Christian Bruttel

Founder & CEO

Growing up in the charming town of Villingen in the Black Forest (southwestern Germany), Christian discovered his interest in foreign cultures and long distant travelling, before and during his teacher training.

After completing his second state examination, he followed a long-growing fascination for the Arctic to Svalbard. He completed his studies to become an Arctic Nature Guide in 2013. Since then, he has been living in Longyearbyen and working as a guide all over Svalbard.

He finds his greatest joy in making the Arctic nature and stunning landscapes accessible to people that would otherwise remain inaccessible to them. He brings them closer to the beauty and fragility of the ecosystem.

Fabienne Meier

Office & Guide

Fabienne was born and raised in Switzerland - near Zurich. From an early age she spent a lot of time in nature. Skiing and snowboarding or hiking and climbing in the Alps. The perfect balance to her everyday life with education, work and synchronized skating.

After ten years in the financial industry, she decided to quit her job and fulfill a long-awaited dream: Backpacking around the world. Fabienne visited 13 countries on this trip - and fell in love with the world even more. New countries, cultures and languages arouse her curiosity and fill her with joy. Following the call of the Nordic nature, Fabienne worked as a diving guide in Iceland for one year before she was drawn further and moved to Svalbard.

The indescribable peace and vastness of the Arctic still captivates her. Sharing this experience with others, being part of making people's dreams come true, is something very special for Fabienne and a unique experience every time.

Sylvia Groß

Guide-Manager & IT

Born and raised in Bonn, Sylvia traveled north for the first time in 2012 - and she planned to spend a lot more time there.

After her studies, she finally turned her back on Germany in 2017 to live and work permanently in the Arctic. So she already has two winters behind her as a dog sled guide in Finland, lived in remote East Greenland with the Inuit, sailed in the pack ice and wintered at 78°N in a tent.

In 2019 she finished her one-year study to become an Arctic Nature Guide (ANG) on Svalbard and when she is not on ships in the Arctic and Antarctic, she takes guests on journeys into the depths of Svalbard and likes to share her fascination for the vastness, silence and magic of the far north.

Katja Scholz

Ship Staffing & Guide

Although Katja is a native of southern Lower Saxony, she has always had a keen interest in getting to know and discovering other exciting places, people and cultures.

Professionally, she was first drawn to Great Britain, before a chance encounter during a business trip brought her to Spitsbergen. A holiday turned into weeks and later a move to Longyearbyen, where Katja felt truly at home for the first time.

Being outdoors and in nature is simply the greatest thing for her. Katja finds it especially great to go on long hikes or to observe animals from the ship and to let her eyes wander across the wide landscape.

She likes life reduced to the essentials, with a little comfort and a lot of nature - because what does it take to be really happy?

Marie Sieberns

Guide

Marie grew up in Lübeck, Germany close to the Baltic Sea. In the summer she would spend her time there or at the North Sea. From an early age, she enjoyed being near the water and exploring the life in and around it. During her studies in Biology and later in Biological Oceanography, she expanded her knowledge about the amazing world around us, especially in the ocean. She started diving and soon became a scientific diver, opening a new perspective to the amazing underwater world.

Her first contact with northern latitudes was by visiting Iceland and Canada working and traveling for 9 months after finishing school. Based on that experience, she wanted to learn more about the Arctic and get involved with research. This brought her to Svalbard where she worked as an intern in the biology department at the University Centre in Svalbard, taking samples from a boat around the archipelago. Being so fascinated by the unique environment, she stayed and continued to work at UNIS. In her free time, she enjoys being outside with her camera, hiking, kayaking, skiing, or ice climbing. Svalbard changes from season to season and has such different facets that she want to share with her guests.

Kathrin Hartrampf

Office

Adventure, nature, and animals have shaped Kathrin's life from the very beginning. Growing up with Saxon Switzerland and the Ore Mountains right on her doorstep, she felt at home outdoors from an early age. After graduating as an actress, she worked as a freelancer for many years, based anywhere she wanted. Traveling, creative work in content and marketing, photography, and filmmaking—especially of landscapes and wildlife—Adventure, nature, and animals have shaped Kathrin's life from the very beginning. Growing up with Saxon Switzerland and the Ore Mountains right on her doorstep, she felt at home outdoors from an early age. After graduating as an actress, she worked as a freelancer for many years, based anywhere she wanted. Traveling, creative work in content and marketing, photography, and filmmaking—especially of landscapes and wildlife—suited her perfectly.

A trip to Tromsø became a turning point. The far north, its special light, and the rugged, untamed nature captivated her. As a tour guide in the North Cape region, her relationship with the Arctic deepened until she felt the desire to move even further north and discover Spitsbergen.

In her free time, Kathrin loves to get out and about: hiking, kayaking, sailing, skiing, or bouldering. She even enjoys unusual places to sleep, such as caves—the main thing is to be active, enjoy the fresh air, and explore.

Patrick Kunzet

Guide

Patrick grew up near Munich and thus had the Alps almost in his backyard. Accordingly, he was often drawn south to pursue various sporting activities - be it hiking or mountain biking. During his sports science studies in Munich, he already started working as a guide: in winter, he led his guests on snowshoes through snowy winter landscapes, and in summer he exchanged the snowshoes for (rafting) boats.

After some travels - among others through Canada and Iceland - Patrick slowly but surely turned his head towards the beauty of Nordic landscapes and the nature there. Therefore, he first completed a semester abroad in Oslo, where he studied "Friluftsliv" (outdoor life) and travelled through Norway. After studying sports science, he then went to the far north to study to become an "Arctic Nature Guide" on Svalbard.

Since then, he has been able to share his passion for the north and its unique nature with his guests, making these unique experiences in a unique environment possible. Patrick loves being out and about in the breathtaking beauty of the Arctic wilderness, whether on foot, kayak or ski. But it is also the moments of silence and tranquillity in the wonderful nature that he cherishes and enjoys.

Josephine Hübner

Guide

Josephine is originally from northern Germany and is currently writing her master’s thesis in Marine Geology. Although she always thought she came from the "true North," her journey took her even farther north in 2023 – to Svalbard. There, she quickly fell in love not only with the stunning nature but also with the people. Whether ski touring, hiking, exploring ice caves, or riding a snowmobile – she loves discovering the island in the company of great people.

Having grown up on a ship, she’s always been a true “water child” – and by now, she’s found out that water in its frozen form isn’t all that bad either.

Jan Eilert

Guide

Jan originally comes from the area near Lübeck, Germany. His passion for nature started early — he spent ten years with the Scouts and took part in numerous camping trips and outdoor expeditions.

After completing his training as an interior decorator, his path led him further north. Drawn by his fascination for Arctic regions, he moved to Svalbard, where he began working at the northernmost carpentry workshop in the world.

When Jan isn’t in the workshop, you’ll find him out exploring the Arctic tundra — on foot, by dog sled, or snowmobile. With great enthusiasm, he shares the breathtaking nature and rich history of Svalbard with visitors from around the world.

Sibylle Krause

Guide

Sibylle grew up in the rural region of Sauerland, Germany, where she spent a lot of time in nature. Every year, she and her family would go on a two-week cycling trip through Germany. Later, during a student exchange year in Mexico, she discovered her love for the mountains—a passion she was able to share with her family as well.

After finishing school, she chose to study geophysics, which first brought her to Svalbard in 2023. The landscape immediately captivated her—and still does to this day. She’s always excited to explore new mountains and valleys on foot, with touring skis, or by snowmobile. What brings her the greatest joy is sharing this fascination with others and helping them discover the magic of Svalbard—especially in those moments when she sees their eyes start to sparkle.

Ronja Fastner

Guide

Ronja grew up south of Munich, with the mountains right on her doorstep. Even as a child, she loved being outdoors—hiking, climbing, or skiing.

Her passion for nature and travel led her to study Leisure and Tourism Management. After completing her bachelor's degree, she moved to Sweden to work as a guide—her first step toward the North. There, she discovered her enthusiasm for Scandinavia. A year later, she continued on to Norway, where she studied Friluftsliv, the Norwegian philosophy of outdoor life.

Her journey north didn’t stop there: in 2024, she moved to Svalbard to study Arctic Nature Guiding. Since then, Ronja can be found out in the wide open landscapes of Spitsbergen—by kayak, on foot, or on touring skis. She loves sharing the peace, power, and beauty of this environment with others.

Christel de Jong

Guide

Christel is a sailor from the northern Netherlands who has spent the last decade working on traditional sailing ships across Europe. When she's not sailing professionally, you can find her on her own boat in Harlingen or in the mountains, camping with her minivan to go skiing, climbing, or hiking.

In 2022, Christel visited Svalbard for the first time aboard the tall ship Antigua. The unique blend of sea, mountains, and wilderness left a lasting impression. Captivated by the idea of living in such a place, she decided to return in 2025 to join the Spitzbergen Reisen team to share their passion in showing this fascinating island to others.