tourism and minimizing environmental impact.For example, Arctic Adventure is affiliated with 1% For the planet and sustainable choices are made whenever possible.We offset all CO2 emissions during the trips through Trees for All.

First and foremost, of course, once we get to the starting point, we move ourselves with our own physical efforts. Little to no motorized transportation is involved during an expedition.

Our vision is to provide inspiring and authentic travel experiences. These trips enrich your and show respect for nature and local cultures.

Our tours are groundbreaking, both mentally and physically. That makes it not commonplace, which of course gives adventure.

Our goal is that after you’ve been with us, you could take on your next adventure on your own. But you are free to join us again of course. Nice even :-)

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