Things to do in

Longyearbyen

Your Arctic adventure begins with pickup from Longyearbyen and travels out into the Advent Valley to Camp Barentz, in the midst of the tundra. Upon arrival, meet your friendly guide and listen to a brief safety induction about the camp before heading inside the cozy log cabin where an open fire creates the most blissful atmosphere. Enjoy a delicious welcome drink, then settle in for story time as you listen to your hosts share unique tales and anecdotes about life in the Arctic. Learn about the discoverer of Svalbard, Willem Barentz, then watch an informative and interesting presentation about the King of the Arctic, the polar bear. Throughout the evening, the smells of a traditional reindeer and root vegetable soup will fill the cabin as its cooked over an open fire. When it’s ready, tuck into this hearty dish and don’t be afraid to ask for second servings! Beer, wine, and soft drinks are also served, as well as a delicious chocolate dessert and bonfire coffee. At the end of the evening, the bus takes you back to civilization, bursting with new knowledge and a full belly.

This northern lights hunt by snowcat is the perfect way to get off the beaten track and look for the aurora in comfort, as your guide drives you over the frozen, snow-covered tundra. Tracked vehicles, such as the specially built snowcat, can visit areas that are otherwise only accessible by snowmobile, dogsled, or skis. The snowcat will pick you up at the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen, conveniently located in central Longyearbyen. After a quick safety briefing from the guide, your adventure begins as the snowcat makes its way straight out of town, away from the light pollution from the street lights and houses, and into the Advent Valley. Did you know that between mid November and January, you can catch the northern lights at any time of day? Svalbard is the only place in the world you can easily visit to experience the Polar Night, when the day is as dark as night. This means amazing chances for aurora viewings, no matter what the time. Before and after this period, the sky is lighter, but the long night still offers exceptional chances for catching the northernmost northern lights. Your guide will look for the best viewing locations and make stops to tell you about the area, the aurora, and why Svalbard is an important base for researching the northern lights. Feel free to ask questions about the northern lights, or Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, and Svalbard. Hot drinks and biscuits will be served during the tour. At the end of the tour, the snowcat will turn back to Longyearbyen, where you will be dropped off at the Polar Hotel.

This tour combines a delicious rustic dinner with knowledgeable local hosts, an informative presentation on the aurora borealis and an excellent location for spotting the lights for yourself. This tour begins with a bus transfer from the hotel, taking you out into the Advent Valley to Camp Barentz, which is literally located at the end of the road. Your host for the evening will meet you at the bus, rifle over their shoulder, and provide a quick safety briefing before you head to the cabin. A shot of akevitt will be offered to warm you up as you enter, and the crackling open fire place will ensure you are comfortable in no time. The evening will begin with a little introduction to Svalbard and the discovery of the archipelago in 1596 by Willem Barentz, the namesake of the camp. One of the cabins here is actually a replica of the cabin he and his crew built on Novaya Zemlaya when they got stuck in the ice there after visiting Svalbard. Beer, wine and soft drinks will be served, and you may start to notice a delicious aroma in the cabin, coming from the pot bubbling over the open fire. This pot contains Bidos, a traditional Sami soup consisting of reindeer and root vegetables. The hosts will serve this at your table—and feel free to ask for seconds! A presentation about the northern lights will follow, including how they are formed and why, as well as local information on research that has taken place in this area. During the evening the hosts will be keeping an eye on the night sky, so don't be surprised if the evening is disrupted by a call to head outside and enjoy the show. A delicious chocolate brownie will be served for dessert, together with campfire coffee. The bus will arrive to collect you at about 9:30 PM, at which point you will return to civilization full of delicious food, interesting facts, and incredible local stories.

Start with pickup at the hotels and guesthouses in town before a short drive to the outside facility of Mine Number 3. On the way there, you will pass the world-renowned Global Seed Vault where over 1 million seeds from around the world are stored. The first seed bank on Svalbard was opened in Mine no. 3 in 1984. This is where the ideas to build the Global Seed Vault on Svalbard started — by storing seeds in the permafrost with no need for electricity.  Enter the facility and explore maps over Longyearbyen and Svalbard. Enjoy a historic coal mine and listen to the stories and anecdotes of what was the last mine in town where thin-seam production was applied. Expect in-depth information about the town’s history and why some men decided to settle here some 100 years ago. A model of the mine is used to illustrate how the coal was extracted using thin-seam techniques. Walk through the workshops and see machines and equipment that was left behind when the mine was shut down in 1996. Put on a miner’s overall and crawl through a replica of a mining shaft and get a feeling of how a miner spent his days. Towards the end of the tour, discover the mine itself by walking 300 meters in and entering two different side tunnels.

Venture out into the darkness on a 3-hour snowmobile exploration from Longyearbyen. Leave civilization behind and follow the light from your snowmobile to see the path ahead. In complete silence, speed through the wilderness on the first electric snowmobile tours in Scandinavia. An environmentally friendly way to explore, the batteries are charged by wind and solar power. Witness the nuances in the polar night, and sense the mystical darkness suddenly change as the glow of the aurora borealis is revealed. Begin your tour with pickup from your hotel and drive to the Expedition Center, where you'll receive a full introduction to the tour. Here, in the modern briefing rooms, see a snowmobile and understand how to drive it, while also receiving information on where the tour will take you and what to expect. After this, kit yourself out in a warm snowmobile suit, boots, mittens, balaclava, and helmet, and off you go! Head out into the wilderness with your guide on the touring snowmobiles, which can be booked for 1 or 2 people. After a short drive, the guide will make a stop to check how the participants are doing and to share a Svalbard story or two. Watch the starlight and moonlight glitter in the snow, or make patterns in the clouds, then continue on your snowmobiles as your guide scours the skies for nature's own fireworks. Biscuits and hot drinks will be shared during the tour. The tour concludes with drop-off back at your hotel.

Take a cruise to Nordenskiöld Glacier and visit the abandoned town of Pyramiden on an eco-friendly catamaran trip, with lunch included. Get picked up and drive to the harbor to board the boat. See the highlights and listen to expert commentary as you speed across Isfjord towards the ghost town. Arrive at Pyramiden and take a guided tour of this unique town, abandoned in the 1990s. Visit the swimming complex and other interesting buildings to get a sense of what life was once like. Head back to the boat and sail towards the glacier in complete silence. Listen to the ice as it pops and crackles in the water, before heading back towards Longyearbyen. Along the way, learn about wildlife beneath the surface, with a hydrophone to listen for whales and an underwater camera.

Take an eco-friendly catamaran cruise from Longyearbyen to discover the Russian town of Barentsburg. After pickup, head to the harbor to board the boat. Sail into Isfjord as you keep an eye out for whales in the icy water. Listen to your guide's commentary as you pass through Grønfjord, to arrive at Barentsburg. Climb the stairs to the town and admire the traditional architecture of the chapel and the statue of Lenin. Stroll through the town and visit the brewery, stop at a handicraft center, or shop for souvenirs. Return to the harbor to board the ship for the trip back to Longyearbyen, passing under the bird cliffs of Fuglefjella. Listen to marine life with the boat's hydrophone, and watch the scenes below with an underwater camera. You'll be transferred back to your hotel at the end of the tour.