What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, English-speaking, local guidesGuesthouse & Wild camping
4 nights at a hotel or guesthouse in Longyearbyen and 2 nights camping at an Arctic wilderness campMeals
All meals included except for 3 dinners and 2 lunches while in LongyearbyenEquipment
Everything you need for winter camping, glacier walking, ice cave hiking and snowmobilingPermits
All permits and entry feesSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 10 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
What's it like?
Spend two nights in the wilderness keeping lookout for polar bears on an otherworldly winter camping experience in the Arctic
Zip across Svalbard Island on a snowmobile adventure, glacier-bagging as you pass through the frozen Arctic Ocean
Deep-dive into an extensive network of glittering glacier ice caves where 'dark' takes on a whole new meaning
Key Information
Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen
Touch down in Svalbard and get your first glimpse of the Norwegian Arctic's blanket of white. Head into Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost city, check into your cosy guesthouse and spend the rest of the day freely exploring the town. Meet up with the rest of the group in the early evening for a quick hello and briefing from your guide, then grab some dinner together at a local restaurant.
Day 2
Hike to a glacial ice cave
Hiking
Waste no time on your first full day in the Arctic! Start the day with breakfast and then after a briefing from your camp expedition guide, set off on an uphill hike to reach a frozen ice cave. Here you'll add some spikes to your boots, allowing you to move freely on the polished surface and explore the frozen underworld beneath the glacier. Wander a maze of tunnels, from glassy halls to tight passages, marvelling at the thick layers of ice crystals. After a chilly day's outing, return to the comfort of your guesthouse for an evening in Longyearbyen up before heading out into the Arctic tomorrow.
Day 3
Head in to the Arctic wilderness
Hiking
After breakfast you'll load up your pulka – a small sled which you'll drag behind you using a harness attachment – with everything you need for your polar expedition. Feeling like a real explorer, you'll head out out of town and into the wilderness, hiking deep into the white landscape far away from civilisation. You'll don spikes or snowshoes for this bit, depending on the conditions. Keep an eye out for polar bears, arctic foxes and reindeer as you go. Eventually, you'll set up camp with your guide who will teach you how to do so successfully in the sub-zero conditions (hiking time will differ depending on conditions and group fitness). Enjoy a surreal and otherworldly dinner at camp. If you are visiting in early March, there's a chance that you'll spot the northern lights.
Polar Bear Lookout: Tonight you'll have the unique experience of being on polar bear lookout. After a full safety briefing, each member of the group will take it in turns to keep watch over the silence and stillness of the Arctic wilderness. Watching for polar bears in the distance as your fellow adventurers sleep is an unforgettable experience.
Day 4
Wake up in the wild to hike mountains and glaciers
Hiking
Waking up in the middle of the Arctic wilderness will be a morning like no other. Warm up with a steaming hot drink and breakfast at the camp, before setting out once more on foot. There are many route options today: your guide will assess the weather and the avalanche conditions in the area, then choose the best hike for the group. Your hike will immerse you in the immense scenery, perhaps over nearby glaciers or to a mountaintop viewpoint. Again, the length and distance of today's hiking will depend on conditions as well as group fitness.
Day 5
Load up the pulkas and hike back to civilisation
Hiking
After another memorable night wild camping in the Arctic, you'll help take down the camp and load up the pulkas, ready for another big push through the wilderness. Again, conditions will dictate the exact route and your guide will choose the best option. All being well, you'll reach another peak or two for sweeping vistas over Svalbard whilst edging closer to Longyearbyen, arriving back into civilisation by late afternoon. Returning to your guesthouse after what will feel like an age outside, hot showers will be the order of the day, followed by perhaps the most well-earned glass of wine of your life.
Day 6
Explore Svalbard by snowmobile
Snowmobiling
Hiking
Have your driving licence at the ready – it's snowmobile time! Jump onboard your personal snowmobile for a unique and exhilarating journey through the Arctic wilderness, covering far greater distances than on your previous snowshoe journeys. Whistling through the snow-covered landscape you'll visit several sights, including a former trapper's station where a family lived for 26 winters in the wilderness. The furthest point you'll reach is Tempelfjord, a picturesque fjord overlooked by the Temple Mountains. With the ocean still frozen at this time of year, you'll be able to drive your snowmobile out on to the thick ice, getting up close and personal with the glaciers at the head of the fjord. In the evening, celebrate your final night in the Arctic with dinner – or perhaps head to the floating sauna just outside of town for a 'polar plunge' (optional; fees apply). If you are keen on the sauna please chat to your guide at the beginning of the trip, as places get booked up quickly and it can only be reserved as a group.
Day 7
So long, Svalbard
Say farewell to Longyearbyen and the Arctic, returning to Svalbard Airport in time for your flight home.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5 – Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Longyearbyen has plenty of international food options, including the world's northernmost sushi bar!
At the wilderness camp, breakfasts will consist ofcereals or oatmeal, tea, coffee and 'Polar Bread' as well as possibly bread, ham, cheese, eggs and bacon. Lunches will typically be dry-pack expedition-style meals, heated using water boiled while you're out in the wilderness and accompanied by hot drinks and biscuits. You can make extra sandwiches each morning to bring with you if you want a particularly large lunch. Dinners are homemade and vary depending on what's in stock. Tacos, pasta or a variety of stews are possibilities - including Norwegian reindeer stew.
Vegans, vegetarians and most food allergies can be catered for. Please let your host know of any dietary requirements in advance.
What is the accommodation like?
Longyearbyen
In Longyearbyen you will stay at Gjestehuset 102 – a warm, friendly and spotless guesthouse. Gjestehuset 102 was previously the Millionaires’ Mansion, reserved for the best and most experienced miners. The guesthouse is a 15-minute walk out of town although there is an excellent restaurant opposite if you don't fancy the walk for dinner. Longyearbyen is heavily protected to ensure there is no further development and no more hotels can be built - while this is superb for the environment, it can make securing group availability at hotels tricky business as beds are severely limited here. If your legs are extra tired, all the restaurants in town can book you a taxi too!
Arctic Wild Camping
You'll stay in a twin-share tent, camping in an area of wilderness completely away from it all. All your camping equipment is provided, although you will need to hire a sleeping bag if you don't bring your own. You'll be kept warm overnight in your expedition tent, sleeping on two cold-weather sleeping mats per person while your baselayers and sleeping bag keep you warm and snug. Your host will make you a hot water bottle each night for some extra warmth. There's also a communal tent for eating and hanging out - which is kept warmed also so provides some extra respite. And of course, a dedicated toilet tent that is responsibly managed.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for the 4 nights spent in Longyearbyen for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
This trip has been rated as Challenging
You'll need to have a good level of fitness and a serious sense of adventure. While you will be kitted out with everything that you need to be safe and comfortable, the temperatures are extremely cold so you'll need to be prepared for it! Days out in the wilderness are tailored depending on the weather conditions and overall fitness of the group, but you can expect to be on the move for a minimum of four hours and up to seven hours if conditions allow. Hiking in snowshoes in minus temperatures is a different kind of physical challenge compared to normal hiking, however no previous experience is necessary. A driving licence is required to drive a snowmobile.
Camping in the Arctic Camping in the Arctic is a completely safe and hugely enjoyable experience with the correct preparation. Your hosts in Svalbard are expert wilderness guides, the majority of whom are originally from the island itself, and you'll be perfectly safe in their hands.
You will need to pack correctly for this trip. There are various specialist pieces of kit included in the trip cost, as well as other items available to hire when you get to Svalbard - see the Kit List on this page for a full breakdown. The other items on the kit list are important to bring along too, so perhaps do a dummy-run packing your bag a couple of weeks before the trip. Then you can buy anything that you might be missing. There will be outdoor adventure shops in Longyearbyen to plug any gaps, but items will be considerably more expensive to buy in Svalbard. Your host will run a check of everyone's preparedness for the camping expedition before heading out into the wilderness on Day 3.
The camping equipment provided is specifically designed for extremely cold conditions, to ensure everyone has a safe and comfortable few nights camping in the Arctic. The preparation and equipment will let you relax and enjoy this amazing experience.
Your guides will be carrying GPS, emergency beacons, satellite phones, first aid equipment, flare guns and rifles (rifles must be carried by law outside Longyearbyen). For concerns regarding ethical considerations please read the FAQ, 'What about polar bears being killed by tour guides?'
Polar Bear Lookout Each member of the group will take it in turns to look out for polar bears while the rest of the group sleeps. The experience of being on the lookout is one of the most memorable parts of the trip and has been described as "like being a crew member on a David Attenborough documentary".
You'll be given a full briefing and safety instructions and a shift roster will be developed between you all. Lookout shifts are generally around two hours. However, if the group size is larger than four, you will have at least one night without needing to take a shift.
Your host has been operating wildlife expeditions in the area for over 25 years and has never had a close call with a polar bear. This is all down to their knowledge and expertise. There are polar bears in the area and they have come close to camp before, but the guides know exactly what to do in all cases.
What if i need to skip an activity?
If you do not have a licence then it is possible to skip the snowmobile activity and have free time in Longyearbyen, or you can request to ride as a passenger with another person driving the snowmobile (please note that this is not always possible as it depends on the group size - please ask you host in advance).
What will I need to carry?
On the way to and from the wilderness camp, you'll need to pull a pulka (sledge) loaded with your personal clothing/items (in dry bags) plus your share of the group's food and camping gear. For the most part it's surprisingly easy to pull the pulka but you'll feel the weight on the uphill sections. You can leave luggage not needed at the wilderness camp at the host's headquarters.
On the day hikes (days 2 and 4), you'll only need to carry a day rucksack with personal items, extra layers, snacks etc.
You are visiting Svalbard in what they call the 'light winter', as the archipelago emerges from the months of 24-hour darkness. In March you'll have around 12-13 hours daylight and during April it doesn't get truly dark at all. In March you'll experience lows of -20ºC / -4ºF and highs of -13ºC / 9ºF, while April warms up a touch to a balmy -9ºC/16ºF.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Guest house in Longyearbyen
Catch any flight on Day 1
Ends
Guest house in Longyearbyen
Catch any flight on Day 7
Transfers
The airport shuttle costs around £8 / $10 and links up with all flight arrivals and departures. It will take you directly to your guesthouse on Day 1 and get you back to the airport any time on Day 7 for your flight home. You can pay by credit card. Cash is not accepted in Svalbard.
It takes a maximum of 10 minutes to get from the airport to your accommodation. You can see full details on the Svalbard tourist website.
Travel options
Both Norwegian and SAS offers flights to Svalbard throughout the summer. We recommend flying to Oslo in Norway and getting a connecting flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen, which takes around 3 hours. If flights don't match up well with your trip start date then we recommend arriving a day early and booking a pre-tour night. If you arrive early there is plenty to enjoy in Longyearbyen before your trip starts.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
Which pieces of kit are included in the trip cost?
- For the ice cave: snowshoes, helmet, headlight, crampons
- For the hiking and wild camping: snowshoes, spikes, hiking poles, pulka (a sledge for your luggage), tent, sleeping mat, cooking and dining equipment, expedition Thermos flask
- For the snowmobiling: snowmobile suit, boots, mittens, helmet, goggles and balaclava
- At camp: warm bivouac/snowmobile shoes for camp use
What's available to hire?
- Arctic standard sleeping bag. These are available through your host; see Optional Extras for details.
- You may find it easier to hire a lot of the technical clothing from a kit hire specialist at home, this is often easier and far cheaper - see FAQs for details.
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack
- Daypack (35+ litre backpack)
- Waterproof liner or dry bag for kitbag/rucksack
- Small dry bags for electrical items
Clothes
- Hardshell Gore-Tex jacket with hood (windproof, ideally waterproof and breathable)
- Insulated salopettes, ideally with braces (loose-fitting to allow room for base layers, windproof, ideally waterproof, and breathable)
- Good-quality expedition-style down jacket
- Good quality thermal bottoms and top x 2-3 sets (natural fibre such as wool/merino/alpaca, suitable for extreme cold, not cotton or synthetic)
- Mid-layer such as a fleece or woollen jumper (for between your thermals and your jacket)
- Thin wool socks x 3 pairs
- Thick pure wool socks x 3 pairs (these can be purchased for approx £8 a pair at your hosts base camp in Longyearbyen - hiking socks are not enough)
- Thick insulated finger gloves (for camp use and to set up camp)
- Warm, windproof overmittens (for during the hike)
- Warm, woolen mittens (no finger gloves) for under the windproof overmitens
- Thick & warm hat x 2 (for hiking and for sleeping in)
- Long, warm buff (or balaclava) x 2 for protection against cold & wind (wool or similar)
- Snow/ski goggles
- Underwear
- Swimwear (for saunas in Longyearbyen, if open)
- Something to wear and to sleep in while in Longyearbyen
- Good-quality insulated Arctic hiking boots (worn-in, large enough to fit over both your thin and thick wool socks) - see FAQs for more info.
Sleeping
- Sleeping bag, 5-season with a comfort rating of down to minus 25/30 degrees Celsius - see our Sleeping Bag Guide. If unsure, we recommend you hire one from your host for the wilderness camping. See under Optional Extras.
- *Sleeping mats are provided
Other
- Driving licence (required for the snowmobile)
- Sunglasses
- Eyemask (near 24-hours of daylight in April)
- Cold protection lotion
- Suncream (non water-based for the cold conditions)
- Padlock for left luggage
- Universal travel plug adapter
- Power bank or solar charger
- Colourful mobile phone cover or leash attachment (you'll be amazed how difficult they are to find in the snow otherwise)
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel insurance documents
- Debit/credit card (Longyearbyen is cash-free and there is no bank)
- Earplugs
- Hand & foot heat pads (these will be well used)
- Personal first-aid kit (including blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- 1-litre wide-mouth Nalgene water bottle x 2 (reusable and suitable for holding boiling water, as this will double up as a hot water bottle at night)
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
- Energy bars and snacks
- *A 1-litre expedition Thermos flask will be provided (if you choose to bring your own it should be suitable for temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius)
Optional:
- Binoculars
Important Notes
-
Those who wear glasses are advised to wear contact lenses if possible as a sheer of ice may form on your glasses. Alternatively, if you are unable to wear contacts, we recommend bringing snow goggles that fit over your glasses.
-
We have specified natural fibre clothing such as sheep wool/alpaca/merino as this is best in extreme cold. Synthetic or cotton materials do not provide the required insulation or wicking properties.
Optional Private Room Upgrade (4 nights): prices start from
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade (4 nights): prices start from
… Per Person
Sleeping bag hire
Payable Before Departure
Sleeping bag hire
…
Single room: prices start from
Payable Before Departure
Single room: prices start from
… Per Night
Twin/Double room: prices start from
Payable Before Departure
Twin/Double room: prices start from
… Per Night
Amazing experience
A unique and incredible experience in this magical place. The scenery is breath-taking and photos cannot do it justice. You do need to be willing to sacrifice a level of comfort but the reward is an incredible experience of the Svalbard wilderness. Having the right kit makes a big difference so pay heed to the advice of the guides and ask if you're not sure. The hike on the first day is a good opportunity to test out your kit and adjust if necessary before you go camping.
Amazing time!
Had an amazing time! Would highly recommend this trip. From the cave trip, to the camping, hiking.. the lot, thoroughly enjoyed!
The only thing I’d suggest is to bring your own sleeping bag
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