Women's Surf Camp in Arctic Norway: Five Days of Cold-Water Surfing at Unstad

A typical day starts with breakfast at the Beach House, then a surf session suited to the conditions — two to three hours in the water when it's safe, with an ISA-certified coach and a safety briefing before you paddle out. Wetsuit, boots, gloves and board are all supplied, so you're not hauling gear to the Arctic. Lunch is packed for the day, and dinner is a proper sit-down meal back at the house. Sauna and hot tub sessions follow the surf.

Across the week you also get technique workshops, a mobility and breathwork session built around the demands of cold-water surfing, and a talkstory session with Legends from Unstad. At least one session is photographed by a professional, weather permitting. There's a rest day built into the schedule, though the exact day depends on conditions — the camp runs to the swell and the weather rather than a fixed timetable.

What separates this from a warm-water surf camp is the setting and the setup. Unstad is the original home of Arctic surfing, and the camp runs out of the Beach House, which has a sauna, a jacuzzi and space to dry wetsuits. The cold is the point, not an obstacle: the breathwork and mobility work is there specifically to help you handle it.

The camp is designed by women, for women, and this is the first edition — the team describes it as the start of a tradition rather than an established fixture. That means a small group, a lot of attention in the water, and a week that leans on the shared house as much as the surf.

Meals are cooked fresh with local ingredients, with vegetarian options at every meal. Long breakfasts and post-surf dinners are treated as part of the day, not an afterthought.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in the Unstad cabins (twin share) - Daily surf sessions suited to conditions (2–3 hours in the water when safe) - ISA-certified coaches and a safety briefing each session - Wetsuit, boots, gloves and surfboard - Technique workshops - Mobility and breathwork session for cold-water surfing - Talkstory session with Legends from Unstad - Breakfast, packed lunch and hearty dinners (vegetarian options) - Sauna and hot tub sessions after surfing - Airport pickup and drop-off at Leknes (LKN) within set windows - All local transport during the programme - Professional photos from at least one session (weather-dependent)

What's not included

- Flights to and from Lofoten - Travel insurance (optional) - Personal snacks and drinks - Outdoor winter clothes - Thermal base layers, thick wool socks, beanie, gloves - Swimsuit or bikini for the sauna, reusable water bottle, headlamp - Ski-touring equipment (optional add-on)