Svalbard Travel Guide
An arctic playground where there are more polar bears than people. This is a land of glaciers, the Northern Lights, the midnight sun, and frozen tundras. Svalbard is a remote Norwegian archipelago far north of mainland Norway, and you’ll be based in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town at 78° north.
We spent five days here in late June, and it stole our hearts, cruising out to an abandoned Russian mining town, kayaking past towering glaciers, and summiting a mountain in a snowstorm. With landscapes and seasons that shift dramatically throughout the year, you may just fall in love with Svalbard too.
Svalbard: At a Glance
Official Language: Norwegian
Population: 2,500
Largest Town: Longyearbyen
Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Power Outlet: Types C and F
Excursions in Svalbard
These articles showcase our experiences traveling through Svalbard, ranging from a glacier kayak excursion, hiking Hiorthfjellet, and wandering Longyearbyen.
Glacier Kayaking in Svalbard, Norway
Does the idea of kayaking in icy waters to get up close to a glacier sound like fun to you? If so, put the Icebreaker excursion with Better Moments on your list of things to do in Svalbard. We had a lot of awesome experiences in Svalbard, and this just may be the best one. […]
Kayaking Adventfjord and Hiking Hiorthfjellet: A One Day Adventure in Svalbard
Svalbard offers a wide range of adventure activites. Ride on a rib boat and search for walrus, kayak in front of an active glacier, or cruise out to an abandoned mining town. For a really cool one day adventure, how about kayaking across Adventfjord and then hiking to the summit of Hiorthfjellet, one of the […]
Cruising to Pyramiden, a Russian Ghost Town in Svalbard
Cruising to Pyramiden, an abandoned Russian mining town near Longyearbyen, was once one of the most popular excursions in Svalbard. Pyramiden was a thriving Soviet coal-mining settlement of over 1,000 people until it was abandoned in 1998, and today it sits frozen in time: a statue of Lenin still watches over the town square, and […]
12 Best Things to Do in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Longyearbyen is the world’s northernmost city. This is a town where the streets have no names, reindeer wander through town, and there are more snowmobiles than people. If you have plans to visit Svalbard, Longyearbyen is where you will eat, sleep, and fill your time in between arctic adventures. The best things to do in […]
Planning Your Trip to Svalbard
Here are a few articles to help you plan a trip to Svalbard. We cover how much you can expect a trip to cost, along with what to pack and how to have the best experience.
Svalbard Itinerary: 5 Days in the Arctic for First-Time Visitors
Svalbard. An Arctic playground where there are more polar bears than people, filled with glaciers, the Northern Lights, the midnight sun, and frozen tundra. It may look barren from a distance, but it is filled with arctic wildlife like reindeer, walrus, and polar bears. If you like the idea of exploring the great outdoors, your […]
Our Svalbard Budget: How Much Does it Cost to Visit Svalbard?
How much does it cost to visit Svalbard? The short answer: more than almost anywhere else we’ve traveled. We spent four days in Svalbard at the end of June 2018, cruising to an abandoned Russian mining town, kayaking past an active glacier, and hiking above Longyearbyen with a rifle-carrying guide (you can read our full […]
Svalbard Packing List: What to Pack for the Summer Months
One of the biggest questions we had while planning our trip to Svalbard was “what do we pack?” Svalbard is located so far north that it’s easy to assume that it will be ice-cold all year round. Good news! That’s not the case, at least not during the summer months. Even so, we packed an […]
Top Experiences in Svalbard
Hike to the Summit of Hiorthfjellet. For an awesome one-day adventure, consider completing Svalbard’s “Arctic Challenge”. From Longyearbyen, you will kayak across Adventfjorden and hike to the summit of Hiorthfjellet, a nearby peak that dominates the view from town. It’s the perfect summer adventure for those wanting to get active in Svalbard.
Kayak up to a Glacier. One of the coolest experiences to have during Svalbard’s summer, join a tour as you paddle alongside a towering glacier, drift past floating ice chunks, and listen for the crash of falling glacial ice.
Dog Sledding. Enjoyed year-round in Svalbard, board your sled and tour the surrounding arctic, with a chance to spend extra time with the dogs after your ride.
Witness the Beauty of the Northern Lights. With Svalbard’s unique polar night during the winter months, the region becomes a great place to view the Northern Lights at any time of day.
Cruise along Svalbard’s Coastline. From sailing past glaciers to having close-up encounters with Svalbard’s marine life, boat tours are offered from early spring until early December.
Search for Polar Bears. Few experiences compare to spotting a polar bear in its natural Arctic habitat. For the best opportunity, we recommend joining a multi-day cruise around the archipelago.
The Abandoned Town of Pyramiden. One of the best ghost towns to see in the world, enjoy a chance to walk the abandoned streets and buildings that have fallen into disrepair.
Explore Svalbard via Snowmobile. Dart across the snow-covered terrain to visit the untapped reaches of Svalbard’s wilderness. Tours can last for several hours or be run as multi-day adventures.
Take a Ski-Based Winter Expedition. Strap on a pair of skis during Svalbard’s “sunny winter” season and traverse the surrounding arctic. Opt for a short trip across gentle terrain, or consider a challenge by joining a two-week-long expedition up to mountain peaks.
Explore Longyearbyen. The world’s northernmost city and Svalbard’s largest town, spend your time in the nearby museums, shopping, visit a brewery, and catch a glimpse of reindeer wandering through town.
ATV Safari. Head into the frozen landscape for a chance to spot animal life and, depending on the season, the Northern Lights.
Explore an Ice Cave. Formed by the melting waters within a glacier, join a tour to wander the numerous narrow passages and marvel at the vibrant colors within.
The Three Seasons of Svalbard
Svalbard sits within the arctic circle, centered at 78° north latitude. As a result, you’ll find a much more unique set of seasons here than most other places in the world, with periods of prolonged darkness and sunlight that can last for months on end.
Svalbard will cycle through three seasons in a year: the polar summer, northern lights winter, and sunny winter. Depending on the season, the experiences you can have in Svalbard differ dramatically. Below we provide an overview of each season along with the top experiences for each.
Polar Summer (May 17 – Sept 30). A time of eternal sun, snow begins to melt and visitors will find warmer temperatures and the greatest number of outdoor activities. From mid-April to late August, experience the midnight sun, a roughly four-month-long period where the sun does not drop below the horizon.
Experiences:
- Hiking
- Glacier kayaking
- Dog sledding
- Boat cruises
- Tour Pyramiden
- ATV Safari
Northern Lights Winter (Oct 1 – Feb 28). The antithesis of Svalbard’s polar summer, you’ll experience a season of almost eternal darkness, except for brief periods of twilight in the middle of the day (sounds a little weird right?). This is the best time to view the Northern Lights, as well as cozy up in town.
Experiences:
- Dog sledding
- View the Northern Lights
- Snowmobile tours
- ATV Safari
- Ice Cave visits
Sunny Winter (March 1 – May 16). The transition period between dark winters and a summer of eternal sun, Svalbard changes rapidly over this period. Temperature increases along with daylight hours, and multi-day expeditions out through the snow become more common.
Experiences:
- Dog sledding
- Boat cruises
- Tour Pyramiden
- Snowmobile tours
- Ski Expeditions
- ATV Safari
- Ice Cave visits
Best Time to Visit Svalbard
We visited in late June, right in the heart of the polar summer, and the eternal daylight took some adjusting to, but it meant we could hike, kayak, and chase down excursions well into what would normally be “evening” without losing the light. If we had to pick one season to recommend, it’s this one: you get the widest range of activities, the best odds of spotting wildlife, and that surreal never-ending sun.
If Northern Lights are the priority, aim for the Northern Lights winter season instead. The trade-off is a much narrower activity list and far colder conditions.
The graphs below depict the average monthly temperatures and precipitation for the town of Longyearbyen, which will help you plan your trip to Svalbard.
Continue Planning Your Norway Trip
Svalbard makes an unforgettable add-on to a longer Norway trip. If you’re also exploring the mainland, our Norway Travel Guide covers the fjords, the Lofoten Islands, and Norway’s best hikes to help you build out the rest of your itinerary.
Norway Travel Guide: Fjords, Lofoten Islands & Svalbard
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20 Best Things to Do in Norway: Fjords, Lofoten & Svalbard
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