Svalbard: the polar archipelago and the bears that live there

It’s 11:47 p.m. in mid-June in Longyearbyen, the main settlement of Svalbard, and the sun is still well above the horizon. The temperature is around 4°C. A pair of reindeer is walking slowly across the gravel street in front of me, completely unconcerned with the human settlement. The town is small — perhaps 2,400 people — and surrounded by mountains and glaciers on all sides. Above town, on the ridge, an old coal mine entrance is visible. The cruise ship in the small harbour is being loaded. Tomorrow I will be on it for ten days, heading north along the western coast of Spitsbergen toward the edge of the pack ice. This is Svalbard, the High Arctic, and one of the rarest forms of contemporary travel.

Why I keep coming back

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago at 78°–80° north — roughly the latitude of northern Greenland. The largest island, Spitsbergen, has the only sizeable settlement (Longyearbyen, 2,400 people, the world’s northernmost true town). The archipelago has been part of Norway since the Svalbard Treaty of 1925 (which uniquely allows nationals of the 46 signatory states to live and work in Svalbard without immigration formalities).

The land is 60% glaciated. Polar bears are present (more polar bears than people on the archipelago, around 3,000). The 24-hour daylight from late April to August and the 24-hour polar night from October to February are the climatic extremes.

The main way to see the archipelago is by expedition cruise — a 5-to-12-day small-vessel trip up the western coast of Spitsbergen, with daily landings (by Zodiac inflatable boat) at glaciers, bird cliffs, walrus haul-outs, and (with luck) polar-bear sightings.

Where to base yourself

Longyearbyen is the only practical land base. Several mid-range hotels — Funken Lodge, Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, Coal Miners’ Cabins.

For the high-end land option, Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel at Kapp Linné — accessible only by snowmobile in winter or boat in summer.

Most meaningful Svalbard experiences are aboard an expedition cruise.

What to actually do

Take an expedition cruise. 5-day, 7-day, or 10-day options on small vessels (12 to 200 passengers). The smaller vessels (Hurtigruten’s Polarlys, Quark’s Ultramarine, or the smaller National Geographic / Lindblad ships) offer better landing access. The cruises start and end in Longyearbyen.

Watch for polar bears. From the cruise vessel, with binoculars. The bears are typically seen on the sea ice or on small islands. Landings are not permitted where bears are present nearby.

Visit walrus haul-outs. Several beaches on the northwestern coast host hundreds of walruses; landings are at a respectful distance.

See the seabird cliffs. Thousands of nesting Brünnich’s guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars on the cliff faces of the northwest.

Walk on a glacier. With a licensed guide and rope team, glacier walks are possible from Longyearbyen.

Visit the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The world’s repository of agricultural-crop seeds; not open for visitors inside but the exterior is a brief stop. A 15-minute drive from Longyearbyen.

Husky-sledding or snowmobiling in winter. Several operators in Longyearbyen.

Where to eat

Huset (Longyearbyen) — A refined Arctic dinner with extensive wine cellar. Funktionærmessen (Funken Lodge) — Reliable upper-mid-range. Gruvelageret — The old mine warehouse converted to a restaurant; the local-meat focus (reindeer, seal, whale — yes, all are legal in Svalbard within strict quotas, ethically complex). Stationen — More casual; the small-plate seal and reindeer preparations.

On cruises, meals are provided by the vessel.

When to come

Late May to early September is the navigable summer season; pack ice has retreated; midnight sun.

June is the time the bird cliffs are most active and the polar-bear chances are higher (the bears need ice).

Late August is when the sea ice is at its annual minimum and the cruises can reach the highest northern latitudes.

February through April is the polar-night-into-spring transition; aurora season; husky-sled and snowmobile season; some of the best photographic light of the year.

Practical notes

• Visa: The Svalbard Treaty allows all nationals visa-free; but most Western passports also need Schengen-compatible documentation since transit is typically through Oslo.
• Money: Norwegian krone; card everywhere.
• Transport: SAS and Norwegian fly daily from Oslo to Longyearbyen.
• Polar bear rule: Outside the small settlement, by law you must carry firearms (or be in the company of an armed licensed guide). All organised tours include this; do not wander out of Longyearbyen alone.
• Cost: Among the most expensive trips in this guide. Cruises are US$5,000–15,000+ per person depending on duration and vessel; land-only with day-trips is somewhat cheaper.
• Environmental impact: Be aware that Arctic cruise tourism is high-carbon and high-impact. Choose operators with serious sustainability programmes; offset emissions where possible.

A final thought

Svalbard is one of the most genuinely remote destinations accessible by commercial travel today and one of the most consequential as a witness to climate change. The Arctic sea ice has retreated dramatically in the past two decades; the polar bears are visibly stressed; the glaciers calve in significant amounts each summer.

The trip is, in some sense, the kind of trip that may not be reasonably available in the same form in another generation. The expedition cruise format gives access to landscapes that no other approach gives. Go now, with thoughtful operators, and pay attention. The Arctic has been there for millions of years. Whether it continues in its current form into the second half of the 21st century is the open question.