Lofoten Islands and Svalbard northern lights safari

Environment

Our aim is to offer our guests extraordinary, real, experiences. To us this comes in the form of tailor made, small group safaris with focus on the natural world and its wildlife. Throughout this adventure guests get to experience the local life in the north of Norway and Svalbard, learn about traditions and enjoy pristine environments. Caring for the environment is of great importance and while in Svalbard clients are visiting places that very few people have visited before them. This comes with a great responsibility to ensure that the natural environments they are visiting are not disturbed by their presence. As a travel agent we believe in educating our travellers to ensure they become ambassadors for these remote and beautiful places. In our experience most of our travellers return from their adventures with a strong dedication to natural preservation. Respecting the wilderness, its wildlife and preserving it for future visitors is always at the forefront of everything we do.

On the dog sledding and snowmobiling activities included in this itinerary we have carefully sourced a local ground agent with years of experience. They offer many great Arctic adventures and lodges with a strong focus on ecology. When this company first started in 1998 they set up their first lodge the way trappers would have, using driftwood, tar paper and recycled materials. Since then they have continually expanded their presence in Spitsbergen following their environmentally friendly policies. We much enjoy working with this company because of their values and the way that they incorporate the history into the activities and accommodation, prioritising both our clients and to preserve the natural world. The company used to transport our clients from Lofoten Island to Tromso is the leader in sustainable explorer travels in Polar Regions. They offer unique experiences and impart knowledge in a way that leaves the smallest environmental footprint possible and gives our client the opportunity to travel with meaning. To minimise the negative impact that all types of travel have they make positive contributions that benefit the destinations and run a responsible and sustainable operation. Below are a couple of examples of the contributions they’ve done throughout the years:

-Minimizing the impact: Since 2009 they have conducted more than 20 different energy saving measures that have contributed to directly reducing their annual emissions of NOX by 370 tonnes and nearly 13 000 tonnes CO2. They are continually planning new projects to reduce emissions further.

-They have established a foundation to ensure future guests can enjoy the same meaningful travel experience as the guests of today. Through this foundation they raise awareness of opportunities and challenges in the area they visit as well as raising funds to respectively exploit or reduce these. On board auctions have contributed to ambitious habitat restorations and supported local initiatives such as Clean up Svalbard.

Community

While we as a travel agent do not employ people on the ground for this particular experience, our carefully selected partners employ local guides and specialists whose activities sustain and support their environment and educate visitors. Many of the guides have graduated from Arctic Nature Guide School or taken Svalbard Guide Training Courses to ensure they know how to best take care in these untouched landscapes and be safe around the wild animals.

In line with giving our client a high end and valuable experience we offer small scale accommodation. The hotel used in Lofoten sources food for their restaurant from the local area and the menu is created using in-season produce and fish from the fjord outside the window. This gives clients the incredible opportunity to sample local cuisine but more importantly it reduces transport of food across the globe and reduces the impact it has on the environment. While visiting local villages visitors are encouraged to shop and eat in local restaurants and boutiques to further support the local community.