Russia

If you go from the Russian side, you’ll fly to Moscow and then out to Khatanga, Siberia. Khatanga (72 deg 0minN) is a small Siberian town of fishermen and hunters with a population of about 3,000 people, situated on the right bank of the Khatanga river. The population of Khatanga consists of Russians (50%) and the indigenous peoples Dalgan and Nganasan.

From there you’ll continue to the Siberian island group Severnaya Zemlya and the northernmost point Cape Arktichevski (81deg 30min N). The distance to the Northpole is 950 km from here.

The last degree expeditions instead start out from the Borneo Base at 89.00 degrees, from where your NP pick up will take place by helicopter. Borneo is a temporary camp set up on drifting ice in the Arctic Ocean, approximate latitude 89 degrees North.
Borneo open early April and stays open for about a month. The ice camp is a privately operated French/Russian ice station established each spring since 1993. The runway is about 3000 feet long allowing planes to land on the ice. Two helicopters are on stand-by to assist tourists and expeditions in the area.

On your way back you can skip Siberia and instead choose to fly out to Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen (Norway) and stay at SAS Radisson hotel! No matter which you choose, there will be a stop over at Borneo.

Polar circle expeditions and travel (formerly Ciroplex) are the main polar organizers in this area. Those French guys are the ones who found and dug out the hairy Mammoth. They still have it stored in Siberia and you might get to see it. They will help you with all travel arrangements and handle your tickets, transportations, permits, visas and help out with handgun, fuel and other gear.

The area is very remote, so make sure you have everything with you when you arrive.


Canada

Going from Canada is no less an adventure. First Air will fly you to Iqaluit and then to Resolute Bay.

Iqaluit
Iqaluit is an Inuit settlement with a few simple hotels, a supermarket and a few basic outdoor suppliers. The small town lies at the edge of a frozen bay and the area is perfect for polar trek practice. Inuit women dress in traditional white coats with large fur brimmed hoods that hold their young. The men sell hand carved polar bears and other beautiful Arctic craft. The area is restricted on alcohol, there are a few bars located in the hotels. There are a few basic but good restaurants, try the Arctic platter with Arctic char, caribou and other local specialties. There are no roads leading to the town and people travel on snow scooters and dog sleds between the settlements. There are cars in the town however and taxis are well available with talkative and friendly drivers.

The bay has plenty of rubble but no open leads or high ridges. The Arctic cold and the frozen ocean in Iqaluit is a good place to try camp- and skiing routines. The outdoor store Arctic Survival sell bear spray, batteries, camp gear, some freeze dried meals and other essentials, but the supplies are limited. The super market is pretty well stocked and a good place to buy the last cooking oils, beef jerky and other general food supply.

Resolute
A few hours flight farther north will take you to the northernmost settlement in North America – Resolute Bay. This small town sits on a frozen tundra by a frozen ocean and there is not much else than rows of Arctic cottages, snow mobiles and the occasional sled with frozen seals stacked on top.

There are two hotels. One is smaller but legendary, the Quasuittuq Inn. www.resolutebay.com Ph: +1 867 252-3854 . It is USD 140 meals included and USD 110 no meals. Before it was sold to the Coop, it was run by Terry, the extremely pleasant widow to the “King of the Arctic” Basil Jesjeason. Through his life, Basil helped to set up many of the early modern polar explorers and his wife is a well of useful advice. Many polar trekkers stay here for the homely and relaxing atmosphere.

A more recent addition is the large South Camp Inn. www.southcampinn.com Ph +1 867 252 3737. It is run by the town mayor, Aziz Kheraj and his Inuit polar bear hunter wife. This hotel is around 150 USD per night on a full meal plan. The food is good and bountiful and there is a high speed connection. The place sports stuffed Arctic animals like polar bear, wolf and musk ox and is a centre for Arctic polar bear and seal hunts.

Both places offer space for sleds and final packing up. An interesting note is that both Basil and Aziz originated from India, and Aziz was raised in Tanzania before settling down in Resolute Bay.

There is a small Coop offering very basic supplies. You shouldn’t count on getting anything more there than the occasional snacks while waiting for your flight out. The town is completely dry, if you want a beer you must bring your own.

Wayne “the weatherman” is another local profile that operates from a weather station at the town’s edge and well worth a visit. The eqvivalent of Liz Hawley on Everest, Wayne has met most of the polar trekkers and has his own ideas about everything. He is a very friendly and candid character. When it comes to NP expeditions, he’ll be unscrupulously frank telling the “real” from the “fakes”. He is dedicated to polar history and phenomena, the unique polar sun-compressions is an example of one, check “the kiss of the mirror sun” pic on his website www.eh2r.com


Eureka is a research station en route to the ice. Sometimes an overnight stop over is required at Eureka on the flight back from the Pole. Polar trekkers can have their first bacon and eggs and a bed to sleep in at the station. The luxury is expensive, however, as all supplies must be flown in to the station. The stay is around 205 per day, meals included. You’ll also have to pay for the pilots stay. A cheaper option is to camp by the airport as you’ll also get rid of the 4 minute cab fare – 100 USD one way! Which you still have to pay for the pilots anyway though…

The stay in Resolute bay is most often limited to one night unless you make it your base for preparations. Some expeditions stay for weeks, most only a few nights or less. The flight out to the ice is far less affected by weather than at Antarctica, although it does happen that a storm will keep you grounded for a few days.

You decide when you want to leave and the pilots have the plane ready in the morning. Check in is the night before in an uncomplicated procedure of weighing the sleds and arrange for Argos transmissions. Once you are checked in, the sleds stay at the airport warehouse and you are off back to the hotel, for your final night in a warm and civilized world. The next morning a call from the pilots will wake you up at around 4 AM, your breakfast will be ready and only a few hours later you are off.