Spitsbergen travel guide
The island of Spitsbergen is the Svalbard archipelago’s largest – and is home to its only town. The frontier-like Longyearbyen is doubly cut off: firstly in its remoteness, and secondly because it is surrounded by polar bears, meaning anyone venturing beyond its boundaries must bring with them a rifle – or an armed guide. Most explore by sea, but there are a few land based trips now too, ideal for those who want a truly wild experience of seeing the Northern Lights or, during the slightly longer days around March, to enjoy wilderness experiences such as husky mushing.
The jagged outline of the Svalbard Archipelago is the final scrap of land between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Its hardy residents are easily outnumbered by polar bears.
Explore inlets, fjords and islets onboard a sailboat or ice-strengthened survey vessel, with schedules dictated not by written itineraries but by the wind and waves, dispersing ice floes and snowmelt. A breaching whale merits a detour, as do Arctic foxes, bounding along the tundra. A Spitsbergen holiday will transport you entirely from the trappings of the modern world.
Our Spitsbergen Holidays
Polar bear cruise in Spitsbergen
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
From
€3250
8 days
ex flights
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
From
£2650 to £9200
8 days
ex flights
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
From
€2450 to €5150
8 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen mushing expedition
Explore the Telegraph route to Isfjord Radio
From
NKr26990
5 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen short break
Boat safari and wilderness experiences at Spitsbergen
From
NKr9990
3 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen wildlife cruises
Encounters with glaciers, polar bears and icebergs.
From
£2799 to £5899
8 days
ex flights
Arctic Spitsbergen cruise, 11 day expedition
Discover the essence of the Arctic
From
£5200 to £8400
11 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
From
£4330 to £5370
12 days
ex flights
Arctic diving & Polar Bear Watching Expedition
Awe-inspiring for divers & non-divers
From
€3790
8 days
ex flights
Arctic sailing holiday around Spitsbergen
Unique opportunity to be close to arctic wildlife and nature
From
€3900 to €4200
11 days
ex flights
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
From
£7595
15 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
From
£6590
14 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen summer holiday, glaciers of Isfjorden
Arctic summer holiday - the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard
From
£2455
7 days
inc UK flights
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
From
£2399 to £5149
8 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
From
£1133 to £1295
6 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen activity holiday
Blue ice glacier walk, kayaking, hiking at Spitsbergen
From
NKr17990
5 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen cruise to the Arctic
Circumnavigate the jewel of the High Arctic
From
US $0
11 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen wildlife cruise in the Arctic
Venture to an intoxicating land of ice and tundra
From
£6000 to £6300
13 days
ex flights
Arctic expedition cruise, circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
Discover incredible wildlife and glaciers on this Arctic Voyage
From
£6000 to £13900
13 days
ex flights
Arctic cruise adventure holiday
Sail from Spitsbergen to Greenland on an arctic adventure
From
£4349
16 days
ex flights
Lofoten Islands and Svalbard northern lights safari
Take in the Arctic beauty on this exhilarating adventure
From
£4995
8 days
ex flights
Svalbard and Northern Lights holiday
Northern lights activities included hotel at Spitsbergen
From
NKr6800 to NKr7390
4 days
ex flights
SPITSBERGEN IS/ISN'T
Spitsbergen is...
home to the most northerly statue of Lenin, in the former Soviet mining town of Pyramiden.
Spitsbergen isn’t...
the place to go if you like to wander off for a stroll by yourself. Here be polar bears…
What does a Spitsbergen trip entail?
Journey to Longyearbyen
Journey to Longyearbyen
It’s a long way to Longyearbyen, the main town of Spitsbergen Island which is, in itself, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Once you get to Oslo, it is another three hour flight up to the northernmost town on the planet. Although Svalbard is under Norwegian sovereignty, it is also regulated by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which gives 46 signatory nations commercial rights here. So even if you fly in from Norway, you have to go through international arrivals and customs, reminding you that this part of the world is a whole other ball game. There is then a 10 minute shuttle bus from the airport terminal into the town centre. Whether you are going on a land based or small ship cruise holiday in Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen will be your starting point.
What is Longyearbyen like?
It is good to have at least a day here before going off on adventures, to switch your brain from the unremarkable events of the everyday to the unbelievable world of the Arctic extremes. If you are on a small ship cruise you will probably board straight away and leave that night; if you are on a land based holiday you will start off at a hotel in Longyearbyen. This is a one main street town, with a harbour and a handful of traditional Norwegian houses. It has a population of just over 2,000, and its name comes not from the fact that it could feel like a long year if you were up here for all of it, but from John Munro Longyear who founded the mining industry here in 1906.
Longyearbyen is tucked into a valley of the Longyearelva River, on the shores of Adventfjorden, and it has stunning views of snow covered mountains, glaciers and icy seas depending on the time of year, of course. It is also the land of polar bears, and is zoned off into safe and unsafe areas. The sign with a polar bear shows that you have left the safe zone. If you do, it is the law to carry a firearm (you must possess a licence in your own home country) or be accompanied by someone who is armed. Polar bears can wander into town any time of year, and for this reason, no one locks their car or building doors so that people can quickly find safety if necessary. The town can be busy during giant cruise ship season, May until August, when the seas melt and allow access.
Organised tours to Spitsbergen and Longyearbyen usually opt for the pretty high end option of accommodation, such as Base Camp Spitsbergen which has been designed to have an old fashioned trapper or explorer feel about it.
Our top Spitsbergen Holiday
Polar bear cruise in Spitsbergen
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
From
€3250
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 27 May, 3 Jun, 10 Jun, 17 Jun
2019: 27 May, 3 Jun, 10 Jun, 17 Jun
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Spitsbergen or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
Exploring by water
Exploring by water
Small ship cruises around Spitsbergen usually board in Longyearbyen, with various vessels on offer as a means to explore these great Arctic waters. These include a traditional schooner sailing boat, an expedition boat or a modern small cruise ship with lecture facilities, Zodiac outings and plenty of wildlife viewing facilities. You can also combine land and sea by heading to the most northerly accessible point of Nordenskiöld glacier on land, but then exploring beyond that by sea kayak. Or, weather permitting, and certainly not until the ice has melted, you can access this famous glacier by open RIB boat from Longyearbyen. Small ship cruises around Spitsbergen take place between May and August.
Exploring on land
Exploring on land
From Longyearbyen, you head out on land based expeditions usually on husky sleds or snowmobiles, or hiking in the summer season, and stay in a variety of accommodation. From traditional wooden teepee style huts which were once hunting cabins, to a converted radio station with an expert chef preparing the finest of cuisine. The northernmost lodge can be found at Nordenskiöld, which is perfect for visiting the eponymous glacier. These are active expeditions, whether you are being full on husky mushers, cross country skiing to see fjords or snowshoeing over white valleys.
More about Spitsbergen
The best time to visit Spitsbergen is when the sun reappears and the pack ice begins to melt, letting ships pass. Read on for more details…
Our Spitsbergen map and highlights are not only about great wildlife watching opportunities around Spitsbergen, but also some amazing winter wilderness activities…
Land based trips on Spitsbergen take place all year round. Whether you are going for the Aurora, adventure or awesome trekking, Spitsbergen is always sublime...
Taking a small ship cruise around Spitsbergen is the most popular way to go, and another world from giant cruise liners taking over Longyearbyen. Read on to cruise, not bruise...
People who have been to Spitsbergen are always keen to share their tips. We have some great ones here, so do read on…
From giant cruise liners to culture, wildlife watching to polar bear safety, we have plenty of issues to discuss when it comes to Spitsbergen. Do read on...
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: Anette Holmberg [Polar bear: Christopher Michel]
[Longyearbyen - night: Christer van der Meeren]
[Longyearbyen - view from above: Guillaume Baviere]
[Polar bear warning sign: Mike Goad]
[Small ship: Guillaume Baviere]
[Snow mobiles: Bernt Rostad]
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