8 popular boat trips

The Polar Summer in Svalbard offers the Midnight Sun, unique animal life, colourful flora and nature-based experiences that will take most people’s breath away. If you wish to experience as much of this as possible, we recommend going on a boat trip!

Here are eight boat trips you won’t want to miss:

Walrus safari to Poolepynten

If you have dreamt of greeting one of the world’s most fascinating animals, the walrus, you should go on a walrus safari. While enjoying the panoramic view from the comfortable boats, you can see and smell the walruses while they roll on the beach at Prins Karls Forland. It’s often possible to experience other animals such as whales and polar bears on these trips.

An evening on the fjord

The light in Svalbard is a magical sight, and perhaps something which many visitors hadn't imagined being one of their most memorable sights from a visit in Svalbard. On a boat trip in Isfjorden you're in the perfect spot to enjoy the light without nearby obstacles hindering you from seeing the sunlight or other light phenomenon one may be lucky enough to see in the skies. There are a range of guided boat trips throughout the boat trip season which sail in the evenings, because it's when the sun is low that some of the most magnificent light shows come into view! No matter if it's under the midnight sun, the golden autumn light, the blue hour or the northern lights, Isfjorden is a wonderful place to be in the evenings!

The spectacular glacier fronts in the Isfjord

Several of the boat trips include a stop at one of the spectacular glacier fronts in the Isfjord. There are many glaciers to choose between, and they never cease to impress. Several of the tours include a meal served overlooking the old ice. There is often a rich animal life near the glacier fronts, and you can often see seals and birds. If you are very lucky, you will even experience the King of the Arctic, the polar bear.

Ny-Ålesund: A long day trip to the world’s northernmost community

At latitude 79˚ N, Ny-Ålesund in Northwest Spitsbergen is the world’s northernmost settlement. This is a research station with researchers from more than 10 countries. The population numbers around 30-35 year-round but can increase up to 120 in the summer. Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of the legendary explorers Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile, who started their expeditions to the North Pole on the airships NORGE and ITALIA from here. This is a long and extremely weather-dependent day trip but is definitely worth the effort!

Isfjord Radio: Boutique hotel and gourmet restaurant at the end of the world

About 100 km out at the mouth of the fjord, in the middle of the icescape, you will discover the fascinating Isfjord Radio. Formerly an important radio station, it’s now a fancy little boutique hotel with a restaurant serving delicious local produce. The trip out there is a memorable experience in itself! The boat Isfjord-Express has daily round-trip departuress between Longyearbyen and Isfjord Radio from June until mid-September.

The bird cliffs

After a long winter, a virtual miracle of nature occurs in Svalbard. With the arrival of summer, the archipelago is invaded by birds which migrate here in vast numbers to nest. The waters surrounding the archipelago are very nutritious and offer a plentiful supply of food. There are several lively bird cliffs in the Isfjord that may be visited by enclosed or open boats. We can promise you that the “bird hopping” when the Brünnich’s guillemot chicks are ready to leave the nest, and the predators are waiting for food, is a unique experience.

I've caught one!

As the Polar Summer season draws to end it's once again time to enjoy some relaxing fishing trips in Isfjorden! For locals of Svalbard, the late summer and autumn are both seasons in which it's time to fill up their freezers with delicious fish to enjoy throughout the winter season, and you can join in as well in trying your luck on the fjord. On a guided fishing trip, visitors can try their hand at sea fishing in the High Arctic, and if you're lucky enough to get a catch you can even have it served as dinner after coming back to shore!

Multi-day expeditions by boat and photo expeditions

If you are very adventurous and want to see as much of Svalbard as possible, we recommend signing up for a multi-day boat trip. If you are a photo enthusiast, we highly recommend heading north on a photo cruise. There are several options to choose between – in larger as well as smaller boats.