At the heart of Svalbard with Explore Svalbard and Watogla: an educational expedition in the Arctic
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78° North, Svalbard. Nine students, two teams, a week of bivouac between moraines and glacier fronts. And seven months of preparation to make this immersion much more than just a trip.
This year, we are pleased to bring together two members of the Lagoped Family, Explore Svalbard and Lucien Chaillot from Watogla, around a shared ambition: raising awareness among young generations about preserving High Arctic ecosystems through a human, sporting, and educational adventure. An immersion dedicated to understanding the polar climate of the Arctic.
7 months of preparation: forging team spirit
Such an adventure cannot be improvised in the midst of the ice. The departure for the 78° North is the culmination of seven months of rigorous preparation. Throughout the school year, the nine students accompanying us participated in classroom workshops, met climate experts, and learned to work together.
"Essential preparation to transform a group of individuals into a united team"
With the Explore Svalbard team, they prepared physically and mentally: essential preparation to transform a group of individuals into a united team, ready to face the unknown with confidence and positive energy.
Longyearbyen: first immersion and sense of community
The adventure begins upon arrival in Longyearbyen. A meaningful first step: depositing seeds at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a true sanctuary of global biodiversity, with a focus on its unique connection to ICARDA in Morocco. This symbolic gesture reminds us that preserving life is everyone's responsibility.
Before heading out into the field, the team takes the time to meet some key players, including the Polar Bears International teams, to discuss the challenges related to polar bear conservation. The visit to the Svalbard Museum completes this initial immersion by providing students with valuable insights into the natural history and geology of the archipelago.
This is also where the first field surveys begin: permafrost study, water sampling, pH measurements, and field observations.
The Sveasletta base camp: facing the elements
The team then crosses Isfjord to reach the base camp at Sveasletta. For a week, they bivouac in the heart of a nature as spectacular as it is fragile. Alternating between hikes and sea kayaking among moraines and glacier fronts, the students discover a true open-air laboratory.
In this extreme environment, where wind, cold, and humidity show no mercy, Lagoped gear is put to the test. Wearing technical clothing made in Europe from 100% recycled materials makes perfect sense here: they provide effective protection in the harshest conditions while respecting the exploration terrain. A reliable barrier so students can focus on their educational workshops, naturalist observations, and data collection without suffering from the polar climate.
To discover the Lagoped mountaineering and alpine collection, click here.
Two projects, one vision: the "Leave No Trace" immersion
The partnership between Explore Svalbard and Watogla is based on shared beliefs. Both believe that the best way to protect these exceptional territories is to reconnect young people with nature through total immersion, as close to the elements as possible.
This intense experience comes with a strict ethical responsibility: respecting the Leave No Trace principle. The students learn to temporarily inhabit this environment without disturbing the wildlife, without polluting, and by minimizing their environmental footprint as much as possible.
By sharing this adventure, Explore Svalbard and Watogla hope to spark the curiosity of these nine students, develop their scientific perspective, and inspire them to become proud ambassadors of the polar world in their own right.
