Svalbard presents itself in ever-changing form as the seasons pass. From mid-November to mid-January there is absolute darkness. Only the moon, the stars and the dancing northern lights give light. In February the sun returns and with the famous light of the "Blue Hours" it gets steadily brighter on Svalbard and the chance of seeing Northern Lights decreases. March offers wonderful light moods with sunrises and sunsets lasting for hours. From the end of March it doesn't get really dark anymore and from April 21st the sun doesn't set at all. Mostly stable weather and snow conditions allow long tours into the vast, deep snowy wilderness during this time. In May the snow disappears. Flocks of migratory birds populate the archipelago and the midnight sun allows tours at any time of the day or night. Only at the end of August it starts to get darker again. Even though the first snowfalls and autumn storms are to be expected, the low sun gilds the autumn landscape. At the end of October the dark season begins again.

Further information: Svalbard seasons

We cannot guarantee an encounter with the polar bear - the king of the Arctic! There is a possibility of a sighting on each of our tours. The longer you are out, the more time and patience you bring on a trip, the higher the chances of such a breathtaking encounter. But in general it can be said that polar bears like to stay on ice and on the cold coasts of Svalbard. So with plenty of time in the north and east of Svalbard, the chances improve. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the animals are not fed, are not GPS tracked and we can never plan an encounter.

In winter as well as in summer we recommend the "onion principle" when it comes to clothing. Several layers of wool and an outer windproof and waterproof layer are sufficient. Hat and gloves and good footwear are essential. A detailed list can be found in our packing list, which we provide at the time of booking.

If extreme expedition equipment is required for tours, then this will be provided by us or our partners.

The weather on Svalbard is very changeable and it is not uncommon to experience different seasons during one day. Therefore, it is necessary to be prepared for any weather when you go out.

If you want to see Svalbard and its flowers, the best time to travel is during the summer months. Once the snow has melted enough, the flora becomes more and more visible. Different species can be discovered and admired. Svalbard's flora is incredibly diverse and shows this most clearly from mid-June to early August.

Animals can be discovered on Spitsbergen all year round. Be it the Svalbard reindeer, the Arctic fox or with a bit of luck the polar bear...in summer thousands and thousands of bird flocks and various whales are added, which fill Svalbard with a lot of life. Whether on foot, by snowmobile, kayak or a ship - if you go through nature with open eyes and a little patience, you will discover so many things. Unfortunately, we cannot give a guarantee for a specific sighting.

The road network here on Svalbard is very limited. The total distance of about 50km just covers the settlement of Longyearbyen and its immediate surroundings. It is not possible to drive by car to neighboring settlements, because there is simply no road there. In winter, the closed snow cover allows to travel by snowmobile outside Longyearbyen and in summer you can get to Barentsburg, Pyramiden or even around the whole of Svalbard by boat.

Renting a car on Svalbard is only worthwhile in exceptional cases.

No. If you are traveling by motorhome in northern Norway and plan a side trip to Spitsbergen, then the motorhome must (ideally) be parked in Tromsø. There are daily flights from Tromsø to Longyearbyen.

Here on Svalbard there is a suitable accommodation for everyone. Whether in a hostel, guesthouse, private lodge or hotel. In the different categories everyone will find the ideal accommodation for them.

Find out more at: Accommodations

We are happy to book your favorite accommodation together with your individually planned program.

In order to see the Northern Lights, several factors must aline in our favour. It needs darkness, a clear sky and a solar storm, that erupts from the sun and travels through the universe, finally hitting earth. If these conditions are met, then even here so far north of the Arctic Circle, there is the possibility to see northern lights. From mid-September until the end of March we have long enough dark nights to see this magical spectacle in the sky. From mid November until end of January, during the polar night, northern lights can even be observed in day time, if the other two conditions are met.

Svalbard is Norwegian administered, but is outside the Schengen area. Therefore, all travelers to Svalbard must undergo an identity check. This regulation also applies to Norwegian nationals. More information can be found here:

Arrival

No, you do not need a visa to enter Svalbard. However, it is necessary to make sure before the trip if there is a visa requirement for Norway.

I.e. if you come from a country that requires a visa for entry to Norway, a return transit visa must be available. This is only relevant if the trip to Svalbard is going via the Norwegian mainland.

The official currency here on Svalbard is the Norwegian Krone (NOK), but everyday life works mainly cashless. Most stores accept Euro, USD or GBP. However, since the currency exchange rate is extremely poor, we do not encourage cash payments.

There is no bank and also the ATM is history. So no cash can be withdrawn on site.

We therefore recommend to bring cash from home or to pay on the spot by credit or debit card.

If no private transfer is organized, there is a possibility to get to the city by cab or the airport bus.

Airport shuttle:

The bus schedule is adjusted to the flight schedule and the bus stops at almost all hotels. It is possible to pay on the bus with NOK or credit card. No foreign currencies are accepted.

The cost for the airport bus is:

Adults: 75 NOK

Students: 50 NOK

Children: 25 NOK

Cab:

1-4 persons: NOK 750

5-8 persons: NOK 850.-

9-12 persons: NOK 1'050.-

(Prices without guarantee.)

There is a possibility to admire the Global Seed Vault from the outside. Unfortunately, access is not possible. There is a detailed information board at the Svalbard Museum with photos, sketches and a model of the seed storage.

When traveling to Svalbard, it is quite sufficient to equip yourself with the conventional skiing equipment. Good shoes, gloves and hat are required.

Here in Longyearbyen you can buy good outdoor clothing tax-free in various stores.

Additional equipment such as skis, weapons or camping equipment can be rented in various stores. For further information or advice, please contact us.

To drive a snowmobile or ATV on Svalbard, a valid driver's license is required. All driving licenses that fall under the "Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968" are recognized. Germany, Austria and Switzerland have signed this agreement. Here you can find a list of all states that fall under this act:

https://treaties.un.org

If your country is not listed here, your driver's license may still be valid with a certain addendum. Please check for your individual case if your driver's license is valid on Spitsbergen.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The space for your luggage varies on the different ships. In principle, however, it can be said that in each cabin there is enough space to accommodate the clothes you bring. If the suitcase or bag can not be stored directly in the cabin, then there is the possibility to store it somewhere else in the ship, so that you have more space in your cabin.

Each cabin is equipped with a closet, there is smaller storage space in drawers or compartments and there are various hooks distributed in the room.

Weather conditions in the Arctic are very changeable and usually different seasons in one day are not uncommon. Besides wonderful warm and sunny hours, in short T-shirt weather, there are also cold and windy days.

In general, it should be noted that you should dress in the so-called "onion principle" when traveling here on Svalbard. Several layers of clothing, so you can just take something off when you get too warm and put something on when the wind comes up or the sun disappears behind clouds.

When traveling on Svalbard, we may well experience some rougher seas. This will mostly be when navigating between the islands. Once we are in a sheltered bay we escape heavy seas.

If you are prone to seasickness we recommend that you equip yourself with pills or at least acupressure bands for this trip.

If you would like to occupy a single room cabin on the trip, then you will have to pay a surcharge.

If you would like to share a cabin, but do not have a travel companion, then most operators offer the possibility to share the cabin with another same-sex traveler. In this case, there is no extra charge. Most of the time, these encounters with like-minded people are very enjoyable and, with a little luck, you may even have the cabin to yourself if no other guest with the same desires could be found.

Some ships also offer explicit single cabins, which are smaller and then do not stand out so much in terms of price.

Expedition tours include all activities on board in the tour price. Expedition trips differ from cruise trips mainly by these activities on board. The ship is your accommodation for the duration of the trip and there are several daily activities, such as Zodiac drives, hikes or visits to a settlement, which do not have to be booked additionally.

Additional costs on board may be incurred for alcohol consumption, souvernirs or tips for the crew and guides.

If there is an additional pre- or post-program to extend your trip, this must be booked separately.

No. A formal dress is not required at any time during the expeditions we organize.

On the ships there is a small home apothecary, which is needed for first aid missions. It is incredibly important that personal medications are brought on board! The procurement of specific medicines is potentially possible in Longyearbyen in the pharmacy or in the hospital, but incredibly inconvenient.

No. On the smaller ships we travel with, there is no additional doctor on board. The medical treatment of minor incidents is no problem. The crew as well as the guides have extensive first aid training.

As soon as a simple medical treatment is not enough, the local hospital and the SAR team will be contacted and a helicopter evacuation initiated, if necessary.

Good health is essential for this trip. To participate in all activities it is important to be able to get in and out of a zodiac without problems and to be good on foot in different terrains.

However, there are always different options on land, so instead of a strenuous hike you can also choose an easier walk.

This is a valid question and although the experienced guides will do everything possible to fulfill this wish, we cannot guarantee this.

Polar bears are at home here on Svalbard and there are various sightings throughout the year. On a expedition cruise, there are several possibilities to see a polar bear and if everyone helps scouting, the chances are increased tremendously.

It is important that a good and sufficient travel insurance is in place for an expedition cruise. This is the responsibility of the participant. We also recommend that you have travel interruption insurance and travel cancellation insurance. This is in case of an unexpected trip interruption during an expedition.

No. Wifi on board is not common on the smaller ships. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that one can send e-mails during the expedition. In addition, as soon as we leave Longyearbyen, we are no longer on the cell phone network.

It is therefore worthwhile to check in with your loved ones at home before starting the trip and enjoy the expedition with the motto: "No news, good news".

No, you do not need a visa to enter Svalbard.

However, since the journey by plane always goes via Oslo, you must check whether there is a visa requirement for your home country for entry into Norway. If yes, a return transit visa must be available for the transit.

If the journey by ship or charter flight does not take place via the Norwegian mainland, these conditions do not apply.

The official currency here on Svalbard is the Norwegian Krone (NOK), but everyday life works mainly cashless. Most stores accept Euro, USD or GBP. However, since the currency exchange rate is extremely poor, we do not encourage cash payments.

There is no bank and also the ATM is history. So no cash can be withdrawn on site.

We therefore recommend to bring cash from home or to pay on the spot by credit or debit card.

No, there are no rubber boots on board that can be rented. The ships we work with are too small for that.

Rubber boots are the ideal footwear for expedition cruises and are highly recommended for such a tour. With a good, insulated and solid sole, they bring you dry on land and even hikes can be managed with this footwear.

If you don't have space in your luggage to pack rubber boots, you can rent them here with us.

More infos you can find here: LINK https://spitzbergen-reisen.no/en/info/rubber-boots|Rubber Boots]