Can you go to the North Pole?

For travellers who spend their time exploring all corners of the globe, a trip to the extreme ends of the Earth is often high on the agenda. The poles have long been reserved for experienced expedition teams spending weeks hiking to the most remote locations in the world, but thanks to modern ice-breaker ships and light aircraft flights, a journey to the North Pole is more accessible than ever. Let us show you how to get to the North Pole and the best ways to explore once you’re there. If this guide inspires you to start planning your own adventure, make sure to browse our range of North Pole Expeditions and to keep an eye on our Arctic expedition and cruise deals and discounts as they come up.

An expedition team stand at the North Pole

How do you Get to the North Pole?

The style of your Arctic adventures will depend on your budget, length of time available, and journey preferences. Whether you want to fly and camp, or if you would prefer to board a powerful expedition ship to reach the pole, there is a North Pole expedition for you. Whichever voyage you choose, you are sure to be awe-inspired by the immensity of this breathtaking landscape that so few are able to experience. If the expedition ship option appeals to you most, you may like to check out our range of polar expedition vessels. These huge ships have been made to the highest specifications and they are masterful feats of modern engineering. 

Getting to the North Pole begins in the Arctic, either from the stunning Spitsbergen Archipelago in Arctic Norway or the Russian city of Murmansk, the jetting off point for the remote reaches of Franz Josef Land. How to get to the Arctic in the first place depends on your original destination, but many airlines offer flights to Spitsbergen via Oslo or Bergen and you can reach Murmansk via Helsinki in Finland.  

North Pole Sea Expeditions

If you opt for an on-board expedition to the North Pole, your Arctic cruise will venture northbound through the Arctic Ocean seeking out whales in the Barents Sea (read our Arctic whales guide) before crossing the boundary of the North Pole, 90 degrees North, so you can literally walk around the world, crossing the various lines of longitude while standing on an immense chunk of pack ice. 

Ice breaker vessel '50 Years of Victory' on a Russian Arctic cruise

If you’re short on time but still want to reach the pinnacle, the North Pole Express enables you to catch a light aircraft flight from Longyearbyen in Svalbard to the remote, icy runway at the Barneo Base Camp, a floating, frozen research station lying at 89 degrees North. Watching the magical glacial landscape fly by below will build your anticipation for your journey to the pole. Make yourself at home in the camp before boarding your helicopter flight to the North Pole itself for what will be a truly momentous occasion.

What's the Best Time to Visit the North Pole

With the poles experiencing such extreme changes in temperature, daylight hours and pack ice conditions, there is a short window of opportunity to explore this icy wonderland each year. The Arctic is plunged into darkness throughout the northern hemisphere's winter, making travel impossible, but as the sun begins to rise in spring, exploration is achievable once more. The North Pole boasts the unique phenomenon of the midnight sun throughout the summer, with 24-hour daylight falling between June and July. These months are, therefore, the best time to visit the Arctic by ship as you can spend all hours of the day looking out for distinctive Arctic wildlife such as walrus, whales, seals, Arctic foxes, and both resident and migratory bird species.

So, if you want to visit the North Pole it is definitely possible. Not only that, with our combined years of knowledge and experience, we’ll ensure you have the perfect journey! Please get in touch if you have any questions about our range of Arctic cruises and expeditions. Or, if you'd prefer to read a little more around the topic, we have a wealth of entertaining and informative articles on our blog page. What are you waiting for? Start planning your dream Arctic adventure with Expeditions Online!