Sleep under the dazzling lights of the auroras while surrounded by arctic glaciers
If Santa Claus were real, this would be his home: a heart-stopping topography of immaculate white and blue, grand mountains staring down with their blizzardy wonder, and the soft snow regularly falling from the sky, nipping the beholder’s nose. There are no castles, no flying reindeers, but for anyone who wishes to submit in a true-to-life arctic adventure, the Northernmost hotel of the world, North Pole Igloos hotel concept operated by Luxury Action may just be the perfect place to spend a bit of the eternal winter.
Svalbard, an icy town lodged within the border of Norway and the North Pole, is where the journey begins. The plane lands in a desert of ice, but spread across the glaciers are modern-day igloos, not like the ice-bricks drawn in old storybooks, but heated accommodations constructed with glass walls and removable blinds. The ceilings are made in a similar fashion, allowing one to have a full view of the white terrain and the gorgeous Northern Lights swaying from the evening sky.
There is comfort here; each igloo is lodged with a cosy bed, a private dresser, and their own toilets. No one is heading out in sub-zero temperatures—the Nordic North winds can be intimidating as they howl. Meals, surprisingly, are sumptuous, being prepared by a chef, and each trip is led by a wilderness guide that tours everyone in the quaint nearby towns.
The experimental luxury camp is more than an experience; it is also a transformative way of raising awareness about the drastic effects of climate change. As one walks through the humble towns and get a glimpse at the friendly Arctic animals, the takeaway is more than the way each boot crunches on the glacier, but the knowledge that the snow-capped glory of the North may vanish under man’s neglect. There is still time to save it, so the coming generation can enjoy the same, if not better views. northpoleigloos.com & luxuryaction.com ◼
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© This article was first published in Oct-Nov 2019 edition of World Travel Magazine.