Day 1

Depart London to Sweden

We fly from London Heathrow to Stockholm in Sweden and then transfer on to an internal flight north to Ostersund (one hour flight). Upon arrival at Ostersund we are met by our Swedish guides and travel for one hour by minibus to our base which is a log cabin set in the woods on the edge of a lake at a location called Raftlaven. This cabin is wonderfully basic with no power, just an open fire, a cooker and beds – perfect!

Day 2

Acclimatisation day

After breakfast and a briefing on the locality, this day is spent acclimatising to the environment. Today we will have a go at cross-country skiing and building fires in the snow! Tonight we will start building our snow hole under the stars.

Day 3

Snowmobiles

We wake up, have breakfast and then drive for approximately one hour where we meet up with the snowmobiles. We pair up and we head off across frozen lakes and fresh powder, covering approximately 40kms and driving through stunning scenery! After about 20kms we stop for lunch cooked on an open fire at a remote cabin, then back to the snowmobiles. The snowmobile safari lasts for six hours. We then return to the cabin and have dinner before heading out to continue building our snow hole.

Day 4

Husky driving

We have breakfast before setting off for the morning to do some Husky driving. We have a short transfer to meet up with the husky sleigh teams on the edge of a spectacular frozen lake. We experience an exhilarating trip around the frozen lake, both riding and having the opportunity to actually drive the husky dog teams. A delicious lunch is then provided cooked over an open fire. If you wish, there is also the opportunity to try your luck at ice fishing through holes bored in the icy lake and see if you can catch tonight's dinner! This afternoon we head back to our cabin and prepare for the survival phase. We set out at nighttime to a location where we spend our first night in the elements (and a large tent with a wood burner)!

Day 5 and 6

Survival phase

You will be extremely well briefed with lectures and demonstrations on many aspects of survival, and will get the opportunity to put what you learn to the ultimate test. For the second night we will sleep in shelters that are constructed from the natural resources, that we will spend the day constructing. The third night's sleep will be in a snug snow hole, again that we have built.

Other skills that will be learned are making and setting traps from natural resources, fire lighting to keep the chill out of the air, water purification and shelter construction. All these skills will stand us in good stead were we ever in this situation again. The survival phase ends after our last campfire breakfast, and then we head back to the cabin.

Day 7

Relaxation

A little R&R! Following the challenging and rewarding previous 48 hours, we treat ourselves to some well-deserved pampering! We will enjoy a hot tub to soak away those aching limbs under the clear blue sky, on the shore of our lake, as well as a sauna too. We relax in the most beautiful surroundings and have the opportunity to take in the breathtaking views, and what we have accomplished over the last few days. This evening we have a celebratory meal in our cabin, and share stories!

Day 8

Depart Sweden

After breakfast we get up, pack, and make our way back to the airport to return to the UK.