Top Things To Know Before Visiting Svalbard
Following an intriguing documentary featuring the Global Seed Vault and its location on a remote arctic island called Svalbard we were chomping at the bit to take off to this decidedly epic place. But, being 20 years old at the time and with a budget big enough to afford rent and maybe one Chinese takeout dinner a month, most thoughts of exotic vacations were typically forgotten as soon the TV was turned off.
Fast forward 12 years and one pandemic later and there we were planning our Scandinavian holiday when we came across details of the northernmost community in the world known as Longyearbyen. A little more research revealed that this isolated community is located on, you guessed it, Svalbard! And to boot, the settlement is also right next to the Global Seed Vault and was more easily accessible than we had originally imagined! So, of course we reworked our entire itinerary and ratcheted up this remarkable place to the top of our to do list! Having now returned from this one-of-kind destination we want to share some of the things we learned along the way that you might find useful if you decide to make the trip of a lifetime.
Don’t forget to check out some of our amazing Svalbard pics here!
Where is Svalbard?
Located in the Arctic Ocean between Norway and the North Pole and well within the Arctic Circle, Svalbard is an archipelago that is made up of nine main islands. The small but diverse city of Longyearbyen is located on the island of Spitsbergen and sits on the pristine Isfjord. Being the only permanent settlement on Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen is home to approximately 2400 people from as many as 50 different nations. The community proudly boasts one large supermarket, several outstanding restaurants featuring local and international cuisines and even a mall! Outside of the city, the island of Spitsbergen is known for its rugged and starkly beautiful mountainous and glacial landscapes and it’s huge population of cute but definitely not cuddly polar bears.
How To Get There?
Believe it or not, many countries actually offer flights to this remote island. We found numerous flight options leaving from neighboring European countries and even flights leaving from Canada and the USA! The catch however was that all of these flights involved one or more layovers and could take up to a full day of traveling to reach Svalbard. Being a Norwegian territory with close ties to mainland Norway, it was no surprise to us to learn that the best nonstop routes to Svalbard was through Norway itself. As such, we chose to fly from Oslo Airport (OSL) to Svalbard directly which took approximately 3 hours.
There is also an option to fly from TromsØ, Norway to Svalbard which takes about half the flight time (1.5 hours) and is also nonstop. Our roundtrip flight cost 500 USD per person and we were able to book through Expedia.com. If flying is not your ideal means of travel then you could also consider taking a cruise to the islands or join one of the many epic sailing excursions that explore an astounding amount of the the archipelago.
When To Visit?
This is entirely dependent on what you want to see when you arrive to Svalbard. Winters are harsh but beautiful with decidedly less tourists if the locals are to be believed. If you’re looking for snow-clad landscapes, subzero temperatures, 24 hours of night, the ethereal northern lights and even the occasional blizzard then this time of year is for you! If you choose to visit in the winter then it’s likely that your outdoor excursions and food options may be limited due to weather. If you’re like the rest of us and want to comfortably explore without worrying about frostbite then you may want to visit in the summer season. Summer is considered the high season in Svalbard and extends from June to August with temperatures reaching a positively hot 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer season also sees a spike in tourist activity and many people migrate to the settlement for seasonable work from all over the world making the settlement an international melting pot. The summer days are long with 24 hours of daylight giving you plenty of time to join the various tours that are only available this time of year and for ruining your circadian rhythm for the rest of your vacation. There is also less chance of running into a polar bear in the settlement in summer versus the winter. We visited Svalbard in late July and experienced mostly 40°F weather with gorgeous sunshine making all of our guided hikes and tours very pleasant and memorable. Beware though that Svalbard is known for changeable weather with lots of rain, fog and sometime even snow during the summer so make sure that you are prepared for these shifts in weather whenever you’re away from the settlement itself. Of course, seeing the northern lights is not possible in the summer season but we think this is fair trade when you consider how much more of the island you get explore in the summer versus the winter. Check out all the seasons of Svalbard here.
How To Get Around Longyearbyen ?
Figuring out how to get from the airport to your ultimate destination after a long flight to an unfamiliar place can be one of the most anxiety creating aspects of travel but we can assure you that there is really no need to worry when you land at the Svalbard airport (LYR) as there are ample transportation choices and as the trip into town is about ten minutes by car. Before you even ask: no you cannot walk into town not unless you plan on being fodder for polar bears!
You can choose to travel by bus, taxi or hotel airport shuttle when you arrive. We were surprised to find multiple buses into the city lining the arrivals area outside of the airport with routes to all the major hotels in Longyearbyen. The only requirements for taking the bus is making sure to grab your bags, verify drop off locations with the bus driver and be prepared to pay by credit card and off you go! The cost of taking the bus is dependent on your drop off location and is typically affordable but the price is per person and can quickly add up if you have a large party. The same can be said for the hotel shuttles as these also tend to charge per person. We opted to take a cab which was as easy as walking up to an available taxi and discussing the trip with the driver and, ten minutes and $17 US dollars later, we were deposited at our hotel with little to no fuss.
Getting around the city of Longyearbyen itself is easy in every sense of the word as well due to the small footprint of the settlement. Everything from the hotels to the supermarket to the restaurants are within a five to ten minutes walk of each other. We did not feel a need to rent a vehicle to get around particularly as visitors are prohibited from leaving the settlement for safety reasons. Keep in mind that the means of transport most likely differ significantly in the winter and potentially rely more heavily on ski mobiles and dog sleds. All in all, we would say that getting around Svalbard and Longyearbyen was much the same as or even better than getting around most small towns which we found remarkable given its remoteness.
Where to stay in Longyearbyen?
So we made the assumption, once again, that we would be “roughing it” so to speak once we arrived to Longyearbyen. It is definitely hard to imagine having luxuries like indoor plumbing in such a place so our over-the-top imaginations had us envisioning living the full-on camp/lodge life accessorized with thread bare cots, maybe even sleeping bags only, and wearing animal fur to survive the harsh weather. Of course we were shocked and maybe a little disappointed to find out that we could choose from multiple well equipped hotels located right in the settlement for fairly reasonable prices. In fact, we booked our stay in Svalbard Hotel Polfareren through Expedia and, putting our ridiculous expectations aside, were very pleased to find that the hotel had everything from a central location in town, comfortable beds, indoor plumbing, and a fantastic breakfast buffet to blackout curtains and soundproofing!
Needless to say we all breathed a secret sigh of relief when we realized that we wouldn’t have to dig a hole in an Arctic tundra every time we needed a bathroom break! If you also don’t fancy rugged living then we recommend booking a hotel early particularly in the summer high season and would also recommend choosing a room with blackout curtains for those long summer days. Most of the hotels in the settlement are in close proximity to each other with very short walks (about 5 minutes) to get from one to the next so no need to fret too much about location and you can always contact the hotels directly by email/phone if you have questions before arriving. We also loved that passports were not needed to check into the hotels which was a huge time saver!
Where To Eat?
Despite its remoteness, Longyearbyen actually has a great food scene offering both local and international dishes for reasonable prices. Anything from smoked minke whale, whale blubber and reindeer to pizza, spare ribs and sushi can be had here. Make sure to make reservations ahead of arriving as each restaurant has limited seating and you could end up having to catch your own dinner! If this seems a little dramatic to you then you’re spot on as you could easily pick up a meal or fixings for a meal at the well-stocked supermarket located at the town’s center rather than trying to arm yourself and hunt for your next meal! If you are planning to cook then keep in mind that most fresh produce and some meats are imported and can come at a very steep price and it may be more cost effective and less stressful to support the local restaurants. Also who wants to cook on vacation? Check out our food page for details on our favorite restaurants and dishes in Longyearbyen.
What to Wear?
What to wear really depends on the time of year you’re visiting. Since we went to Svalbard in the summer season when temperatures are considered more stable we decided to travel with light layers. On days where we hiked and spent considerable time outdoors we opted to wear lightweight wool base layers, light fleece sweaters, sturdy wool socks and waterproof pants and jackets. Given the propensity for rain in the summer time, waterproof and wind-proof outerwear is a must. We were able to layer up or down as needed based on our activity while staying perfectly comfortable. We do recommend wearing a hat, gloves and a neck scarf that can also double as a face cover for those ultra cold and windy moments. We opted to go with wool for our base layers particularly as wool is both warm and naturally antimicrobial allowing us to wear the layers multiple times as needed. Ideally, you should not need more than 2-3 layers in the summer season however if you’re traveling in the winter then you may need 3-4 layers including heavier wool base layers. Finally, shoes maketh man in this terrain so make sure to get comfortable, waterproof, cold-rated hiking boots and break them in before setting out on any Svalbard adventure.
Shopping in Longyearbyen ?
Surprised that this is actually something to talk about? So were we! With multiple sporting stores and even a small shopping mall all located within a few minutes walk of the hotels there is no need to worry if you forgot to pack something! In fact, you could purchase all the winter gear you need right there in the settlement for likely cheaper prices than you could in other places! For instance, after a few days of hiking and playing with the pooches that went on tour with us we found that our gloves were not up to task and needed to be discarded. We were able to replace these with better quality gloves at a much more affordable price than we could do at home! Make sure to take advantage of the multiple souvenir shops in town as well since giving a cool gift with 78 degree north inscribed on it to those who couldn’t come along is sure to dampen any jealousy-driven ill-will towards you!
What to do in Svalbard?
By now we’ve probably given you the impression that Svalbard is much like any other town where you could easily pass your days shopping and eating and luxuriating to your heart’s content and you’re probably wondering where’s the high adventure? Why travel potentially thousands of miles to do what you can do in your own backyard? Well, firstly: great question! And secondly you have to ask yourself the following things: Is the glacier in my backyard hike-able today? Are my adorable Arctic hounds ready for a spectacular wagon-pull run on the beach today? Will there be polar bears in my cabbage patch this morning? If the answers to these questions are not “yes definitely” then there you have it: undeniable proof that you must go to Svalbard!
On a more serious note, Svalbard is rich in unique experiences both in the summer and the winter. As we visited in the summer various hikes were available to us. We opted to hike the Foxfonna glacier which we found challenging in terms of the terrain. The hike lasted approximately six hours and involved climbing across VERY rocky terrain onto the glacier itself then making our way into the Adventdalen. While we would consider this an easy to moderate hike overall the hike itself could become very strenuous without proper gear. We would recommend sturdy, waterproof shoes with good traction to make scurrying over slippery rocks a more stable feat. Make sure to dress in layers as it’ll be cold on the glacier and warmer as you hike on and off the glacier and layering will allow you to get comfortable at will. Waterproof/wind proof exterior layers are a must for this hike as the weather is fickle and you’ll be exposed to it for several hours! Finally, and this is easier said than done, carefully watch where you step as the breathtaking scenery could captivate you and you could then find yourself slip and sliding down a glacial lazy river!
If glacial hiking alone is not enough for you then you can also consider taking a morning ride in a dog-pulled wagon along the seashore. We found this to be a fun experience particularly as we were able to interact with the super friendly and adorable arctic hounds. We booked all of our Svalbard experiences with Green Dog tours and were extremely pleased with their timeliness, professionalism, the wonderful way they interact with their hounds and with the quality of the activities themselves. Of course there are many more activities to do in Svalbard than we had time for but if you’re visiting in the summer we highly recommend these activities plus the addition of a boat tour to polar bear land to add an little extra zing to your experience!
