Snow, ice, blue glacierwater and a kayak.

These 2 trips wil be a repeat of the Kayak/Riverboard expedition which took place in 2007. The first trip is 19 days and the second trip is 9 days long. It is possible to do both trips, then it will be a 26 days trip. On these trips other kayakers and riverboarders are welcome to join and do some awesome paddling/riverboarding on Glaciers. Also other people (non kayakkers/riverboarders) are welcome. We will also try to paddle a new glacierriver, this depend on snowconditions and the waterlevel in that new glacierriver. A lot of information about this 2007 expedition can be seen at: White Water Expedition Spitsbergen 2007
Take a look a that webpage and you know much more how these trip will be.


Riverboarding in a glacierriver is so 'cool' and refreshing.
The big difference, comparing to the 2007 expedition, is that a lot of equipment (kayak/riverboard/tent/sledge) is already on the glacier. So the transporting part is a little easier, but still transporting is the main activity during these trips. During the transporting you will see a lot of the Spitsbergen landscape .
The first trip will take place on the Mittag-Leffler glacier and the second trip on the Nordenskiold glacier.
See the programme for both trips to find out the difference between these 2 trips.
     Click here to see maps of these 2 trips.

One of the most adventurous outdoor activity is riverboarding in a glacierriver. The view you get as a riverboarder, is so fantastic, so special. Going on a riverboard through fast streamings S-corners in a glacierriver is an amazing activity to do!


Riverboarding through fast streaming S-corners, nothing beats this!
Most of the time we will be busy with transporting our equipment in this, for a white water expedition, very special landscape. On our way you can enjoy magnificent Spitsbergen mountain views!
The paddling and riverboarding will be thrillseeking with a lot of adrealine in your body. It feels really special to be on a waterstream in a half pipe of ice.
Just like the 2007 expedition we will do only parts of the rivers which are save to paddle/riverboard. For the outsider some pictures look dangerous, but they are not, as long as you know what you are doing.


Only the best equipment is good enough for riverboarding on glaciers.
The big brown river is also on the list to be paddled. Sofar I heared or saw this is the only 'big river' on Spitsbergen.
The Long Walking Tour (see 2011 Summertrips) is at the same time in this area. When we transporting are equipment to a new place and if our walking goes at the same time in the same direction we will walk up together with the other group.
We will camp together at the Glacierfront of the Mittag-Leffler. At this place the 'big brown water river is streaming into the fjords. This is on the Northern side of Spitsbergen.


The 'big' brown'river has some places with interesting rapids.
From this camp, located on a small hill, you have a perfect view over Weide-fjorden and over the wide and big glacierfront. From time to time you hear and see ice breaking of the glacier and falling in the fjord. The power of nature!!

Visit also these pages: Winter- & Summertrips from Fjelltours on Spitsbergen ; here you will find much more important background information about these trips.

Take also a look at this page: Walking & skiing with a pulk (sledge) over the Spitsbergen glaciers.

When you click on the "Small Video's" button (on the left side), you can also see many small picture-video's of the White Water Expedition 2007.


At some places the 'big' brown river is streaming beside the glacier.
Here a brief description of the programme for both trips (programme structure might change):

The 19 days trip:

1. First day: July 9th, Arrival with plane at Longyearbyen.
2. Packing the equipment in Longyearbyen.
3. Boat trip to the start of this trip and Walking up the Ragner/Ebba valley.
4. Walking up the Ragner/Ebba glacier.
5. Walking/skiing on the Ragner/Ebba and Mittag Leffler glacier.
6. Walking down the Mittag Leffler glacier to the fjord (Weide fjord)
7. Kayaking the lower part of the brown river.
8. Walking up the Mittag Leffler glacier, passing Alands Lake (maybe camp there)
9. Kayaking a part of the middle section of the brown river.
10. Walking up the Mittag Leffler glacier and camp at Hogland Lake, sight seeing this amazing area.
11. Walking up the mountainridge Tarantellen and enjoy the magnificent overview.
12. On the walk Up or Down the Mitttag Leffler glacier we will spend a day kayaking/riverboarding on a glacier river.
13. Walking/skiing up the Mittag Leffler glacier to the top of Ebba glacier.
14. Walking down the Ebba glacier.
15. Spare day*.
16. Spare day*.
17. Walking down the Ebba valley, pick-up by a boat which will bring the participants back to Longyearbyen.
18. Sight seeing in Longyearbyen.
19. Last day: August 1st, Departure with the plane from Longyearbyen.

*Spare day: These days are mostly used as bad weather day. Due to bad weather it might happen that we have to wait 1 or more days inside our tents.
The whole programme is very flexible and the walking/ski distance every day is not long. The total walking/skiing distance is about 80 km.

The 9 days trip:

1. First day: July 24th, Arrival with plane at Longyearbyen.
2. Boat trip to the start of this trip and walk up the Ebba valley and the first part of the glacier.
3. Walking up the Ebba glacier towards the Nordenskiold glacier.
4. Walking over the Nordenskiold glacier to our glacierriver, maybe doing a first run.
5. Kayaking and Riverboarding on the glacierriver.
6. Kayaking and Riverboarding on the glacierriver. If the waterlevel is high enough it is possible to riverboard a small side river.
7. Spare day*.
8. Walking down the first part of the Nordenskiold glacier.
9. Last day: Walking down the last part of the Nordenskiold glacier, pick-up by a boat which will bring the participants back to Longyearbyen, in the evening departure with the plane from Longyearbyen.

*Spare day: These days are mostly used as bad weather day. Due to bad weather it might happen that we have to wait 1 or more days inside our tents.
The whole programme is very flexible and the walking distance every day is not long. The total walking distance is about 40 km.

Note: For both trips there are only 2 kayaks and 2 riverboards available. For glacierkayaking is this no problem, the kayak distance on a glacierriver is mostly short. For the brown river, where you can paddle several kilometers, we can make more runs. It is very expensive to take your own kayak with you in the plane to Spitsbergen. For about € 300,- it is possible to send your kayak with a boat from Northern Norway to Spitsbergen (and back), but you must find a way to get your kayak in Northern Norway and get it back afterwards.


This glacierriver has not been paddled yet, and will get its first descend in 2010.

Startingdate 2011:   july 9th (19 days trip)   july 24th (9 days trip) The price of the 19-days White Water tour is € 1963,- p.p. Travelcode: SB11KR1 The price of the 9-days White Water tour is € 1040,- p.p. Travelcode: SB11KR2   In the 19 days tour price is included: 4 overnights in Longyearbyen in chambers with more people (2 overnights at the start and 2 at the end), 14 overnights in 2-3 persons wintertents.   In the 9 days tour price is included: 1 overnight in Longyearbyen in chambers with more people (1 overnight at the start), 7 overnights in 2-3 persons wintertents.   In the both tour prices are included: A travel insurance which also covers all the cost of an emergency rescue if necessary, during our 17-days fieldtrip on Spitsbergen. This insurance is an obligation when you go out on a long fieldtrip in Spitsbergen. The use of a 2-3 persons wintertent with an isolated foil for under the inner tent. The use of a sledge with pullingframe and harnass. The use of cooking equipment to make hot water, a petrol stove with all the fuel. The use of a snowshovel. The use of 2 kayaks and 2 riverboards. Professional guide, the guide will take care that the programme (as mentioned here above) will be done safe. The guide carry all the necessarry and obligated equipment, which is needed to make a multi day backcountry glacier trip on Spitsbergen. Transport with a boat to the start of the trip and the pick up with a boat at the end of the trip. The participants will receive information and instructions about the necessary clothes (detailed packing list), about camping on Spitsbergen and about the safety aspects on Spitsbergen (Polarbear protection).   Not included: meals: It is possible to cook and have meals together durings the overnights in Longyearbyen. The participants will receive information which food (and how much) is handy to use during camping on Spitsbergen Cross country ski's for back country skiing (no randonnee ski's), the skins. We will use these ski's only 2 days and only during the 19 days trip. It is possible to hire these equipment by Fjell Tours. The participants will receive information about this. For the summertrips we are using the ski's in very easy terrain. We will use a fixation on our ski's that we can use our normal mountain walking shoes when we use the ski's. This will save us the use (and transportation weight) of another pair of boots. The flight to and from Spitsbergen. Transport from/towards the airport to/from our overnight stay in Longyearbyen (± € 5,- one way).   The amount of Participants: min. 4, max. 8

The participants can hire specific equipment/clothes (like ski's, downjacket, extra sleepingbag, extra matrass, crampons etc.) by Fjell Tours,(only if booking is made before September 1st 2010), see for this:
Winter- & Summertrips from Fjelltours on Spitsbergen

To join this trip the participant must have:

1. For the kayakkers/riverboarders: very good white water kayak and/or riverboard experience.
2. Mountain walking experience in rough terrain, outside the track.
   
3. For the 19 days trip: Some cross country ski experience, the skiing what we will do is very easy.
4. Camping experience in rough terrain.
   
5. a Good condition, although the walking distance is not long, this is a long trip with many fielddays (2 weeks)!!
6. Good experience with walking with 2 walking sticks, you need those sticks on Spitsbergen.
   
7. Patience, participants must be aware that it might happen that we have to wait 1 or more days inside the tents
   due to bad weather or other circumstances.
   
8. Flexibility, The plan for the day can change rapidly, or the daily schedule is changing.
   It might happen that we walk during the night.
   This makes no difference on Spitsbergen, There is no darkness in this time of the year.
   
   

The guide knows how and where to walk/ski save on these glaciers. Sometimes we can walk easily over the ice, sometimes it takes extra time if we have to cross wet area's on the glaciers.

To join this trip and to sign in, please send an email to: info@FjellTours.nl
Also for further questions about this trip, please send an email

     Back to Summertrips 2011.

Last update on June 5th 2010