A magnificent exploratory snowkiting trip
Highlights
- Stay supervised by Michael Charavin
- Exceptional practice site
- Magnificent winter polar environment
- Program that we are the only ones to offer
- Loan of kite equipment
- In very small groups of 3 to 4 participants
Guided by Michael Charavin, we are off on a "road–snowkite–trip" to the northeastern tip of Norway, well beyond the Arctic Circle, at over 70°N latitude, on the shores of the Barents Sea. We explore the Varanger Peninsula, which Mika knows well, as well as the north of the neighboring, more isolated Nordkinnhalvoya Peninsula. These rugged peninsulas are perfect for snowkiting, with unrivalled views over the fjords and the ocean. Every day, we snowkite in very different areas, and while these lands are not totally uninhabited, they are nevertheless remote from everything and the spaces are infinite: an end-of-the-world feeling guaranteed! The right spot and the right time for the Northern Lights. An exceptional holiday that no other operator offers.
Overview
To date, we are the only ones in Europe to offer snowkiting trips that are truly touring and exploration-oriented, especially in Norway (from the extreme south to the extreme north of the country), in places where no one else is kiting at the moment...
Our "road - snowkite - trip" is located at the north-eastern tip of Norway, well beyond the Arctic Circle, at over 70° north latitude, on the shores of the Barents Sea.
We know the Varanger Peninsula from 4 previous visits. Mika completed two full crossings in 2019 and 2022, and guided kiters there in 2024.
This time, we are adding to the program the exploration of the north of the neighboring Nordkinnhalvoya Peninsula, even more isolated (if that's possible!), located between North Cape and Varanger. The Nordkinnhalvoya Peninsula is the northernmost part of the European continent (the North Cape site is on an island).
Perhaps more than anywhere else in Norway, snowkiting here has both a Far North and a maritime feel. The combination of the two makes for a unique experience! The jagged peninsulas offer perfect terrain for snowkiting, and unrivalled views of the fjords and ocean.
The road trip is a journey in itself! It takes place on Norway's two most remote peninsulas, and is organized on the basis of accommodation in different locations and ferry transfers. It is a major experience that allows us to immerse ourselves in the grandiose landscapes that characterize the region, as well as to discover the small village communities and fishing ports of this end of the world.
Every day, we go to very different areas. And then, if you’ve never seen the Northern Lights, you will have every chance to kill two birds with one stone...
NORWAY'S GREAT NORTH: SOME INFORMATION
Below, we briefly describe the characteristics/specificities of our practice site:
- Climate & Aerology
- Snow cover
- Topographical features
- Lights & Aurora Borealis
Climate & aerology
Although located at over 70° north latitude, the northern tip of Norway is relatively tempered by the presence of the North Atlantic Drift (local branch of the Gulf Stream). However, this parameter is slightly attenuated on the Varanger Peninsula and on the shores of the Barents Sea, which are directly influenced by the climate of the Arctic Ocean.
This polar climate with its oceanic connotation "softens" winter temperatures (which generally oscillate between 0 and –15° C) and induces a fairly high degree of meteorological instability. The latter generates a very regular presence of wind (of course, we are never completely safe from a lack of wind at the moment of a switch between 2 weather systems; but even in this case, the situation is never blocked for several days).
In these parts, the weather can sometimes be rough... When it is blowing too hard, roads can close, and there is not much you can do but wait it out – Nature's in charge!
Snow
On Varanger, snowfall totals are generally good. By March, temperatures are cold enough to ensure regular snowfalls all the way inland, right up to the coastline. This gives the landscape a distinctly wintry armosphere, contrasting with the presence of the ocean. In a word: superb!
In April, we can expect this to be a little less the case, with the truly coastal areas beginning to be affected by the melt. On the other hand, the weather should become more stable and the days longer... Even if the more "polar" character of the Barents Sea tends to limit winter or spring thaw phenomena, they are not entirely excluded.
Relief
The Nordkinn Peninsula is narrow, with only a 500-meter isthmus linking its northern part to the mainland in the south! Its coasts are indented by numerous secondary fjords, which penetrate the peninsula at varying depths. The landscape is one of undulating plateaus at 200 to 300 meters altitude, bordered by coastal cliffs. The road that crosses the peninsula from south to north seems to offer a multitude of easy accesses to these plateaus, suggesting an infinite number of choices for enjoying these wide-open spaces.
The Varanger Peninsula is more massive, less indented; its central part is generally very snow-covered; the coasts, more exposed to the winds, are sometimes less so.
We first stay in the north-facing sector of Batsfjord, then in Vardø., a village at the end of the world located on a small island at the eastern end of the peninsula, less than 50 kilometers from the Russian coast.
All the areas we explore face the ocean, and the cold, windy climate prevents shrubbery from developing. The spaces to be ridden are therefore immense. On the eastern side of the Varanger Peninsula, however, we have to contend with the limits of the national park.
Brightness, light & northern lights
At this time of year, we are already enjoying long days and beautiful twilight.
At this latitude, provided it is a period of solar flares and the night sky is clear, aurora borealis sightings are almost guaranteed... But the nights will not be very long and we will certainly have to stay up quite late to hope to see them...
The spirit of this journey
This is an exploratory trip, with a resolutely "touring" spirit.
What Mika is proposing here is obviously not "spot" kiting. We are a long way from the classic Norwegian "spots" that everyone has heard of, and very few kiters come here despite the region's enormous potential...
The precise "on zone" program cannot be defined in advance (it would not make sense). But a general knowledge of the area, combined with an ability to understand the current weather, aerological and snow conditions, will enable us to create itineraries "at a moment's notice": "itinerant" sessions (real aerotow tours), by the day or half-day.
What's more, the use of a vehicle, combined with different types of accommodation (chosen for their geographical location, proximity to the ocean and, if possible, their cosy character), gives this trip a real "road-trip" dimension, enabling us to visit a different area each day from the day before, and so carry out a real exploration of the region.
Even if the aim of such a trip is not so much to learn as to enjoy the ride, each outing is still an opportunity to fine-tune our technical palette.
This approach, combined with regular debriefings and the "intensive" nature of the trip, guarantees rapid progress that is also great fun.
In addition to snowking itself, these trips are also an opportunity to communicate about polar aerotow expeditions and the progression techniques specific to this activity (equipment, protection against the cold, navigation / orientation, strategic choices, bivouacking on snow, managing autonomy, etc.).
Technical training & specific skills
On "exploratory" trips (including "road trip" trips like this one), we give priority to progression over technical training: the main objective is clearly hiking.
But this does not mean that there is no transfer of knowledge or technical instruction: it is simply less formal than on so-called "preparatory" trips, sometimes taking place during the sessions themselves (through specific "workshops" that enable progress to be made in particular situations) and more often at the end of the day, during debriefings.
In all types of stays, field sessions are followed by debriefings on the difficulties encountered (either at your request, or when Mika makes a particular observation concerning the conditions of the day or concerning you more specifically), and the solutions to be put in place to overcome them during the following sessions.
In addition to this description of your stay, you will receive a detailed report on the learning and skills developed during the courses and stays organized and supervised by Mika Charavin.
Itinerary
Day 1: Flight to Mehamn
Day 1
We fly to Mehamn, a Norwegian port located in the municipality of Gamvik, in the far north of Norway. We land in the evening and are greeted by Mika. We make our way to our accommodation not far from the airport.
Days 2 To 4: Nordkinnhalvøya
Day 2
We go snowkiting touring in different areas of the Nordkinn Peninsula. We spend the night in a lodge or apartment in the small village of Mehamn.
On the evening of April 5, we take a Hurtigruten ferry between the villages of Mehamn and Båtsfjord, passing from the Nordkinn Peninsula to the Varanger Peninsula. Overnight in a lodge or apartment in the village of Båtsfjord.
Days 5 to 7: North-West of the Varanger Peninsula
Day 5
We go snowkite touring in the vast area between Båtsfjord and Kongsfjord, and even in Berlevåg. We spend the night in the same lodge or apartment in the village of Båtsfjord.
We then take the Hurtigruten ferry between the villages of Båtsfjord and Vardø, along the northern coast of the Varanger Peninsula, and spend the rest of the night in a hotel in Vardø.
Days 8 to 10: East of the Varanger Peninsula
Day 8
We go snowkite touring in the vast area around the town of Vardø, from Hamningberg to Skallelv. We spend our next two nights in the same lodge or apartment near Vardø.
In the afternoon, after our morning session, we drive to Ekkerøya and join our lodge or apartment accommodation.
Day 11: Back to France
Day 11
We take our vehicle from Ekkerøya to Vadsø airport, where we catch our return flight to France via Kirkenes and Oslo.
END OF EXPEDITION
For reasons that cannot be foreseen at this stage, such as unpredictable weather, the physical fitness or lack of fitness of participants or other circumstancess (customs formalities, road conditions, traffic, landslides, force majeure, etc.), your expedition leader may have to adapt the program, if necessary, to ensure the smooth running of your trip. He remains the sole judge and the one who guarantees your safety. Activity times are given as an indication and may vary from one participant to another.
The itinerary for all our expedition programs, or the ascent program for our high-mountain expeditions, are given here as a guide only. They are flexible enough to adapt to weather conditions with a few contingency days. In any case, you should follow the recommendations of your guide, who may suggest that you cancel your expedition due to weather, safety or physical conditions.
It is important to remember that this is a truly unsupported expedition, and that anything can happen. Expeditions Unlimited, your expedition leader, your guide or our local teams can in no way be held responsible.
Any costs incurred as a result of a change in the expedition schedule (extra nights' accommodation, extra flights) will be borne by the participants and not by the organizers. "Contingency days" refer to the expedition in the strict sense of the term (base camp/base camp in the mountains, departure point/exit point on a traverse, etc.).
Any early return of the expedition or of certain members only (early success, abandonment, etc.), generating costs for accommodation, meals, changes to air tickets or other activities not provided for in this program, will be charged in full to the participants.
Trip notes
Guiding
Michael Charavin, guide specializing in polar and boreal regions and snowkiting (see description above).
If, for reasons beyond our control, Michael is unable to guide the group, he will be replaced by another polar guide with snowkiting experience. The services would remain unchanged, the conditions of the trip would remain the same and this change would not constitute a valid reason for cancellation.
For unpredictable reasons at this stage, like adverse weather conditions, insufficient physical condition of participants, insufficient competencies of participants related to the intended activities, your guide may decide to adjust the intended program and/or activities. At all times, his decision will be final on all matters likely to affect the safety and well-being of the trip.
Difficulty level
Level rated: challenging
This program is designed for participants who take part in a regular sports activity several times a week, including endurance activity.
You must be in good physical shape, i.e. fit enough to spend days outdoors (often in more or less rough weather conditions) and to carry out several-hour sessions every day; you must also be able to approach and return by car on skins when necessary.
Generally speaking, a good level of physical fitness ensures that you do not "get into the RED", and that you have the necessary margin to enjoy your trip to the full, whatever the conditions...
Of course, it is perfectly possible to take a full day off if you feel the need.
Technical difficulty
TECHNICAL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE
We are not proposing an introductory trip in the strict sense of the word, since learning the basics can be done in France, and the advantage of a trip to Norway lies precisely in the ability to exploit playing fields that do not exist in France.
Let's not forget that the aim of this trip is to get out and about, and that each participant must therefore have the necessary prerequisites to optimize the outings and create many beautiful loops.
The prerequisites for taking part in an exploratory trip (snowkite touring):
You already have some experience of snowkiting (or, failing that, good experience of kitesurfing, as well as a good level of skiing) and have consequently developed a set of technical skills:
- You know how to rig your kite on snow (positioning the kite and stabilizing it on the ground, checking that the bridle and lines are correctly positioned before taking off).
- You know how to take off and land your kite in moderate or strong wind conditions.
- You are familiar with the concept of the flight window (full-power zone, low-power zone or no-pull zone) and apply these notions without any problem when you ride (you control your forward speed by placing the kite in the right place in the flight window).
- You know how to move in all directions (crosswind, upwind, downwind) and master tacking.
- You know how to move in the terrain, both up and down.
- In light winds, you know how to keep the kite moving while maintaining a minimum of tension in the lines so as not to untwist; and you know how to keep a maximum of power in these circumstances (in other words, you know how to do kiteloops).
- You know how to use your safety system (wing release).
- You know how to land your kite safely and fold it quickly.
- You know how to switch your ski equipment from "kite" mode to "ski touring" mode (with skins) and vice versa.
The approach we propose prior to this trip:
- For those who have never kited before (neither on snow nor on water), a discovery course in a snowkiting school (or in a kitesurfing school, then in a snowkiting school) is necessary.
- For those at the beginner stage on water, an additional snowkite school course is required.
- For those who have never practised on snow but who regularly kite on water, and who also have a fairly good level of skiing on piste (and a decent level of freeride), two sessions in a snowkite school may be enough to validate the required level.
- For those who practice on snow on an irregular basis, we strongly advise you to do a few sessions close to home before your stay in Norway, to ensure that the basic automatisms are well in place. If you live too far from the mountains to do these snowkiting sessions, do them on the water, and if you can, opt for kitefoil (this is the aquatic discipline that comes closest to snowkiting in touring mode).
Programme sans aérien
Meet at Mehamn airport in the evening. Mika Charavin will meet you on arrival.
Given the diverse origins of the participants on this trip, international outward and return flights are not included in this package. In most cases, we book flights on your behalf to ensure that the whole group arrives at the destination at the same time. We do not charge any fees for these air bookings. Please do not hesitate to contact us. If you book your own tickets, we will advise you on the ideal flight schedule to enable all participants to arrive within a reduced time frame. At the very least, you need tickets that can be modified.
Accommodations
Accommodation in comfortable lodges or apartments, or in hotel rooms if required by the program (late arrival, roads closed for weather reasons, etc.) in the various peninsula regions we visit.
Accommodation in twin or single rooms, subject to availability. Sheets, comforters, pillows and towels are provided. We are in regions that do not offer a wide range of accommodation, and we give priority to access to practice sites, which further reduces the possibilities.
Meals
Breakfasts and dinners are prepared together and taken in our accommodation.
Lunches are usually taken as picnics, to give us complete freedom of action during the day.
Dinners (the most elaborate meal of the day) are prepared on a collective basis (a week's worth of food is provided and available to volunteer cooks).
[Depending on the group's wishes, one or two "extras" can be arranged at the restaurant.]
Transfers / Transport
Transfers by vehicle
We travel every day in an 8-seater van.
Road traffic regulation in case of wind and/or bad weather: traffic on the sections of road most exposed to the wind is subject to regulation by barrier systems (which close and open temporarily) and "convoy" passages (behind a snowplow). We may be dependent on this type of traffic regulation in several areas.
Ferry transfers
We transit twice by Hurtigruten coastal ferries. This means of transport brings an interesting variety to our stay and to our discovery of the region. Above all, it saves us considerable driving distances. But as we have no choice of timetables for these transits, we will have to accept the constraints of night sailing.
There is usually a Jacuzzi on the aft deck of the boat (don't forget to bring your bathing suit!).
Group size
The group is composed of 3 to 4 participants maximum. The number of participants is deliberately limited to allow for greater immersion, to avoid embarrassing our hosts, and to develop freedom and flexibility. However, the maximum number may be exceeded if the last person to register wishes to travel with one or more other people. The services will not be modified, and the conditions of the trip will remain the same.
Equipment
Personal equipment is not supplied. A complete list is provided at the end of this document to enable you to check that you are taking what you need. We can rent you your own snowking equipment, or even an extra kite if necessary. Their number and size should be agreed with your guide. All collective and logistical equipment is provided.
Mika will give you a more precise list of what you will need, depending on the specifics of this program.
The choice of your equipment is obviously an important point and must be carefully considered.
Skis versus snowboard
Participants must come with their own "snow" equipment. Whether on skis or snowboards, it is imperative to be equipped in "touring mode", so that you can make an approach or a return in non-towed mode when necessary:
- Skis equipped with hiking bindings/ hiking boots/ telescopic poles 3 strands/ sealskins.
- Snowboard type splitboard/ telescopic poles 3 strands/ sealskins.
Skiing is clearly much more suitable for touring than snowboarding. If you practice the 2 disciplines, do not hesitate, opt for skiing, you will make life easier.
As for the snowboard :
- In light wind, the progression is even less efficient than on skis and the impossibility of progressing in a lower range more quickly reached.
- Generally speaking, going upwind (a style we practice a lot in touring) is less effective than skiing, especially on very compact snows (to the point where sometimes the snowboarder cannot ride upwind at all). If this does not have consequences when practicing on spot (where everyone rides by favoring the pace that suits him), however in touring (backcountry), the moves are often imposed by the chosen route and terrain. It is important to be aware that, under these circumstances, even a seasoned snowboarder may find himself in difficulty and not be able to follow the same pace or route as a group of skiers...
- The transition from kite mode to walking mode (and vice versa) is more complicated and requires more time.
- During returns by gravity (so without kite and in descending mode as we do regularly at the end of the session), impossibility of "skating" as we do on ski when it is necessary to get rid of a flat or a short ascent.
In short, you will understand that snowboarding is not ideal for touring. You will need a very good level to compensate for these handicaps (and that will sometimes not be enough...). The risk of suffering from this choice will not be limited to personal consequences but will necessarily depend on the group’s potential for progress. Be aware of all this...
KITES
Type of wings required: It is imperative to be equipped with "ground" type wings, preferably "single-wing" (lighter, less voluminous, landing and take-off easier in all circumstances, more permissive than the wings with caissons... These are by far the most suitable wings for touring practice).
We offer a rental service of a complete quiver (3 single wings last generation) perfectly adapted to our practice and our stay:
- Flysurfer Peak v5 4 m 2
- Flysurfer Peak v5 8 m 2
- Flysurfer Peak v5 11 m 2
Our commitments to sustainable development
Our commitment to a better planet has been a reality since the beginning of our story but we always need to do more and better. Please find out more about our charter and our commitments in terms of sustainable development. We have drafted our charter and take action through six themes on which we act as concretely as possible, most often with you: social equity and cultural respect, preservation of water, waste management in expedition, protection of biodiversity, raise public awareness on these subjects and finally, the optimization and recovery of CO2 emissions.
Regarding carbon emissions, most of which are due to air travel, we calculated and communicated in 2018 on the carbon footprint of each of our programs, expressed in tonnes of CO2.
These calculations made us aware of the importance of the total carbon emissions generated by our activity. Also, we have committed in 2022 to a carbon reduction that we believe is unprecedented in the tourism industry, aiming to reduce the total emissions of our activity by 5% per year, taking 2019 as the reference year (3,430 tonnes of CO2). This commitment is in line with the trajectory of the Paris climate agreements of 2015, the current benchmark. Thus, in 2030, we commit ourselves not to exceed 2,160 tonnes of C02. Thus, our maximum “carbon” budget for 2024 is 2,950 tonnes and for 2025, this budget will be reduced to 2,800 tonnes. And so on until 2030. To find out more about all of our calculations and our commitments in terms of reducing our carbon emissions.
In addition, since 2019, we have been encouraging you when you book for your journey to contribute with a donation to an independent NGO, among the two we have selected that share the commitments made in our charter. We matched the amount of this donation to this program's carbon footprint. Thus, the journey you are considering generates 0,98 tons of CO2, which corresponds to a 100% donation of €29 for an estimated value today of €30 per tonne of CO2. This donation remains of course optional and you can decide to give between nothing and 100% of this amount. Since 2019, including covid years of 2020 and 2021, we have been able to collect thanks to you nearly €7,000 for these associations.
Please do not hesitate to come back to us with any questions you might have regarding this carbon footprint mechanism, our other sustainable développement commitments or even to share with us your experience through a chat or a mail at contact@secret-planet.com.
Michael Charavin, kiter and polar guide
Born in 1970, Mika has been a state certified guide since 1999, snowkite instructor, guide in the polar regions since 2003 and is part of the IPGA – International Polar Guide Association, which brings together the best polar guides in world. He has been snowkiting in boreal and arctic regions for 20 years and has traveled more than 15,000 kilometers on expeditions in this way. He is one of the few polar guides specializing in this practice.
He is one of the very first to have crossed Greenland by snowkite from south to north-west (2,300 km in 2008) then to have completed a circumnavigation of the Greenland ice sheet (5,067 km in 2014). He becomes on this occasion (and until 2019) the author of the longest trip ever undertaken on skis and independently. It is also innovative in its way of practicing snowkiting in the mountains (the most complex playground there is for this activity), by combining ascents of summits and crossings of massifs.
Called up in 1994, he spent fourteen months as a technical aid volunteer in the French southern and Antarctic Lands, on the Kerguelen archipelago, where he contributed to various eco-ethological studies and the restoration of subantarctic ecosystems. Then in 1996-1997, he crossed 8,000 kilometers by mountain bike through the highlands of southern Latin America, from the Bolivian Amazon to Tierra del Fuego, passing through the Altiplano, the deserts of Sud-Lipez and the Puna of Atacama, Patagonia...
From 1999, his taste for the wilderness, isolated, austere and cold regions, became even more refined: he turned resolutely towards the Nordic regions, and invested his energy in carrying out committed and stripped down ski expeditions: 1,800 kilometers and four months of itinerant skiing across Scandinavia (from south to north) in 2000; various raids and several hundred kilometers in the central, western and southern regions of Spitsbergen in 2001 and 2002; attempted east-west crossing of Greenland in 2003...
Always driven by a deep passion for the great ski crossings of the polar or subpolar regions, he nevertheless modified his approach to these environments from 2006: to the rigor necessary for the logistical, technical and mental preparation of such expeditions, he now wishes add performance and technicality, key notions, according to him, in the realization of great raids, in particular in the extreme environments which are the large ice caps. It is also a way of reintroducing a playful dimension into an activity that is fundamentally devoid of it...
In total, he has supervised numerous trips, on skis, on foot or by sea kayak, to Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Spitsbergen, Alaska and the French southern lands...
Departures and pricing
Please find below all dates and prices for this expedition. Prices are quoted "from" and may be adjusted notably according to the number of participants (see trip notes for details). Please note that dates and prices for years beyond 2024, when given, are for guidance only and are subject to change and readjustment to take account of current economic realities.
No date works for me!
I initiate a new datePrice includes
- All transport in private van type vehicles for the group
- Two ferry transfers: from Mehamn to Bătsfjord and from Bătsfjord to Vardø
- All accommodations in single, twin or collective room according to availability
- All meals, breakfasts, lunches and dinners except those possibly taken in restaurants
- Loan of kite equipment (sails and accessories) at departure against a deposit of € 1000/ sail
- Collective equipment: radios, distress beacon and satellite phone, common pharmacy
- Coaching by a snowkite guide in these boreal regions
- Medical hotline Ifremmont during the stay
- Face-to-face and/or remote preparation meetings
Price does not include
- International A/R flight and excess weight
- Meals and drinks taken in restaurants or hotels
- Your personal equipment
- Shipping kite equipment (sails and accessories) to your home and overweight luggage during flights
- Any costs related to your excess baggage and check-in of your ski equipment
- Additional charges for changes to flights
- Costs related to a delay in the timing of your stay (additional nights, air supplements)
- Any personal communications by satellite telephone (to be paid on site)
- Drinks and all personal expenses (personal visits, taxis, souvenirs, dry laundry...)
- Travel and expedition insurance (cancellation, assistance, evacuation and repatriation) valid for the practice of snowkite
- Tips for the guide, to share with other participants according to your satisfaction
Votre voyage rien que pour vous !
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