Extend your Arctic adventure

Extend your Arctic adventure – combine Longyearbyen and Tromsø

Longyearbyen offers wonderful cultural and nature-based experiences. And if you're already planning on travelling this far north, we recommend getting even more out of your trip to the Arctic. The best way to achieve this is by extending your stay with a few days in Tromsø.

Drop micro-tripping – allow time to travel

A visit to the Arctic is not something to be rushed. You are visiting one of the most remote wilderness areas in the world, so it’s important to allow plenty of time to experience the spectacular nature. If you visit Longyearbyen during the winter, perhaps the Northern Lights are among your main reasons for visiting? The Northern Lights are a fantastic natural phenomenon, but they don’t necessarily occur every day. Providing you set aside enough time, you can expect a spectacular natural fireworks display.

If you are a Northern Lights enthusiast, Tromsø is the perfect place to continue your hunt for the magical green wave. Tromsø is located in the middle of the Northern Lights Oval, which is the area with the highest probability of experiencing Northern Lights. You can experience the Northern Lights in Tromsø from September to April (slightly longer than in Longyearbyen, where the season is over by mid-March).

Can the day last more than 24 hours?

If you visit the Arctic during the summertime, no doubt you hope it could! The Midnight Sun season in Longyearbyen lasts from 20 April to 23 August, and in Tromsø from 20 May to 22 July. You won’t necessarily return home refreshed if you visit the region during summertime because it’s difficult to go to bed when the sun is shining. However, if you chose to visit then, we promise you will leave with your suitcase packed full of experiences!

Boat trips are a favourite summertime activity in Longyearbyen. A safari by rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to the Fuglefjella bird cliff or the Von Post glacier, or an overnight trip to Isfjord Radio are all high up on most visitors’ wish lists.

In Tromsø, sea kayaking is a perfect way to explore the Arctic wilderness, and a kayaking trip under the golden rays of the Midnight Sun is something you will long remember. If you head to the island of Kvaløya, you can experience the outer coast and the rich wildlife there like reindeer, otters, white-tailed eagles and other seabirds. You and your travelling companions can sit around a campfire on the beach and watch the sun creep closer and closer to the horizon before rising into the night sky again!

Tempting food and drink

Did you know that when you visit the world’s northernmost town, just a “stone’s throw” from the North Pole, you can choose between top rate food from every corner of the world? The wide range of restaurants in Longyearbyen ensures that you won’t go home hungry. In fact, Longyearbyen is home to two of Norway’s best restaurants – Huset and Funktionærmessen. The geographical location of this isolated settlement means that many of the restaurants try to use the local ingredients that are available, and Gruvelageret is especially good at this! The Svalbard reindeer looks beautiful through your camera lens but perhaps even more beautiful on your plate. In August, when the cod migrates to the Isfjord, you can catch your own fish and take it to Restaurant Nansen, where the chef will serve it to you for dinner the same evening. Now that’s what you call locally sourced food! A locally brewed Pale Ale from the Svalbard Brewery is a good match for self-caught cod!

Your culinary experiences continue when you arrive in Tromsø. Mathallen in Tromsø is a temple for Arctic, north Norwegian ingredients. A butcher’s shop or cheese counter may not be the first places a tourist visits, but the first-class restaurant in the same building serves innovative dishes based on the finest, local produce. Another restaurant focusing on local produce is Restaurant Smak. The name means “taste” in Norwegian, and this excellent restaurant only seats 24 guests. The menu changes every second week and consists of four, five or six-courses. Reserve your table well in advance!

Good flight connections

As there are several direct flights between Longyearbyen and Tromsø every week, combining the two destinations is easy and it’s “on the way”. Check Visit Tromsø’s website for tips about accommodation and activities in Tromsø, while one of the local tour operators in Longyearbyen can help you with the northernmost part of the trip.

Welcome to a complete Arctic experience!