Polar Activities
From chasing the northern lights to dog sledding across frozen tundra — 34 activities across the world's most extraordinary environments.
🌌Northern Hemisphere Activities
Northern Lights Tours
Guided aurora borealis viewing tours, typically departing at night to dark-sky locations away from city light pollution. Expert guides use real-time Kp index data and local knowledge to maximise sighting chances.
Husky Sledding
Drive or ride a team of Siberian or Alaskan huskies through snow-covered forest and tundra. Available from gentle 1-hour introductions to multi-day wilderness expeditions with overnight stays.
Dog Sledding
Traditional sled dog experiences in Arctic wilderness. Often used interchangeably with husky sledding, though some operators use mixed breeds. A quintessential Arctic activity.
Reindeer Sledding
Ride a traditional reindeer-drawn sled guided by Sami herders. A deeply cultural experience across Finnish and Norwegian Lapland, often combined with visits to reindeer farms and Sami cultural demonstrations.
Ice Fishing
Traditional Arctic fishing through holes drilled in frozen lakes, often in heated lavvu tents. A social, relaxed activity suitable for all ages. Common across Scandinavia and Canada.
Arctic Cruise
Expedition and luxury cruises through Arctic waters, including Svalbard, Northwest Passage, and Norwegian fjords. Wildlife, glaciers, and aurora from the deck of a specially equipped vessel.
Polar Bear Safari
Guided polar bear viewing from specially equipped vehicles or boats. Churchill, Manitoba offers the world's most accessible polar bear encounters. Svalbard offers boat-based viewing in summer.
Ice Hotel Stay
Sleep inside rooms carved entirely from ice and snow, rebuilt each winter. The original Icehotel at Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, pioneered this experience in 1990. Also available at Kemi, Finland and Saariselkä.
Aurora Camp
Overnight wilderness camping dedicated to northern lights viewing, often in lavvu tents (Sami conical shelters) or under starlit skies. Combines authentic wilderness immersion with aurora watching.
Snowshoeing
Walk across deep snow on snowshoes with guides through boreal forest and tundra. A gentle, meditative way to experience the winter wilderness, suitable for all fitness levels.
Sami Cultural Experiences
Authentic encounters with Sami Indigenous culture — traditional joik music, reindeer herding, lavvu tent meals, and handicraft demonstrations. Concentrated in Finnish and Norwegian Lapland.
Cross-Country Skiing
Explore Arctic and sub-arctic landscapes on classic Nordic skis. Extensive trail networks maintained in Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian Lapland. All skill levels catered for.
Northern Lights Photography
Dedicated long-exposure aurora photography tours with expert instruction. Equipment sometimes provided. Best locations include Lofoten, Tromsø, and Abisko for dramatic landscape foregrounds.
Indigenous Cultural Experiences
Authentic Indigenous cultural experiences across Arctic Canada and Alaska — including Dene, Inuit, and Alaskan Native traditions around aurora watching, winter survival, and traditional storytelling.
Aurora Viewing Domes
Heated glass-roofed pods or domes where guests can watch the aurora in warmth throughout the night. Popular in Finland and Alaska, combining comfort with outstanding overhead viewing.
Alpine Skiing
Downhill skiing at Arctic and sub-Arctic resorts, from the extensive slopes of Levi in Finland to the mountain terrain of Narvik in Norway. Some resorts offer skiing under the northern lights.
Fjord Cruises
Boat tours through dramatic Norwegian and Icelandic fjords, often operated year-round. Winter cruises offer the chance to spot aurora reflected in glassy fjord waters, with wildlife including sea eagles and porpoise.
Arctic Distillery Visits
Tours and tastings at distilleries producing spirits from Arctic ingredients — cloudberries, seaweed, birch, and glacial water. Lyngen Alps Distillery in Norway is a notable example of this growing trend.
Icebreaker Cruise
Cruise aboard a real icebreaker vessel through frozen sea ice — including floating in a dry suit in the Arctic Ocean. The Sampo icebreaker in Kemi, Finland is the most accessible icebreaker experience in the world.
Puffin Watching
Guided tours to puffin colonies nesting on sea cliffs and coastal islands. Orkney, Shetland, and Iceland host millions of Atlantic puffins each summer. Boat tours bring visitors within metres of nesting birds.
Sami Cultural Heritage
Immersive experiences with Northern Sami culture, particularly at Jokkmokk's famous Winter Market (February), the world's largest Sami gathering — 30,000 visitors come to browse traditional crafts, watch reindeer racing, and hear joik music.
🌍Available in Both Hemispheres
Snowmobile Safari
Self-drive snowmobile tours across frozen lakes, rivers, and forests. Half-day to multi-day expeditions available. Most destinations require a driving licence. Ideal for covering large distances in the wilderness.
Whale Watching
Sea-based tours for humpback, minke, orca, and sperm whale sightings. Tromsø and Húsavík are world-renowned whale watching hubs. Species and sighting quality vary by season.
Glacier Hiking
Guided hikes across living glaciers with crampons and ice axes. Available at Iceland's Vatnajökull, Sólheimajökull, and Svalbard's numerous glaciers. Combines adventure with breathtaking scenery.
Ice Cave Exploration
Guided tours into natural ice caves beneath glaciers. Iceland's crystal ice caves at Vatnajökull are world-famous, with blue ice formations. Season-dependent and only safe with professional guides.
Geothermal Pools
Soak in geothermally heated outdoor pools while watching for the aurora or midnight sun. Iceland's hot springs and Chena Hot Springs, Alaska are the most famous. A uniquely polar experience.
Arctic Wildlife Watching
Guided wildlife viewing across Arctic habitats — arctic foxes, musk oxen, walrus, caribou, and wolf in the north; penguins, seals, and orca in the south. Photography tours available.
Wildlife Photography
Expert-led photography expeditions targeting polar wildlife with professional telephoto equipment. Particularly outstanding in South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.
Landscape Photography Tours
Guided photography expeditions to iconic polar landscapes — including aurora foregrounds at Kirkjufell in Iceland, Lofoten's reflective fjords, and Ilulissat's icebergs. Expert instruction in long-exposure and winter photography techniques.
Arctic Kayaking
Sea kayaking through Arctic and sub-Arctic waters — from the calm fjords of Ísafjörður in Iceland to the dramatic coastline of Stewart Island, New Zealand. A peaceful way to explore remote coastal areas inaccessible by land.
Arctic Hiking
Guided and self-guided hiking across Arctic and sub-Arctic terrain — from Faroese sea cliff paths to Alaskan tundra. Summer months offer continuous daylight for extended hikes through dramatic landscapes.
🐧Southern Hemisphere Activities
Southern Lights Tours
Guided Aurora Australis viewing from southern latitude destinations. Best from June to August in the Southern Hemisphere when long nights and high solar activity align.
Antarctica Cruise
Expedition cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea, and sub-Antarctic islands. Depart from Ushuaia or Hobart on ice-strengthened vessels with expert naturalist guides and zodiac landing craft.
Zodiac Landings
Inflatable Zodiac boat transfers from expedition ship to shore, landing on beaches inaccessible by larger vessels. The primary way to access Antarctica's most remote landing sites.
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