There are some places in the world that seem almost too remote, wild and extraordinary to be real, and Svalbard is certainly one of them. Situated deep inside the Arctic Circle, between mainland Norway and the North Pole, this remarkable archipelago is a land of glaciers, frozen fjords, bare mountains, polar nights and wildlife that has adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth.
I’d heard about Svalbard through my years in the travel industry and from people who had visited as part of expedition cruises, but I’d never really considered what it might be like to travel there independently. Then former travel agent Heather Cragg got in touch and offered to share the story of her own Arctic adventure, a journey that began rather unexpectedly when she won a pair of airline tickets.
So Where Exactly Is Svalbard?
Heather’s adventure began when she won two business-class tickets to any short-haul destination through work. Faced with the rather pleasant problem of deciding where to go, she and her partner considered several European destinations before thinking that this might finally be their opportunity to see the Northern Lights.
Tromsø in northern Norway seemed the obvious choice, but while studying the airline route map they noticed another flight heading even further north. That route ended at Longyearbyen in Svalbard, and suddenly Tromsø didn’t seem quite adventurous enough.
A little research followed and before long they had decided to travel much further into the Arctic, to a place where winter brings months without direct sunlight, summer delivers the extraordinary Midnight Sun and polar bears inhabit the surrounding wilderness. This was clearly going to be rather more than an ordinary European city break.
🇳🇴 Planning a trip to Norway? Take a look at my Norway Travel Guide for more inspiration and ideas for exploring this spectacular part of the world.
Arriving in Longyearbyen
Svalbard isn’t simply far north; once you arrive, it genuinely feels as though you have travelled to the edge of the world. Longyearbyen sits at approximately 78° North and is the largest settlement in the archipelago, surrounded by mountains, valleys and a vast Arctic wilderness.
Heather chose to travel in February, as the long Polar Night was beginning to loosen its grip and light was slowly returning to the landscape. The sun was still struggling to rise sufficiently high above the surrounding mountains, creating a strange and beautiful half-light that was unlike anything she had experienced before.
Then there was the temperature. Heather had prepared herself for something around -20°C, which was certainly cold enough, but Svalbard had other ideas. During the trip temperatures would eventually fall considerably lower.
One of her first adventures was a guided hike into the mountains surrounding Longyearbyen, where it soon became apparent why travelling with experienced local guides is so important. The weather deteriorated and before long the group was hiking through blowing snow, surrounded by an increasingly wintry Arctic landscape.
There was something wonderfully surreal about stopping halfway up an Arctic mountainside while the guide produced tea and biscuits. Sitting there with a hot drink in her hands as the snow swirled around her was one of those wonderfully unexpected travel moments that Heather still remembers.
Getting back down the mountain was rather less elegant, involving a combination of scrambling and sliding, but everyone returned safely. The cloud meant that any hope of seeing the Northern Lights that evening had disappeared, although that is always part of travelling in search of natural phenomena. However carefully you plan, nature doesn’t work to a timetable.
❄️ Svalbard Tip: Arctic weather can change extremely quickly and wind chill can make already-low temperatures feel considerably colder. Proper layers, insulated footwear, gloves and face protection are essential rather than optional.
The Strange Light of an Arctic Winter
The following morning the temperature had dropped to around -24°C. As Heather walked along Longyearbyen’s main street, she noticed the surrounding mountain tops glowing pink as they caught the returning sunlight, while the settlement below remained in a much softer and more subdued light.
Svalbard’s extraordinary seasonal changes in daylight are one of the things that make the archipelago so fascinating. During the Polar Night the sun remains below the horizon, while summer brings the complete opposite with the Midnight Sun, when daylight continues around the clock.
In Longyearbyen the Midnight Sun lasts from approximately late April until late August, while the darker months offer the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. During the deepest part of winter, Svalbard is unusual in that the darkness means the aurora can potentially be seen even during what we would normally consider daytime.
Heather wasn’t fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights during her visit, but as the trip unfolded she discovered that Svalbard had plenty of other experiences to compensate.
Snowmobiling Through the Arctic Wilderness
On the third day, Heather and her partner set out on a snowmobile journey towards Barentsburg, the Russian mining settlement to the west of Longyearbyen. There are no roads connecting Svalbard’s settlements, so heading out into the wilderness during winter becomes an adventure in its own right.
Their guide ensured everyone was properly equipped before departure, something that becomes particularly important when temperatures are this low and exposed skin can quickly become a problem. Heather found snowmobiling exhilarating, although it was considerably harder work than she had expected as they travelled across the frozen landscape.
Eventually they reached a glacier, where they stopped and watched the low winter sun appearing dramatically between two sharp mountain peaks. It was another of those extraordinary Arctic moments, but the weather was beginning to change.
Strong winds were whipping snow through the valley ahead and their guide became increasingly concerned about the conditions and the potential avalanche risk. After speaking with colleagues, the decision was made to abandon the journey to Barentsburg and return to Longyearbyen.
Heather admits she was disappointed not to reach their destination, although there was also a degree of relief at avoiding several more hours bouncing across the Arctic on a snowmobile. More importantly, it demonstrated one of the realities of travelling somewhere like Svalbard: conditions ultimately determine what is possible, and no planned itinerary is more important than safety.
Polar Bears in Svalbard
Svalbard and polar bears are inevitably linked, and for many visitors the possibility of seeing one adds to the excitement of travelling so far north. However, this is an area where expectations need to be managed carefully.
Polar bears can occur anywhere in Svalbard throughout the year, which is one of the reasons visitors shouldn’t venture beyond Longyearbyen’s settlement limits without appropriate expertise and protection. For most travellers, joining an excursion with an experienced local guide is the sensible way to explore the surrounding wilderness.
It is also important to understand that Svalbard isn’t somewhere to go chasing polar bears. The animals are protected and must not be pursued, attracted or disturbed, and current regulations impose minimum distances that visitors must maintain. If you are fortunate enough to encounter a polar bear safely and responsibly during your travels, it should be regarded as an unexpected privilege rather than something guaranteed as part of the holiday.
🐻❄️ Wildlife Tip: Follow the instructions of your guide at all times and never attempt to approach wildlife for a better photograph. Svalbard’s animals are wild, and keeping them that way is far more important than getting the perfect picture.
When the Temperature Reaches -30°C
After returning from their shortened snowmobile adventure, Heather and her partner headed out for dinner in Longyearbyen and enjoyed what she still remembers as one of the best pizzas she’d ever eaten. Perhaps food simply tastes better after spending the day crossing the Arctic on a snowmobile.
It was on the walk back to the hotel that they really began to appreciate just how cold Svalbard could become. Heather could feel an unusual freezing sensation inside her nose as she breathed and ice began forming on her eyelashes. When they finally reached the hotel, the thermometer was showing an extraordinary -30°C.
Despite the extreme cold and the disappointment of not seeing the Northern Lights, these were the experiences that ultimately came to define Heather’s trip. She remembers the strange Arctic light, drinking tea during a blizzard, travelling across frozen landscapes by snowmobile and experiencing temperatures unlike anything she had encountered before.
It is also a useful reminder that travelling specifically to see a natural phenomenon can sometimes mean returning home without seeing it. Northern Lights don’t appear because you’ve booked a holiday, whales don’t necessarily swim past because you’ve paid for a boat trip and polar bears certainly don’t wander conveniently into view because you’ve travelled all the way to Svalbard. Often it is the experiences you hadn’t anticipated that become the strongest memories.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Svalbard?
There isn’t really one perfect time to visit Svalbard because the experience changes so dramatically throughout the year. The question is less about when Svalbard is at its best and more about which version of Svalbard you want to experience.
Winter brings darkness, snow, extraordinary light and the possibility of the Northern Lights. As the sun begins to return, the days rapidly become longer while winter activities can continue across the frozen landscape.
Summer is completely different. The Midnight Sun transforms the archipelago and activities turn towards hiking, boat trips, kayaking and exploring areas that become more accessible once the winter ice and snow retreat.
This enormous seasonal variation means it is worth thinking carefully about what you want from the trip before deciding when to travel. Someone dreaming of snowmobiles and Northern Lights will require a very different Svalbard holiday from someone hoping to hike beneath the Midnight Sun.
Staying Safe in Svalbard
Svalbard is an extraordinary destination, but it isn’t somewhere to underestimate. Weather can change rapidly and travelling beyond the settlement brings genuine risks including extreme cold, avalanches, difficult terrain and polar bears.
For visitors unfamiliar with Arctic conditions, using professional local operators for excursions into the wilderness makes enormous sense. Experienced guides understand the landscape and can assess weather, avalanche and ice conditions while carrying the appropriate safety and communications equipment.
Travel insurance is another important consideration. Anyone planning a trip should make sure their policy genuinely covers Svalbard and the activities they intend to undertake, rather than simply assuming standard European travel insurance will be sufficient.
Within Longyearbyen visitors can explore independently, but travelling beyond the settlement is very different. This is a genuine Arctic environment where local advice should always take priority over your plans for the day.
An Arctic Adventure to Remember
Heather travelled to Svalbard partly because she wanted to see the Northern Lights, yet she returned home without seeing them. Her snowmobile journey towards Barentsburg didn’t actually reach Barentsburg either, and there were no polar bears wandering conveniently into view.
None of that diminished the experience.
Instead, she returned with memories of drinking tea in a blizzard, watching the returning light illuminate the Arctic mountains, travelling across frozen landscapes by snowmobile and discovering exactly what -30°C feels like.
It wasn’t necessarily the Svalbard adventure she had imagined when she first spotted Longyearbyen on an airline route map, but perhaps that is what made it so memorable. Some of the best travel experiences are the ones that don’t follow the script.
Svalbard certainly didn’t.
And years later, Heather still remembers her Arctic adventure at 78° North as one of those journeys that was completely unlike anywhere she had travelled before.
About This Svalbard Experience
This article is based on the travels of former travel agent Heather Cragg, who shared her personal Svalbard adventure with Just One For The Road. Her original story has been updated with current practical and responsible-travel information while retaining the experiences and memories that made her journey into the High Arctic so special.
