The bright and mild polar summer stretches from mid-May to late September. The Midnight Sun won’t drop below the horizon again until late August. In a polar summer, day and night becomes one in the High Arctic, and the light is the same around the clock. Explore this astonishing place from your comfortable hotel base. Your tour arrangments include accommodation, transfers and guided excursions from Longyearbyen.
Itinerary
Day 1 Longyearbyen Arrival and Wilderness Evening
On arrival in Longyearbyen, transfer to Funken Lodge - a boutique hotel with unique views over Longyearbyen and the nearby glaciers. Here you can unwind after thrilling nature experiences, in a relaxed and luxurious atmosphere. Time to explore the town - perhaps visit the Svalbard Museum, the North Pole Expedition Museum and the Svalbard Kirke, or browse the shops for a unique souvenir. Wilderness Evening excursion at Camp Barentz. Drive into the Advent Valley, where the mountains on either side loom over us like giants, bathed in the glow of the short night. Camp Barentz boasts an amazing location at the foot of the mountain, Breinosa, right below Mine 7. One of the buildings at the camp, Barentz Hus, is a copy of the cabin that the discoverer of Svalbard, Willem Barentz, overwintered in on Novaya Zemlya in 1596. At Camp Barentz, we often see Svalbard reindeer, grouse and foxes. Our knowledgeable hosts are also on watch in case a polar bear should appear. Taste a real Svalbard stew in a cosy wooden cabin around the campfire, and learn more about the King of the Arctic. Time to take photos of the stark landscape, before returning to civilisation.
Day 2 Boat Trip to Pyramiden
Day trip by hybrid-electric catamaran to this fascinating, abandoned coal mining settlement. Visiting the town of Pyramiden is like entering a time machine and returning to the Soviet Union. In the 1980s, over 1000 people lived in the city, and it was considered a successful community with school, kindergarten, swimming pool, sports fields and coal mining. In 1998, the Russian mining company Trust Arktikugol closed the coal mine, and the city was vacated in a very short time. These days only a handful of people work and live in the city, and for visitors it is a very special experience to get a guided tour around the deserted buildings. When the boat approaches glaciers, wildlife or settlements, it will run silently on electric propulsion. Quietly follow the ice edge where the opportunity to see wildlife is great, and also see the beautiful Nordenskiöld glacier.
Day 3 Dog Sledding on Wheels
Morning Dog Sledding on Wheels excursion. Meet your guide at the hotel and transfer to the dog kennel at Bolter Valley. Greet the excited Huskies who are eagerly waiting to take you on a trip. After a safety briefing and instructions you are off, enjoying the rich landscape of the Arctic in summer. Expect to see abundant arctic plant life and birds and reindeer in their natural habitat. After the tour, relax with hot drinks in a cosy log cabin.
Day 4 Longyearbyen Departure
Transfer to Longyearbyen airport and end of arrangements.
2023 Departures: daily May - September
Notes:
The order of excursions may vary according to your dates of travel
