Europe

Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:

• less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)

• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

For the latest details on visiting countries within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), please check the UK Government website

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations.

GHIC / Medical cover

UK residents should carry a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland. This is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is vital when travelling overseas.

The unit of currency in Norway is the Norwegian Krone.

When on the ship everything is priced is Euros.  If you are paying in cash you will need Euros, if you are paying by card your bank will use their exchange rate.

Please note - You will not be able to exchange your foreign money to Norwegian kroner in Svalbard. Many of Longyearbyen’s stores and restaurants will however accept almost any debit or credit card. You will find an ATM in the post and bank building, in the middle of the pedestrian street.

It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on an adventure holiday getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience.

Svalbard’s location within the Arctic circle is the biggest factor on climate but temperatures especially around the coast are moderated by the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current which keeps the waters navigable for most of the year and average spring / summer temperatures at around 2 to 6°C. However, on deck with a sea breeze, the wind chill can bring the real feel temperature below freezing. Precipitation is most certainly possible at this time of year, although is likely to be in the form of snow.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience!

The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. Please restrict your baggage to one main bag and a small daypack.

You SHOULD bring the following items:

• Casual shoes / Trainers or similar for onboard

• * Rubber boots (Wellington boots) for Zodiac landings and for use with snowshoes

• Waterproof jacket with hood

• Waterproof trousers or salopettes

• Trekking trousers

• Windproof soft shell

• Thermal Baselayer top and bottoms

• Casual shirt and/or T-shirts

• Fleece jacket or warm jumper

• Down Jacket

• Underwear

• Socks (Warm, high wool or similar socks worn over a thin pair of silk, polypropylene socks should provide enough warmth and insulation for your feet. Bring several pairs of socks, since you will inevitably get your feet wet)

• Sunhat

• Warm hat (plus spare)

• Scarf and/or buff

• Sun glasses/glacier glasses with sides (plus spare)

• Waterproof gloves

• Water bottle 1 Litre (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)

• Rucksack 25 litres

• Selection of dry bags (to keep rucksack contents dry)

• Small padlock (to lock trek bag)

• Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)

• Washbag and toiletries

• Seasickness remedy

• Plug adapter - On the ship (Rembrandt van Rijn) you will need a plug / adaptor with European 2 pin round holes.

• Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, and plasters (band-aids).

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL:

• Travel clothes
• Ski goggles
• Camera (in a dry bag)
• Binoculars
• Walking / Trekking poles (highly recommended)
• USB memory stick (in case you want to swap photos with other travellers)
• Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

NOTE: Snowshoes are provided

* Wellington boots should be used instead of walking boots on this holiday to ensure you keep your feet dry, this will be both when hiking with and without the snowshoes. There are several reasons for this: most zodiac landings will be 'wet landings' where it is likely that water depth will be atleast ankle deep / when hiking the snow can be atleast ankle deep / when hiking there are often streams to walk through. 

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.