Europe

Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:

• less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)

• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

For the latest details on visiting countries within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), please check the UK Government website

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations.

GHIC / Medical cover

UK residents should carry a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland. This is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is vital when travelling overseas.

The unit of currency in Norway is the Norwegian Krone.

Getting some additional exercise before coming on an active holiday makes a lot of sense. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience.

You should be aerobically fit and comfortable with walking for 6 hours for consecutive days. Hill walking, with a good amount of ascent and descent, is the best training. Running, cycling, swimming or using a rowing machine, are also good for developing cardiovascular fitness and stamina.

The ski-touring season in northern Sweden extends from February to May. The ambient daytime temperatures are still low - several degrees below freezing - though, because the air is so dry here, it does not seem so cold. During the day the sun warms the snow, causing a little softening and then at night it re-freezes to form a crust which is perfect for skiing. Long, sunny days are quite usual at this season, although it is also possible that we might encounter short-lived snow storms.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates direct from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

The following checklist should help you with your packing.  Note: winter cycling clothing is excellent apparel for cross-country skiing.

YOU SHOULD BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

• Approach shoes / Snow boots or walking shoes
• Rucksack – 25 to 30 litres maximum**
• Waterproof jacketWaterproof overtrousers. Sallopettes are not needed.
• Trousers – lightweight, waterproof and warm.
• Thermal baselayer - leggings
• Thermal top – long sleeved
• Thin fleece top – long sleeved
• Waistcoat/Gilet – fleece/windstopper
• Thermal gloves
• Warm and waterproof gloves (Over-mittens can also be useful on cold days)
• Warm hat
• Sunhat
• Scarf or buff for neck
• Head/ear band
• Warm socks (2 or 3 pairs)
• Gaiters
• Comfortable underwear/sports bras for ladies (not wired)
• Sunglasses
• Goggles – or Nordic Ski Visor
• Water container (1 litre) NB. Drinks tubes and bottles stowed on the outside of your rucksack usually freeze in winter (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)
• Small thermos flask
• Whistle
• Toilet paper and small pack of hand wipes
• Headtorch and spare batteries
• Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)
• Clothing for use in hotels
• Swimming costume – for sauna and swimming pools
• Basic First Aid Kit consisting of: throat lozenges, painkillers (anti-inflammatory), antiseptic cream/spray, plasters, blister treatment/tape, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite).

CROSS COUNTRY SKI EQUIPMENT*

• Cross-country ski boots*
• Cross-country skis*
• Ski poles*

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL:

• Camera, media, spare batteries
• Repair kit – (eg. needle, thread, duct tape)
• Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

NOTES**

On this tour you will only need to carry a daysack whilst skiing. Ideally, this should be large enough to stow any warm and bulky clothing, which you may want to shed as you warm up. It must also have ski loops or ties with an extra couple of bungee cords or a ski tie/strap to enable you to strap your skis to your daysack in case you need to walk for periods of time.

SKIS:

This trip uses ‘classic’ style track skis. If you are bringing your own skis they must fit in the tracks, so should be a maximum of 66mm at their widest point. You can use track skis that are ‘waxing’, ‘fishscale’ or ‘skintec’. You can also use track skis with a metal edge, or half metal edge. 

SKI HIRE*:

Cross country skiing equipment, which includes ‘classic’ style track skis with a half-metal edge which makes it easier to control your speed and direction, can be hired locally. The boots used with these types of skis are more supportive as they are more like a ‘hiking’ boot. The skis will most likely be the new generation of ‘skintec’ skis with a half metal edge, such as the Asnes Mountain Race 48 Skin. The cost of ski hire and the delivery of your skis to the first hotel will be around 850NOK for 6 days hire. This also includes the cost of returning the equipment to the hire shop at the end of the trek. Payment can be made directly by cash or credit card. All equipment hire must be arranged in advance, as it will be necessary to pre-order correct sizes. Please contact our office if you wish to arrange equipment hire. We will need to know your height, weight, normal shoe size (you must give us your everyday shoe size and not your personal adjustment for wearing boots) and the measurement of your height up to your armpits (for ski pole hire). Please note you will be liable for any damage caused to the specialist equipment due to negligence.

Many of the Equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive 12.5% discount voucher from Cotswold Outdoor and other retailers.
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