Svalbard Cruises
North of the Arctic Circle and halfway between Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard’s dramatic coastline and fjords are largely ice-free during high summer providing incredible …
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Things to know about Svalbard
- The Svalbard Archipelago sits halfway between the top of Norway and the North Pole, one of the world’s northernmost inhabited places
- Svalbard is the name of the archipelago, while Spitsbergen refers to the largest island
- The author Philip Pullman helped put Svalbard on the map as home to his ‘armoured bears’
- It’s got a relatively mild climate compared to other areas at the same latitude, in spite of four months of winter darkness
- 60% of Svalbard’s landmass is permanently covered by ice and less than 10% has any vegetation
Svalbard with Swoop Arctic
Guide to Svalbard travel
Wildlife
One of the Arctic Regions ‘wildlife hotspots’, alongside around 3,000 polar bears and the indigenous Svalbard reindeer, during the summer months arctic fox, walrus, seals and whales can be seen.
Activity peaks during high summer when the island plays host to a coterie of migratory wildlife, including millions of birds who come to breed on Svalbard’s famous bird cliffs.
Climate
In spite of its northerly latitude and proximity to the North Pole, Svalbard has a mild climate due to the moderating influence of the Northern Atlantic gulf stream.
- July is the warmest month with average temperatures between 3 - 7 °C (37.4 - 44.6 °F)
- It’s not uncommon to have long periods during the winter where temperatures drop between -20 and -30 °C (−4.0 °F)
- Periods of fog are quite common during the summer and autumn
- Svalbard is technically an “Arctic desert” with annual precipitation of only 200–300 millimetres
Flowers on the beach in Svalbard
Brandon says
The best thing about Svalbard? Once you are on the ship you are on the expedition. There's no long sea crossing to conquer, you are straight into looking out for bears.
Brandon Hagg Polar Specialist
Geography
Svalbard’s landscape is marked by its variety and the stark contrast between the different areas of the archipelago. Spitsbergen’s west coast has dramatic fjords and mountains rearing to over 1,000m/ 3,280 ft rising from sea level, while other parts of Svalbard tend to be more wide and open.
60% of the landmass is covered in ice, less than 10% has any vegetation, and trees are totally absent. Nearly two thirds of Svalbard is protected and consists of several nature reserves, national parks and bird sanctuaries. An advantage of it being so off the beaten track is that the majority of the land is still pristine and unsullied by either roads or other human activity.
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The stunning mountains and glaciers of Svalbard
Visit Svalbard
Svalbard Ships
In the absence of hotels and infrastructure once you depart Longyearbyen, an expedition ship offers the best means to explore Svalbard's ragged coastline, while acting as both your…
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Svalbard Landing Sites
Expedition cruising is all about active exploration - trekking the arctic tundra, watching for wildlife, studying Svalbard’s history or sailing through sea ice, and accompanied …
Discover MoreOur favourite Svalbard trips
There are many trips to Svalbard to choose from, varying in length and route as well as size and style of ship. Why not contact us for more options?
Travelling at the height of summer this 14-day trip is the longest of any Svalbard cruise - providing the best possible conditions for wildlife encounters. This circumnavigation of Spitsbergen includes huge glaciers, bird cliffs and ice choked channels. There's even…
- 14 Days
- $10,995
Explore the fjords and ice of Svalbard keeping a close watch for polar bears onboard a choice of three truly exceptional small expedition ships. Spend time on deck, on land and in zodiacs with the hugely experienced guides learning about…
- 9 Days
- $6,090
This popular introduction to Svalbard is keenly priced and with early season departures guarantees plenty of ice. Sail onboard one of the newest ships in polar waters and spot bears from the plentiful deck space. Optional kayaking and hiking come…
- 10 Days
- $6,495
Introductions to the High Arctic don’t come much better. Traverse the High Arctic between wildlife-rich Svalbard, via East Greenland’s towering icebergs and autumnal tundra then onto Iceland. Aurora sightings are possible at any point. The longer trip also includes Jan…
- 15 - 18 Days
- $10,495
Sail to Svalbard aboard a sleek, elegant and all-inclusive expedition vessel in serious comfort. Not to be confused with a cruise, this is definitely an expedition with daily landings and a serious emphasis on wildlife sightings and experiencing the real…
- 10 Days
- $10,402
Circumnavigate Spitsbergen onboard a choice of three small ships and in the company of specialist guides. Travelling in such small groups allows you more time to explore and some late season departures benefit from stunning autumn light. Ask about special…
- 11 Days
- $8,090
Beginning deep inside the High Arctic and finishing in subarctic Iceland, we like this voyage for its diversity, sense of journey and extended time exploring East Greenland. Zodiac cruising amongst towering icebergs, glimpsing the Northern Light and tracking musk oxen…
- 14 Days
- $6,477
Maximise wildlife sightings with the chance to circumnavigate Spitsbergen island. Search for walrus, arctic fox, whales and of course the ‘King of The Arctic'. Sail through the Hinlopen Strait and visit abandoned trapping stations and experience glaciers up close all…
- 11 or 13 Days
- $10,113
History
Svalbard is first mentioned in Icelandic texts in the 12th century, yet it was Dutchman Willem Barentsz who officially discovered the archipelago in 1596 while searching for the Northeast Passage.
Whaling: News of healthy whale and walrus populations soon got out following Barentsz’ discovery, triggering the first ‘oil rush’. The strong European demand lasted from approximately 1600-1750 and took bowheads whales to the brink of extinction.
Trappers: Russian Pomors from the White Sea area followed the whalers. Hardy to Arctic conditions, they exploited the winter furs of arctic fox and polar bears from the early 18th century to the mid-1800s. The 71 remains of the trapping stations are the most visible traces of that period.
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Explore abandoned outposts on the tundra
Explorers: The remains of former expeditions are some of Svalbard's most famous cultural heritage sites. Of the 35 sites, of particular interest are the bases from where early explorers set out to attempt to reach the North Pole. Remains from the various balloon expeditions can still be visited, while the 1926 mooring mast for Amundsen, Ellsworth and Nobile’s semi-rigid airship Norge still stands at Ny-Alesund.
Mining: Not even Svalbard’s remote location left it immune from coal miners during the demands of the industrial revolution. Heavy setup costs and the short operating season caused many projects to fail, leaving impressively sized installations still very much visible. A few mines still operate today.
Svalbard coastline in July
Midnight Sun
The extraordinary light on Svalbard can be categorised into 3 phases, as the year progresses:
- The Polar Night (26th October - 14th February) when there’s 24-hours of darkness and its possible to see the Northern Lights in the middle of the day
- Twilight period between the seasons when the area experiences an eerie, blue light
- The Midnight Sun (15th April - 26th August) describes the phenomenon of 24-hour daylight
Solfestuka marks the return of the sun after the dark winter is celebrated. The whole town gathers on the steps of the old hospital at 12:15 to await the first rays peeping over the mountains.
Fish drying out of reach of dogs and bears, Longyearbyen
What our customers think of Svalbard
I will tell my grandchildren that we had a barbeque on the front upper deck and got to 82 degrees north! Read the full review
Travelled: July 2018
Dianne & Jim Spry - United Kingdom
The best moments was getting in the Zodiacs, not once but twice a day. Read the full review
Travelled: July 2018
Dianne & Jim Spry - United Kingdom
Kayaking in the thick brash ice by a big glacier, on a beautiful sunny day was a highlight....but then again, so was when the walrus popped its head up out of the water right in front of me when in the zodiac! Read the full review
Travelled: June 2018
Leslie & Nancy Steenbeke (Grossman) - United States Of America
Review:
Plan your trip to Svalbard
When to visit Svalbard
While Svalbard may be an almost year round destination, the changing weather, number of daylight hours, amount of ice and snow conditions through the year all have a marked effect …
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Getting to Svalbard
Svalbard is geographically closer to the North Pole than to Norway. Surprising then, that getting there is quite so straightforward, with regular flights from Norway to …
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Spitsbergen & Longyearbyen
The largest and only permanently populated of Svalbard’s islands, Spitsbergen is where all the activity and life happens. The beating heart of Spitsbergen itself is the town of …
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Svalbard Wildlife
At the height of summer when wildlife populations and activity are peaking on Svalbard, there are few other parts of the Arctic which offer the same combination of easy access and …
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