POLAR EXPEDITION - NORWAY
NEXT AVAILABLE EXPEDITION
Hardanger Plateau , NORWAY
MAR 8th - 16th 2025
£2995
Are you brimming with the spirit of adventure, having honed your skills through every Endeavour expedition medicine course available? If you're eager to push yourself in your expedition career, then this exhilarating journey might be for you.
Embark on an adventure that takes you through the heart of the polar world, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, the culturally rich indigenous Sami people, and the sprawling arctic tundra. With a touch of luck, you might cross paths with herds of reindeer and bask under the mesmerising dance of the aurora borealis.
Overview & Checklist | Expedition Itinerary | CPD | Logistics
overview & CHECKLIST
At the helm of your expedition is Dr. Paddy Mitton, a seasoned polar expedition medic with six Antarctic seasons under his belt, a mountain guide with over two decades of experience, and a veteran of numerous mountain and polar treks, including an awe-inspiring 2000km snow-kite journey across Greenland.
With Paddy and your team you will discover the Hardangervidda Plateau, Europe’s largest mountain plateau located in central southern Norway. Spanning roughly 2,500 square miles, this expansive area is home to Hardangerjøkulen, one of Norway’s largest glaciers, and is largely protected within Hardangervidda National Park.
Sitting above the tree line, Hardangervidda's alpine climate supports a range of arctic plants and animals, thriving further south here than in any other part of Europe. It’s also home to one of the world’s largest herds of wild reindeer, offering a unique glimpse into Norway’s natural heritage.
Over the course of our 7 day journey each of you will take the lead, shouldering the responsibilities that make an expedition thrive. You'll master navigation, camping in polar regions, strategic planning, and critical decision-making. We'll intertwine practical scenarios throughout the expedition to sharpen your field medical expertise. Under the tutelage of Paddy and our expert Norwegian guide, you'll cultivate the indispensable polar and medical skills necessary to forge your path as a self-reliant expedition medic in this exciting environment.
Think this journey might be for you? Have a look at our pre-expedition checklist below:
✓ Medical background encouraged, but not required for this expedition. You should have achieved First Aid Certification
✓ Experience on previous expedition or adventure courses and a sense of adventure!
EXPEDITION itinerary
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Depart London to Alta via Oslo
Dinner in Alta with course introductions
Drive with late arrival to Engholm Husky Lodge in Karasjok ready to wake up in an Arctic wilderness.
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Breakfast in the lodge
Full day of preparation including equipment assessments, nutrition planning, navigation and medical kit packing, ready to depart on expedition
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The expedition commences
Set out across the polar plateau, led by your nominated expedition leader for the day
Overnight in a self-made camp
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Full days of expedition including navigation and possibly a medical situation to deal with
A rough outline of your day will follow this routine:
Wake up, eat breakfast, melt snow, pack up camp, ski for 60-90 minute intervals with 5-10 minute breaks. Depending on temperature, we may stop for a slightly longer lunch break; 6-8 hours of skiing in total not including stops. In the evening: set up camp, melt snow, eat dinner, drink tea, sleep.
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Ski from last camp to Jotka
Overnight in cabin with sauna, hot showers, and well-earned Norwegian dinner
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Breakfast in the cabin before our last 4km ski to the road
Picked up at the road and driven to the airport in Alta
Option to fly to London via Tromso that evening or overnight in Alta (own expense) to organise any onward independent activities
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Endeavour courses deliver high-quality teaching in expedition and remote medicine. Teaching is led by experienced professionals in the field. It is immersive, holistic, and flexible to help all attendees meet their personal development goals.
All courses are directly aligned to the professional capabilities set out within UK Foundation Training and postgraduate specialty training curricula. Specifically, all courses cover clinical assessment and prioritisation, address complexity and uncertainty, communication skills, holistic planning, fitness for practice (well-being), ethical and legal principles, health promotion, illness prevention, and leadership.
Endeavour faculty are all familiar with principles of good supervision and training and can complete any work-based assessments undertaken during the course (including CEX and CBD). Reflective practice is also encouraged.
This course offers 18 hours of CPD.
LOGISTICS
£2995
March 8-16, 2025
Finse, Hardanger Plateau, Norway
This course doesn’t not require prior knowledge of expedition/polar medicine or Nordic skiing. It does require you to be a qualified allied health professional and have a good level of fitness.
You will be required to provide your own travel insurance and book own travel to Finse (train tickets can be purchase at www.vy.no), to arrive no later than 18:00 on Day 1. Finse is not accessible by road. We recommend flying into Oslo or Bergen followed by a train journey to Finse. We are happy to discuss travel options if you have any queries.
Personal Kit list will be provided when you sign up for the course. Delegates will be issued with Skis, boots, pulks and camping equipment (cost included), but may wish to bring their own.
INCLUDED
✓ Guides | ✓ All food from arrival on Day 1 to lunch on day 9 | ✓ Some equipment – see kit list provided on booking
NOT INCLUDED
Flights | Travel and personal insurance | Optional last night in Alta | Personal kit: Please see the required kit list provided on booking
It is possible to rent some equipment if you do not have kit items e.g. expedition sleeping bag (£38/week)
If you require further information about this course, please email us at: