Kanerva Karpo
Kanerva was born and raised in Finland. While traveling, she ended up in Svalbard. Like so many others, she was sold from the first moment the plane landed.– In Svalbard I found the landscape that soothes my soul. It is a perfect combination of snow, sea and mountains. Here we have a vast, beautiful nature with excellent outdoor possibilities. And not only that, we also have a special, international community with talented, warm-hearted people. These are the things I look forward to sharing with our guests – the things that make Svalbard a truly unique destination.Svalbard has been Kanerva’s year-round home for the last six years. For years she was living outside of Longyearbyen in a cabin, working home office in creative industry. Eventually she found herself spending all her free time outside and on the move, and wanted to put her knowledge and skills into use by switching into full time guiding.In summers you find her guiding onboard expedition ships. Work on the seas has taken her multiple times around Svalbard, to Antarctica, Patagonia, Iceland and Jan Mayen.In the winter she is glued to a snowmobile, and is eager to take you on an adventure in the winter wonderland.Kanerva is a true Svalbard nerd with many stories of nature, history, wildlife and Longyearbyen life to share.During her years in the North she’s done the SGO guide education and a wide variety courses. Everything from first aid and rescue to avalanches, glaciers, maritime safety and boat driving. She’s a curious mind, and always looking to learn new.– Choosing a favorite Svalbard season is difficult. In the dark season there is endless silence. The night sky is filled with stars and planets, satellites and northern lights. You can watch Milky Way from your backyard. In early spring the light comes back, painting the snow-covered landscape in pastels. Sunny spring means long snowmobile rides in sparkling snow under the midnight sun. And the summer is spent on seas among the busting wildlife and majestic landscapes. I recommend you to come and experience each of the seasons, and decide for yourself!