Svalbard Tours & Expeditions (Season by Season)
We took this picture at 3pm in February
Svalbard sits halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole — a scatter of icy islands where glaciers meet sea, foxes pad across snowfields, and polar bears outnumber people.
We first arrived by the small prop plane from Tromsø, stepping into that eerie polar stillness that feels less like travel and more like landing on another planet.
This isn’t just a place you visit. It’s a place you feel, and it will redefine your idea of Arctic wilderness.
Here’s how to plan your own Svalbard expedition or tour, season by season — with honest notes from our time on the islands.
❄️ Winter (November – February) — Aurora & the polar night
We made it to the East Coast!
Imagine a world where the sun doesn’t rise for months, yet the sky never stops glowing. During Svalbard’s Polar Night, the light turns deep blue at midday and bursts green with the aurora at night. We went in February — accommodation was relatively affordable and flights were cheap — and we absolutely loved it. That being said, if it’s your first trip to the Arctic, it might be a little rough on the edges.
Best tours:
Northern Lights photography tours and northern lights tours — the silence is unreal.
Dog-sled adventures; the huskies are born for this and will yodel with joy when you arrive. That being said, in our case, we prefer mushing in Lapland (read our full Svalbard Travel Guide for more).
Arctic swim and sauna (not for the faint-hearted)
Ice-cave tours under glaciers — crystalline tunnels lit only by headlamps.
Snowmobile excursions to the East Coast and Barentsburg
Snowshoeing around Longyear + Seed Vault — Compared to our other tours, it was a “relaxing” day!
What we learned: layers matter more than gear labels. The cold really bites, but a thermos of blueberry tea shared with your guide makes it unforgettable. Check our Arctic Survival Guide for more.
Did you know?
High above Longyearbyen sits the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, nicknamed the “Doomsday Vault.” It stores over one million seed samples from nearly every country on Earth — a frozen insurance policy for global agriculture in case of catastrophe.
You can visit the site year-round, even in winter, but only scientists have access inside the secure tunnel carved into the permafrost. From the outside, it looks like a glowing, surreal, futuristic door jutting from the mountain.
🐻❄️ Spring (March – May) — Polar bear season
Mama bear and baby bear!
This is a popular season in Svalbard. The pack ice thickens, seals haul out on floes, and polar bear expeditions head east toward the ice edge.
Top experiences:
Wildlife tours for Arctic foxes and walrus
Fjord safaris to Tempelfjorden and the Tunabreen glacier
Bear in mind that polar bear sightings, like anything natural, are never guaranteed. You can book a boat tour or a multi-day snowmobile tour for your best shots.
Book early; hotels in Svalbard fill up quickly once bear season starts.
☀️ Summer (June – August) — Midnight sun expeditions
Summer is great to see wildlife — Photo credit: Rod Long
For three straight months, the sun never sets. Svalbard’s frozen silence melts into movement — birds nesting, walrus colonies lounging, and researchers arriving from everywhere.
What to do:
Zodiac or cruise expeditions around Isfjorden and the northwest coast
Kayak tours among icebergs and puffins
Hiking excursions on the tundra (yes, there are flowers here!)
Boat trip to Pyramiden
🍂 Autumn (September – October) — Quiet season, golden light
Autumn welcomes the first snow
When the last expedition ships sail home, Svalbard exhales. The tundra turns copper, the air smells of frost, and the aurora begins again.
Fewer tours run now, but you can still book:
Photography walks near Longyearbyen
Local history or mining tours — surprisingly fascinating after dark
Penguin Trampoline tip:
We use Heymondo on every Arctic trip, especially when activities are non-refundable and in an extreme environment — it’s affordable, covers cancellations, and includes winter activities like snowmobiling and dogsledding.
Get 5–15 % off Heymondo travel insurance through our link.
🏨 Where to stay — Hotels in Svalbard (Norway)
Almost everyone bases in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town. After long days outside, a warm room here feels five-star no matter the label.
Our tried-and-loved picks:
🏔️ Mary-Ann's Polarrigg — cozy, super welcoming, and a great restaurant.
🧊 Radisson Blu Polar Hotel — the northernmost full-service hotel; perfect tour pickup point.
🦊 Basecamp Hotel — wood-and-fur interiors that feel like an explorer’s hut.
🐻❄️ Gjestehuset 102 — we actually stayed there, great hostel if you’re on a budget and good breakfast.
Barentsburg & Pyramiden — Current situation in 2025
Barenstburg was surreal!
Two of the most unusual Svalbard excursions you can take lead to Barentsburg and Pyramiden, former Soviet mining towns that still stand against the Arctic mountains like time capsules.
Barentsburg is still inhabited — around 400 residents, mostly Russian and Ukrainian — and though mining continues on a small scale, tourism now keeps the town alive. You’ll find a modest hotel, a brewery, and a Lenin statue watching over the fjord. We took a snowmobile tour to it, and after an intense trip, we had a warm, Russian lunch in a Russian hotel. Unreal and totally worth it!
Pyramiden, abandoned in the 1990s, is the opposite: a silent ghost town of empty blocks, cracked murals, and an eerie Arctic stillness.
Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, both towns remain open to visitors under Norwegian law.
Tours are safely run by Longyearbyen-based operators, usually by boat in summer or snowmobile in winter.
Expect a historical and somewhat surreal atmosphere — a glimpse into a frozen chapter of polar history that few travelers ever see.
❓Mini FAQ — Svalbard curiosities
Can you visit the Svalbard Global Seed Vault?
You can visit the site year-round, even in winter, but only researchers are allowed inside. The entrance — a glowing, futuristic door carved into the permafrost — stores over a million seed samples from around the world, protecting global crops in case of disaster.
Are there really more polar bears than people in Svalbard?
Yes — around 3,000 polar bears to 2,500 humans. That’s why anyone leaving town must carry a rifle for safety (your guide takes care of that). It’s the only place we’ve ever seen a “polar bear crossing” road sign (with Churchill, in Canada) — and meant it.
Is it safe to travel to Svalbard?
Absolutely. Svalbard is one of the safest and most regulated Arctic destinations in the world. Tours are led by certified guides, rifles are mandatory outside town, and Norwegian law ensures strict wildlife protection — so both visitors and bears stay safe.
Svalbard changes with every season — blue winter silence, white spring ice, golden summer light.
Whether you’re chasing the aurora, spotting bears from a boat (best of furry luck!), or kayaking under the Midnight Sun, the islands remind you how small and lucky we are to witness them.
Pack curiosity, patience, and extra gloves — this far north, you’ll experience real adventure.
Planning a trip in northern Norway? Check out our guides:
🌌 Alta, Norway — Ice hotels, rock carvings, and one of the best places on Earth to spot the aurora.
⛰️ Lofoten Hiking Guide — Dramatic ridges, secret beaches, and cod-drying racks in Arctic Norway.
🦌 Alta vs. Tromsø — How to choose the perfect Norwegian Arctic getaway.
❄️ Our Ultimate Arctic Travel Guide — How to explore, survive, and avoid becoming a polar bear’s lunch.
🏨 Best Hotels in Tromsø for the Northern Lights — Cozy stays, Arctic views, and a front-row seat to the aurora.
✨ Northern Lights for Dummies — How to actually see the aurora (without freezing your butt off or waiting 12 nights in vain).
🧤 What to Wear for a Northern Lights Trip — Layer up or freeze up: the packing list you actually need at –30°C.
