Experience
Ski & Sail Norway
Ski & Sail Norway is a whole-boat ski touring week in the Lyngen Alps and the fjords north of Tromsø. The yacht moves each night, so every morning starts below a different mountain. Groups are small, the crew handles the sailing, and you ski back to the boat.
At a glance
| Season | Late February to early May |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 or 7 nights |
| Base | Tromsø, 69.6°N |
| Group size | Up to eight guests, whole boat |
| Sold as | Whole boat — private and group charter |
| Level | Comfortable ascending 900 vertical metres per day on skins |
| Crew | Skipper, plus certified mountain guide |
Mountains that start at sea level
The Lyngen Alps run for 90 kilometres along the Lyngenfjord, north-east of Tromsø. The peaks rise straight out of salt water, so a sailing yacht can put you at the foot of a route that has no road, no car park and no lift. You step from the tender onto the shore, put skins on your skis, and start climbing from the tide line.
Most ascents in the range gain between 800 and 1,400 metres and take four to eight hours, including the descent. The terrain runs from broad glacier slopes at 25 to 30 degrees to steeper couloirs for groups who want them. Sheltered behind the mainland, Lyngen usually holds drier, more settled snow than the outer coast.
Around the fjords closer to Tromsø — Ullsfjord, Kvaløya, Rebbenesøya — the mountains are smaller and the days shorter. Those slopes matter. When the weather closes on the high ground, the boat moves and the week continues.
The boat as a moving basecamp
The yacht is accommodation, transport and drying room. You sleep on board, eat on board, and wake up somewhere new. There is no packing and repacking, no minibus transfer, no fixed hut you have to return to at the end of the day.
That mobility is the practical argument for sailing to ski. Snow in Northern Norway is local. A slope that is wind-scoured on Monday can be perfect on Thursday, and a fjord 20 nautical miles away can be sheltered when the one you are in is not. The skipper and the guide read the forecast together each evening and choose where the boat sits at breakfast.
You do not need to sail. Guests who want to take a watch, hoist a sail or steer are welcome to; guests who want to sleep through the passage do that instead. The crew handles the boat either way.
Guiding, safety and group size
Every Ski & Sail week runs with a certified mountain guide alongside the skipper. The guide makes the terrain decisions, checks avalanche conditions each morning against the regional forecast, and sets the plan for the day with the group.
Boreal Yachting has sailed these waters since 2003 and at Svalbard operates under the guidelines of AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. Our vessels are prepared for Arctic conditions, with heated interiors and cold-water-rated equipment, and every guest carries a transceiver, shovel and probe.
The whole boat goes to one group. Eight guests is the usual maximum, which is small enough for the guide to keep the party together on a slope and small enough that the group makes its own decisions about how hard to push.
A typical week
The route is decided by weather, snow and the people on board. This is what a good week tends to look like.
Day 1 — Tromsø
Board in Tromsø in the afternoon, stow gear and run through the safety briefing with the skipper.
The guide checks equipment and talks through the week ahead. We sail out in the evening and anchor in a quiet fjord.
Days 2 to 6 — Lyngen and the fjords
Breakfast at anchor below the day's mountain, then ashore by tender. A climb of four to eight hours, and a descent that finishes near the water.
Back on board for a hot shower and dinner. The guide and skipper look at the forecast and choose tomorrow's peak.
The yacht moves in the evening or overnight, so the next morning starts somewhere else.
Final day — back to Tromsø
A shorter tour close to town when conditions allow, or a straightforward sail back if they do not.
Alongside in Tromsø in the afternoon. Most guests stay a night in town before flying home.
What is included
Included
- Whole-boat charter for your group, for six or seven nights
- Skipper and certified mountain guide
- All meals on board, prepared by the crew
- Tea, coffee and drinking water
- Tender transfers to and from the shore
- Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
- Fuel, harbour fees and on-board linen
Not included
- Flights to and from Tromsø
- Accommodation before and after the trip
- Travel and mountain rescue insurance, which is mandatory
- Skis, boots, skins and personal ski equipment
- Alcoholic drinks
- Crew gratuities
The boat
Ski & Sail weeks sail on our Arctic-prepared yachts: heated interiors, diesel heating that runs day and night, a drying area for skins and boots. Which vessel you sail on depends on the size of your group and the dates you choose.
Who this is for
- Ski tourers who are comfortable on ungroomed, variable snow and can climb 900 vertical metres in a day.
- Groups of friends or clubs who want the whole boat and a route shaped around them.
- People who would rather ski six different mountains than the same valley six times.
- Guests with no sailing experience at all. The crew sails the boat.
This is not a trip for people learning to ski. If you have not skied off-piste before, or you want lifts and groomed runs, a resort week will serve you better.
Practical
Fitness and experience
You should be able to climb 900 vertical metres on skins at a steady pace and ski down variable snow with control. Previous ski touring experience is expected. Six ski days in a row asks more of your legs than one hard day does.
What to bring
Touring skis, boots, skins and poles, a harness-compatible rucksack, layers for cold and wet weather, and soft luggage rather than hard cases. Transceiver, shovel and probe are on board if you do not own them.
Weather and daylight
Late February gives around eight hours of usable light; by early May it barely gets dark. Expect anything from minus 15°C and still air to rain at sea level. Days get changed, and that is normal.
Getting to Tromsø
Tromsø airport has direct flights from Oslo and seasonal routes from several European cities. The harbour is 15 minutes from the terminal. Arrive the day before if you can.
Questions guests ask
- Do I need sailing experience?
- No. The skipper sails the boat. Guests are welcome to help on deck, but nothing on the trip depends on it.
- How good a skier do I need to be?
- You need genuine off-piste experience. As a guide, you should be comfortable skiing black resort runs and have done some ski touring before, including using skins and a transceiver.
- Can I book a single berth?
- No. We sell the whole boat. If you are a small group, you charter the yacht and fill the berths yourselves, or ask us about departures sold through our travel partners.
- What happens if the weather is bad?
- We move. The value of a boat is that the plan can change overnight, and the skipper and guide use that every week. A week with no skiing at all is very rare.
- When is the snow best?
- March and April are the most reliable. February gives colder snow and shorter days, and late April into May brings long light and spring conditions with skiing down to the water.
- Is avalanche equipment provided?
- Yes. Transceiver, shovel and probe are on board for every guest, and the guide runs a search drill at the start of the week.
- How many people are on board?
- Usually up to eight guests, plus the skipper and mountain guide. The exact number depends on which vessel your group sails on.
- How far ahead should we book?
- Most Ski & Sail weeks are taken six to twelve months in advance. Lyngen in March and April fills first.
Enquire about Ski & Sail Norway.
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