If your idea of an extreme adventure has stopped at a demanding trek, get ready to scale back your ambitions.
The Fjällräven Polar adventure is back, the journey that for thirty years has carried ordinary people into the Scandinavian Arctic: -30°C, 300 km of Arctic tundra, a dog sled team, and zero experience required. In 2027 it marks its thirtieth birthday by reopening applications for a new edition.
From 29 September to 3 November 2026 you will have the chance to compete for one of the 20 available spots, the same ones that in 2019 and 2025 saw two Italian travelers take part.
Fjällräven Polar: Arctic Adventure Open to All
From 31 March to 5 April 2027, twenty selected participants will each guide their own dog sled team across roughly 300 km of the Scandinavian Arctic. No comforts, no shortcuts, only snow, extreme cold, and the overwhelming sense of being far from everything. The most remarkable thing? Anyone can try to join this adventure because no prior Arctic experience is required. The project is designed specifically for “ordinary” people, not for professional explorers.
The starting point is Jukkasjärvi, in Swedish Lapland, just a few kilometres from Kiruna. Before departure, mandatory training takes place, during which participants learn the essential skills to move safely in the Arctic and meet their six-dog team, whom they will be responsible for throughout the voyage. Then the journey truly begins: tundra, frozen lakes, and mountain forests, passing through Sevujärvi, Kattuvuoma, Råstojaure, and Pältsa (one of Europe’s largest permafrost areas, just to give you an idea), until the arrival at Signaldalen, on the edge of the Norwegian fjords.
How did this project come about? It all started in the early 1990s, when Fjällräven founder Åke Nordin crossed paths with a legendary Swedish musher who had just returned from the Iditarod, the famous 1,700-kilometre sled dog race in Alaska. From there the idea: why not offer ordinary people the chance to try something similar, with the support of expert guides?
In 1997 the first edition kicked off, initially as a real competition. Then, realizing that the competitive spirit clashed a little with the idea of discovery and sharing, Fjällräven changed course. Since 2012, it has become an experience open to anyone willing to challenge themselves.
How to Apply
The selection works in three steps. On 29 September 2026, Fjällräven will reveal on its channels the details of the challenge to complete in order to apply (for now it remains top secret, but it is the first step toward earning a spot). Complete it and publish the content online by 23:59 on 3 November 2026. Only then can you fill out the official form with your details and the link to your content, always by the same deadline.
A jury from within the organization will choose the twenty lucky winners, with the official announcement on 9 December 2026. No prior explorer résumé is required: what matters is the willingness to give it a go.
Mark these dates down:
- applications open: 29 September 2026;
- applications close: 3 November 2026;
- announcement of the twenty selected: 9 December 2026;
- departure for the Arctic: 31 March–5 April 2027.
