The travel to Svalbard usually starts the same as any other travel would. You go to the airport and jump on a flight to the destination. Everything may seem normal as you sit there in your seat looking out at the open ocean stretching as far as you can see beneath you. But then you notice a mountain, then another, and suddenly a full mountain range.
It doesn’t take a long time for the otherwise normal view to become an extraordinary one, and it’s at this exact point in time that your adventure in Svalbard begins!
While some of the other passengers on your flight may be more than satisfied with quick glimpses of Svalbard’s grand nature during their visit, it makes others hungry for more. For such travellers, it’s all about getting close and experiencing nature in nature’s own pace on a great adventure!
A long adventure in Svalbard can mean many things. It may be a full-day snowmobile trip to the fairytale-like east coast of Svalbard, or a hike to the top of the mountain Hiorthfjellet towering above Longyearbyen to the north. It could also be a crossing of Svalbard on skis, or a week-long dog sledding expedition. To sum up a long adventure in short, there are great adventures waiting right outside your hotel door in Longyearbyen, no matter how long the adventure may be!
As varied as the opportunities for adventures in Svalbard are all year round, there are equally many alternatives in terms of difficulty gradings for the guided trips you can join that it’s important to be familiar with. In other words, there are adventures that are available for most people. What makes the iconic long trips so special is that you also have to contribute a little bit extra in the preparations of both equipment and yourself before heading out with your guide and group.
Have that extra chat with the knowledgeable employees in Longyearbyen’s sports shops about what it’s useful to bring on trips in Svalbard. Ask the local activity provider you’re travelling with, or come by the tourist information office in Longyearbyen to get more information about the area you’re headed to or a few useful tips for your long trip. The great adventures in Svalbard feel even greater when you’re well-prepared and ready to overcome the challenges you’ll face on your way.
Even though your first visit and taste of Svalbard is over, that doesn’t mean that your adventure is over. Just as in fairy tales, there are often calm periods in between all the action. Similarly, you don’t say “Goodbye!” to the adventures in Svalbard when going home, but rather “Until next time!”.
Every season puts its own distinct twist on the adventure, and each is almost like its very own chapter in a book. One trip may play be set in the cosy Northern Lights Winter with darkness all day long, the rare mid-day northern lights, and landscapes free from light pollution but covered in moonlight. On a dog sledding trip to a wilderness cabin, you enter into your own little world for a few days. A world where nothing else exists apart from what you can see in front of you in the light from your headlamp, the sound of the sled and dog paws sliding hitting the snow, a cosy cabin and the massive embrace of the dark season all around you.
Only a few months later, the nest act of the story plays itself out underneath the midnight sun and in vast snow-covered landscapes throughout the Sunny Winter season. Maybe on a long skiing trip through seemingly never-ending glacial landscapes where your days merge into a peculiar rhythm consisting of tent camps, nature experiences and connection to the others you’re travelling with. Everyone contributes to making sure everything goes smoothly in camp, such as serving as a polar bear guard in the night to wake the guide if a polar bear appears. Together with the feeling of responsibility and seriousness in this important role, you’re left with a truly special experience of the nature around you, especially on nights with nice weather!
Further on in the heat of the Polar Summer season, the midnight sun contributes to your adventure in Svalbard with golden evening sunrays and refreshing summer air. With a kayak you’ll glide across fjords and in between chunks of glacial ice that have calved from nearby glaciers on day trips from your camp or a wilderness cabin with a guide. Combined with a few hiking trips as well, you’ll get to explore Svalbard’s nature up close with the tundra beneath your feet and moraines reminiscent of the lunar surface.
With so many possibilities waiting for you, it may be difficult to know just where and when to start off with your great adventure in Svalbard. A good way to start is by checking out our full overview of trips and experiences below which we think may suit you if you’re looking for just these kinds of adventures!
If you’ve already settled on a date for your next trip to Svalbard, we can recommend checking our booking calendar to see which activities that are available for you and those who are joining your adventure.
Number of results: 51
, currently showing 41 to 51.
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsLongyearbyen
Join us on a 5-day classical ski adventure in Svalbard.
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465 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsLongyearbyen
On the central west coast of Spitsbergen Prins Karls Forland forms an 86 km long and 11 km wide island. This is an island of contrasts, with alpine peaks, sharp green fields of grass and barren stone deserts side by side. In this gorgeous landscape…
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465 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
774 reviewsLongyearbyen
On this 2-day hiking trip we will explore the arctic nature surrounding the Isfjord, hike along the coast and up into the valleys. Get ready for breath-taking views.
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
774 reviewsLongyearbyen
Are you ready for a true Arctic adventure off the beaten tracks, with a special overnight stay inside an ice cave?!
Join us for a 2- day full ultimate snowmobile and ice cave expedition!
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
79 reviewsLongyearbyen
Join our 3-day expedition and mush your own team of dogs. On this journey, we explore Svalbard off the beaten track following in the footsteps of the legendary polar explorers, and travel in a traditional and environmentally friendly way.
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79 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
40 reviewsLongyearbyen
Welcome to an incredible sailing experience with our Varuna. Departing from Longyearbyen, where you will be embarking into an Arctic sailing expedition with an experienced team, onboard a sturdy, adapted and very comfortable sailboat.
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40 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsLongyearbyen
Kayak trip next to a glacier, glacier walk and camp life is some of the things you will experience on this Wilderness Camp. Welcome!
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
1353 reviewsLongyearbyen
Join us on this three day dog sledge expedition with overnight stays in a cabin!.
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1353 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
747 reviewsLongyearbyen
Do you have a dream of seeing the wilder part of Spitsbergen, and do you enjoy cross country skiing? This 40km long skiing trip might be the perfect introduction to experiencing the fascinating landscapes of Svalbard.
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747 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsLongyearbyen
The Arctic Challenge. We kayak across the fjord before we start climbing to the summit of Hiorthfjellet at 1000 meters.
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsTripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviewsLongyearbyen
Kayak trip next to a glacier, glacier walk, hiking tour and camp life is some of the things you will experience on this Wildlife Camp. Welcome!
TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
465 reviews