Arctic Circle Fat Bike Expedition

What a wonderful trip! Trygve and his team at Glød were the perfect trip leader and support team, respectively. From the pre-trip communication, to the pick up from our hotel; from the kitting out to the itinerary and safety briefing, every aspect of the trip was well planned and delivered. The sessions of training/familiarisation while at Glød HQ were valuable and allowed everyone to try the e-bike option, and get accustomed to handling the bikes in different snow conditions. The 3-day crossing of the Finnmarksvidda plateau was incredible. We had favourable conditions with bright sunshine, and for most of the time a helpful, gentle tail-wind. Bruno and Petter, the Siberian Laika dogs, dutifully pulled our luggage on sleds and were very friendly. The plateau lodges were comfortable, with helpful staff and the option for a sauna and artic river plunge! The food was appetising and more than ample for re-fuelling for the following day - only surpassed by the food back at Glød HQ, which was delicious and presented with flair. We flew out 2 days early, allowing us to snow-shoe for a half-day and visit the Cathedral of the Northern Lights, and then managed to fit in a Fjord boat trip prior to our afternoon flight home. If you are adventurous, reasonably fit, and are a regular cyclist, this trip is a must!

Expectations met, and exceeded! I'd wanted to try fat biking for a while - this was the ultimate intro. Glød have created a great package of accommodation, food and adventure. Sleeping in the domes, lying in bed, seeing the snow and sky through the ceiling is magical. The early morning coffee brought to you is a great kick start to the rest of the day. A tasty buffet breakfast of meats, salmon and breads continues the experience before heading off on the bikes. Riding can be quite strenuous - you should certainly be ready for riding over several hours and on differing depths of snow - although, for us, most of the tracks were quite firm. EBikes were available if you preferred some assistance, but you still need the legs to ride. Accommodation and food along the 3 day plateau ride were lovely, only exceeded by the riding through valleys, across lakes and fantastic scenery. We were lucky enough to see a large migrating reindeer herd on one day. The group was just 8 people - for me, a perfect balance of numbers, both for riding and when sharing stories across the table. We were led by Trygve, and supported by Bruno and Petter (the sledge dogs) who all did a grand job of guiding and making the trip extra special.

What a Fabulous trip this was.

The trip was brilliantly run by Trygve and the marvellous team at GLOD, the food, the accommodation and the cycling on the crisp snowy wide plateaus, and in between the trees and hills, the saunas and shower experiences to the cold water dips (not that I participated in the dips!)

What a memory this has created for me cycling in the Arctic circle with the dogs pulling our bags and the sun shining.

To the Sami lodges and the history the hosts gave of their families. The reindeer migration was an added bonus to see.

We were lucky with the weather and conditions and that some ebikes were available to use which did make it easier.

Definitely recommend this experience.

Ive waited 3 years for this trip and I was afraid I'd overdreamed. But no, then Arctic was everything that I had hoped for. We had benign conditions which made the cycling much easier, but be prepared to have to grind the bike through the snow. We had time before, during and after the tour for some fantastic Arctic experiences. Husky sledding is a must, brilliant fun and way harder than it looks. We ate like kings, slept in comfort and were extremely well looked after. Our host Tryggve was extremely knowledgeable about the area and his care for our huskies was pure love. The thrill of having them alongside us just made the tour. Witnessing a reindeer migration was a bonus, as was an Arctic dip. I will be back, this is a very special part of the world, and the people too.

Fantastic well organised trip. Accommodation superb. Spending time in remote accommodation with local people was great. Food was really good with lots of local dishes. The trip on fat bikes was amazing in terms of scenery and also some hard work. A special feature was our two sled dogs Petter and Bruno bringing our overnight bags along. Trygve was a great tour leader and very knowledgeable.

I absolutely loved our Arctic fat bike adventure with Glød. The trip was very well organised. We started with a test ride from their base. Lots of lovely food, my favourite was Bidos, the Sami reindeer stew. This was served at one of the lodges, which were run by Sami. Bruse, our sled dog was definitely the star of the trip. He worked so hard to carry our pyjamas and a change of clothes. Be aware that you will need quite a large backpack, as we had to have a sleeping bag and a survival bag (provided) on our person in case of emergencies. If you have bike packing bags, it's worth considering bringing those. Definitely take them up on the offer of the overshoes. Some people in the group got quite cold feet. Each overnight stop had a sauna, so pack your swim suit! It was unseasonably warm during our trip, but luckily up on the Finnmarksvidda plateau everything was still frozen. Lower down, things were quite slushy.

Absolutely phenomenal trip. Glod is a most professional and authentic organization. So pleased to have experienced Norway this way. The trip was challenging physically and mentally. Outstanding food, guides, and landscape.

The trip was perfect from start to finish, despite some whiteout conditions when crossing lesjavri on day 2 of the Fat Biking. Our guide Helle was great and the nights spent in the beautiful domes were so relaxing. The food was excellent. The mountain cabins were rather rustic but comfortable; just let's not mention the toilets! Was it "Challenging"? I suppose it depends on your fitness and experience. We cycle quite a lot of long distance rides so didn't find it too difficult, but others did find it more tricky. Overall the trip was fantastic and on our final day we did dog sledding which was the cherry on the cake. If you are in two minds, then don't be; just go for it. You won't regret it!

Really enjoyed this mini adventure. Began before we arrived as the connecting flight from Tromso was cancelled and we needed to hire a car to arrive a day late, but the main trip starts on day 2 so that didn’t matter. Kalle was a friendly guide, and the group (of six) got on well. The tour company GLOD is well established and organised. The star was Brus the husky, a tremendous working dog. Beautiful arctic back country. Weather was good, but you need to be prepared for anything. If you are a reasonable off road cyclist looking for something a bit different, this is great fun and memorable. No hesitation to recommend.

This was an adventure of a lifetime! I will never forget it! Northern Norway is starkly beautiful this time of year. Our guides were top notch. They supported and challenged us to keep pedaling and smiling through many wild weather conditions. The hospitality of the Sami People who provided us room and board along the trail was wonderful. The food was delicious! Best reindeer stew ever! Beds each night. Super comfortable. My advice to anyone considering this adventure is: DO IT! Expect to be challenged. Mother nature rules and you never know quite what the conditions will be. Get in good mountain biking shape and you'll truly enjoy it! I loved this trip and will relish the memories forever!

A challenging, wonderful, ever changing trip. This was a fantastic adventure from start to finish. Our guides, Kristine and Helle, were excellent and perfect both for this adventure and for our group. Everyone at Glod was super helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating and flexible. The epitome of this trip is to be ready for change and the unexpected. The difficulty of this trip is heavily influenced by the weather. Being in decent shape and having some mountain biking experience are strong prerequisites for this adventure. Plans and routes can and do change on a moment’s notice.

one of those special experiences where you come home a little bit different than when you went there. the images of the “white desert” will stay with me. a note on the effort: I’m 61 and consider myself reasonably fit, but had never ridden more than 10 Km on a bicycle. bottom line: it was not easy, but ultimately doable. I suggest you practice some dirt biking prior to going. in any case, the hard work will be amply rewarded. highly recommended trip, that only a few will do each year. responsible and interested guides. suitable accommodations during tour - in Alta very good. very good food throughout.

I have nothing but the best of things to say about this trip -- it was an unforgettable adventure with a group of amazing, like-minded people! Our hosts Trygve & Helle were so much fun to get to know, and organized the trip to perfection.

Fat biking during the day was both challenging and very rewarding, and the arctic landscape is gorgeous and tranquil. We ended each day with delicious food (my highlight was reindeer stew with lingonberry jam) and bonding with our fellow expedition-mates -- swapping stories, playing cards, laughing together about nonsense!

I'd definitely recommend training with cycling/mountain biking specifically for this trip -- I came in with a generic cardio & strength training background, plus downhill MTB skills, and quickly realized that it doesn't translate to cycling endurance. So the physical aspect was very challenging (but still doable) for me, though that made the experience even more rewarding as I smashed my biking PRs day after day :)

Highly, highly recommend this trip!

A full 10/10 for the GLOD team under leadership of Trygve as we were well looked after from start to finish.

After reading prior reviews before selecting the trip I had a concern over the level of fitness required, but in hindsight it was easier than expected, admittedly helped by mostly good weather conditions and over-preparation. The days are a good mix of cycling and 'down time', thus plenty of recovery time or opportunity to explore the area a but further on your own.

The accommodation is brilliant, especially at Alta where the Aurora Canvas Dome was a touch of luxury. However, do remember an eye mask for sleeping as the sun rises at 3:30am.

The food was out of this world and a fest for your tastebuds. It is mostly locally sourced reindeer, moose, cod and salmon, and there is plenty of it.

I highly recommend this trip to anyone that has MTB/ gravel bike experience, it is a truly epic and unforgettable adventure!

This trip was everything we expected and even more so. GLOD Explorers who provided us with are amazing guide, Calle, and his faithful dog sledding pups, Laggo & Pettre, get a solid 5 stars plus. The globe lodging in Alta was spectacular and the meals provided were top notch, particularily the desserts. The weather conditions were chaotic but again, Calle had plans A, B, & C....and by the time we were done, we were on plans X, Y & Z. Mother nature is unpredictable and you need to accept what fate throws your way.

We have mixed reviews about MBA. Although quick to respond to our many questions, in retrospect, was the sale of the tour more important than the true level of challenge required for this adventure? In addition, the kit list provided on MBA's website did not match up to what GLOD recommended. A week before we fly out, an email from MBA introducing GLOD as our host shows up giving a run down on how to dress, size of pack, what to pack, and other very pertinent information. By now we have already purchased our gear only to find out that we needed bigger packs because we had to carry more than what was stated on the kit list on MBA's website. And the statement that the gear is carried by dog sleds was very misleading. Yes, gear was carried, but only up to 5 kg per person and that weight included your sleeping bag. It is not that the weight is not doable, but what to pack becomes very important. MBA needs to introduce GLOD as soon as payment is received AND they need to work with GLOD to provide accurate kit list requirements and expectations.

All said, it was an unforgettable experience and highly recommended it to those have strong cycling endurance skills.

Amazing experience, Kalle was a super guide. So fortunate to be able to have this experience so close to nature. Loved the dogs Petter and Laggu

What a fantastic trip I would thoroughly recommend this trip. The organization and expertise of the guide, Kalle, was exceptional. The ride was challenging and would recommend that you are at a good level of fitness as you are cycling for a long time during the days. We were really lucky with the weather as it stayed sunny most days but can imagine this trip would be more difficult with high winds and snow. The base at Glod was extremely good and the food was excellent there and throughout the trip. If you fancy a challenge with snow as far as you can see this is the trip for you

One of the best trips i have been on. Everything from the base camp, the food, the facilities, the guides knowledge was exceptional. I would recommend this trip 100%

Fantastic trip! Food was fantastic and the hosts were amazing.

An amazing experience with a fantastic local host. Looked after from start to finish. The biking conditions are very weather dependent as you might expect, but if you’re prepared for that and up for a different kind of biking adventure, this is a must!

This was an incredible trip! I had ZERO mountain bike experience and still loved every second. We had a mixture of weather, a couple of lovely days and a proper Arctic conditions day which although made things tough, really added to the experience, so i'm glad we had this day! You do need a strong level of fitness to get the most out of it, but I wouldn't say you need to have mountain biking skills as such - just a positive attitude and desire to gain new skills and get stuck in. Our guide was fantastic, as were the whole team. The mountain huts, although simple, were clean, warm and comfortable. As a vegetarian, I was harder to cater for in the huts but the hosts went above and beyond to ensure I ate well. The food at 'base camp' in the domes was incredible! Be prepared that you are in the Arctic Circle so the itinerary might not always go to plan, but the team will adapt as required to ensure you get the most out of the trip!

Really enjoyed the trip the team were great. It be was challenging and exhilarating the views were amazing.

Fab experience and we had a great local host who was full of positivity, despite us being stuck in a blizzard! It is seriously difficult trip and you need to be fit to enjoy it, as well as embracing the simple accommodation aspects. If have these, it’ll be an adventure of a lifetime!

This trip is amazing but you really need to be of a good level.of fitness to complete it. Trigve will send a kit list video - take this very literally. The weather is very changeable & its wise to be prepared. It's very cold - even while cycling.

The trip was amazing! The location and route is breathtaking. Everything was well organised and the food was incredible. Do note that you need to have some mountain biking experience to truly enjoy the trip. There is always the option for ski mobile rescue if needed at additional cost. We were very lucky with the weather, the lodges along the way were an adventure. And the domes at Glod were fantastic. Ending each day with a sauna, what can one ask for more. The group was great. All in all a fab experience. I also highly recommend to add the dog sledding at the end of your trip.

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A truly unforgettable experience. The team were brilliant, and the whole trip exceeded expectations. Obviously conditions can be very variable and there were some 'Arctic' moments, but there were also moments of peace and tranquility we rarely get to experience in modern life. Standing outside at 2am at -11C watching the Northern Lights was unbelievable. The cycling was tough at times, but manageable for someone of decent fitness with a bit of experience on an MTB on soft ground. Amazing, amazing trip!

Excellent trip and location. Our local guide was exceptional and coped with many different needs of the group. Snow domes we’re amazing. All the food was excellent and all staff so helpful You need a lot of kit for this trip which adds to the cost but worth it to be so remote. Don’t underestimate the weather that far north……the cycle could be anything from a level 3 to 6 depending on wind/ snow conditions and this could mean you do not complete the exact itinerary. However our guide had good bad weather day options and also snow mobile rescue if needed at own client expense. Personally 10/10 for me! You need to be a competent mountain biker used to 30km rides with a small back back to cope well. Most essential piece of kit - good gloves and mittens, hat and thermal leg warmers made life great!