Located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, a visit to the North Pole will put you on top of the world. Whether you're visiting the geographic North Pole (the point all roads lead south, which is also known as "True North") or the magnetic North Pole (the point of the compass), getting there means traveling through a frozen wilderness. There are plenty of options for traveling to the poles during the spring, when the temperature and darkness allow, but the ice is still treadable. This article provides an overview of the various possibilities you can consider for your arctic adventure.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Going By Air
Step 1. Book flight tickets
If you can afford it, the quickest and easiest way to get to the North Pole is by plane. Flights to the Arctic are mainly made from Norway, but chartered flights are also available from Canada. Fill in the paperwork and book your ticket.
- To fly from Norway, you have to pay between ten and twelve thousand dollars. Visit the Polar Explorers site, go to the "Expedition" tab and select "North Pole Flight." All the information and forms you must register are located on this page.
- Chartering a flight from Canada costs ten times as much as traveling from Norway. For rates and reservations, you need to contact Kenn Borek Air by phone, email or fax. Contact information is available on their site.
- Due to harsh conditions in the Arctic, when booking your travel ticket you are required to state that your health is in good condition, and you must also purchase medical evacuation insurance.
- Other insurance, such as trip cancellation insurance is also recommended.
- If you just want to see the North Pole but don't feel strong enough to stand on it, you can take a scenic flight that will only pass over the North Pole but not stop. This option is much cheaper. These flights are available from Berlin, Germany, with prices starting at $500. These flights can be booked through the Air Events website.
Step 2. Go to Canada or Norway
Flights to the Arctic from Norway depart from Longyearbyen, a village in the Arctic's northern circle. Kenn Borek Air, the airline that charters flights from Canada is located in Calgary, but departs from several locations. Book tickets from where you live to these places.
- Norwegian Airlines flies regularly from Oslo to Longyearbyen. You may have to book two flights-- the first flight from where you live to Oslo, then the second flight to Longyearbyen.
- You should contact Kenn Borek Air for flight details from your origin.
Step 3. Go to Barneo
Whether you're flying in from Canada or Norway, your next stop is Barneo, an ice station about 96 km from the North Pole.
The accommodation and meals provided at Barneo are part of a North Pole visit package
Step 4. Get on the helicopter
From Barneo, you can go to the North Pole by helicopter.
- The journey aboard the MI-8 helicopter based in Barneo takes 20-40 minutes.
- Polar Explorers provides photo opportunities and champagne toasts to Arctic travelers. However, due to the intense polar cold, you are only given about an hour to take photos before the helicopter takes you back to Barneo.
- Alternatively, you can ski at Barneo, an adventure known as "last-level skiing." This tour package also includes a trained guide who will cost you approximately $25,000. You can also use a snowmobile or dog sled.
- The Polar Explorers website provides information on the schedule and costs of each of these options, as well as an application form that you must fill out. Visit the "North Pole Expedition" page and select the option you prefer.
- If you are an athlete, you can also choose to participate in the marathon starting from Barneo in April. The fee is around $15,000, but includes flights from Svalbard, Norway to Barneo (and a return trip), as well as accommodation and helicopter trips to the poles. Visit their site and fill out the online application to register for a running match.
Method 2 of 3: Going By Sea Jalur
Step 1. Book Your Tickets
The second option for a trip to the Arctic is aboard a Russian "icebreaker," a large ship designed to sail through the Arctic ice. Book tickets for this expedition.
- The cost that you have to prepare to board this cruise is a minimum of around $ 26,000. Registration is easy, visit the Adventure Life website, choose the cruise ship "North Pole Ultimate Adventure", choose a date and fill out the registration application.
- Adventure Life provides a variety of options from simple rooms with two beds to luxurious rooms. The price for this luxury room accommodation ranges from $40,000 to $45,000.
Step 2. Go to Finland
Expeditions on icebreakers usually depart from Helsinki, Finland. Book tickets to Helsinki from where you live. Many major airports offer flights to Helsinki. You can also take the train if you are from a European country.
Step 3. Fly to Russia
From Helsinki, you have to charter a plane to Murmansk, Russia. This is where the ship departs from.
This flight is included in the travel package
Step 4. Sail to the North Pole
The icebreaker, which features luxury accommodations, will set sail from Murmansk.
- You'll spend five to eight days on a boat sailing through the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole.
- The 50 Years of Victory (a ship sailing to the North Pole) provides a variety of amenities to keep you busy during your cruise, including a swimming pool and bar.
Method 3 of 3: Going By Road
Step 1. Book a guide or race list
You can also visit the Arctic by road from Russia or Canada, usually by skiing, tow-sledding called a pulk, and camping on the ice. You can do this either by booking a private guide or registering for a race.
- There are several organized races to the North Pole, including the Polar Challenge and the North Pole Race with a distance of 480 km on ice to the magnetic north pole. Starting in 2016, the Ice Race will host equally grueling road trips.
- It costs you around $35,000 to participate in one of these expeditions. This includes training, flights, equipment, food, and insurance.
- Since only a few people can enter the competition, you should contact the organizers for more information about registration, fees, etc. Ice Race provides an online form that you can fill out, or you can email the organizers.
- Keep in mind that this race takes you to the magnetic North Pole (the point of the compass point), and not the geographic North Pole "True North".
- For longer trips such as from Russia or Canada, you can hire a private guide. This 800km journey is known as the "full-distance" Arctic expedition. This expedition usually starts in February.
- By far, full-distance travel is the most extreme and expensive option, and is only open to people with sufficient funds and experience to travel. You should contact the company that provided the guide for prices.
- Adventure Consultants, one of the companies that offer guide services for full-distance trips, provides a booking form on their website that you can fill out if you are serious about this trip. After you fill it out, they will contact you to let you know if you qualify and if they can accommodate your adventure.
- In order to qualify for this road trip consideration, you must be in good health and must be able to include an affidavit. In addition, some full-distance guides require climbing experience and even, in some cases, experience with ice axes and ice skates.
Step 2. Fly to Russia or Canada
Book a ticket to the starting point of your race or expedition.
- Organized races usually start from Resolute Bay in the northern Canadian region of Nunavut. Regular flight schedules depart from major Canadian cities such as Ottawa and Montreal which are available through First Air, Calm Air, and Canadian North airlines.
- Full-distance trips usually depart from Cape Arktichevsky, Russia, or Ward Hunt Island, Canada. To reach one of these locations, you usually have to charter a private flight which is very expensive. However, if you take one of these trips through Adventure Consultant, they will arrange a flight to Ward Hunt Island from Resolute Bay.
Step 3. Head north on skis
Head north on an expedition until you reach the poles. This road trip is very tiring. You and your team or guide will spend 8-10 hours each day skiing on the snow and ice.
- The journey is treacherous and you'll have to navigate mountainous pressures, find routes to nearby areas where the ice has melted, and camp on icebergs.
- At night, you'll be in charge of cooking dinner, and setting up camp by building walls of snow to block the wind. Temperatures can reach as low as -40 degrees.
- If you go with one of these race groups, you will spend about four weeks on the ice.
- If you travel the full distance, it will take you approximately 60 days.
- Some races and private guides also offer the option of short trips that start closer to the pole and only take about two weeks. If you can't commit to a month or more on the ice, it might be worth considering one of these options.
- After reaching the poles, you'll have to camp overnight, or be picked up by helicopter and taken to the Barneo ice station for the night, depending on conditions. The next day, you can enjoy a hot meal at Barneo before flying back to town.
Tips
- The temperature in the Arctic is very, very cold. If your travel agency doesn't provide outerwear, bring all your warm clothes, a thick coat, earplugs, shoes, warm pants, gloves, hat, and a scarf. If you don't already have clothes designed specifically for extreme cold, you'll need to buy a few pieces.
- In particular, companies that bring groups to the Arctic by land provide furry clothing with windproof protection, as well as warm gloves, hats and face masks. If these clothes are not provided on the trip, you should buy similar cold weather clothes.
- If you're inexperienced in traveling in arctic conditions, consider one of the less challenging polar excursions.
