Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago located between Norway and the North Pole. Here you’ll find some of the northernmost settlements in the world. Did you know that Svalbard has the northernmost brewery in the world? The island is known for its rugged and remote terrain, dominated by glaciers and frozen tundra, Home to polar bears, reindeer and arctic foxes. During the winter you may experience the magical northern lights and during the summer the endless days with the midnight sun. The main settlement on Svalbard is called Longyearbyen and from here you may embark on a number of expeditions and adventures.

Svalbard is such an amazing destination for people seeking a more adventurous holiday. With ATV excursions through the snowy mountains during the winter and boat trips across the vast fjords during the summer, any season will offer memorable experiences. With tourism being one of the main livelihoods, Longyearbyen has become an expert in making the most of any season with a large number of activities to choose from.

Although there are a number of adventures to embark on around Longyearbyen, a holiday to Svalbard may be expensive, as you can not venture outside of the settlement of Longyearbyen without an armed and trained guide (due to the large population of polar bears). So how do you experience as much of the Arctic magic as possible?

For the first day set aside some time to explore the settlement and the local shops. Longyearbyen have the northernmost brewery and the northernmost chocolate makers! There are also a few museums, restaurants and cafés.

After settling in, explore beyond the settlement by hiking one of the nearby mountains, going on an ATV safari or going dog sledging! These are all half-day activities that are easy to combine with a day of exploring Longyearbyen or arriving on a midday flight. Visit Svalbard provides an activity planner on their website where you can actually book all of your activities with different providers from their site, allowing you to see all the activities available without having to browse through a million websites. I would recommend booking the activities in advance as especially the summer season tend to get very busy!

Rise bright and early for a full day of adventures. I would highly recommend joining a full-day excursion to one of the Russian settlements on Svalbard, Pyramiden and Barentsburg.

Pyramiden
Pyramiden is an abandoned Sovjet coal mining settlement. Most of the infrastructure and buildings are still in place, and the cold climate helps preserve what’s left. Walking in such a ghost town in the middle of the arctic tundra makes you feel like you are the only people left in the world. There are daily tours to Pyramiden, and for people feeling adventurous an open RIB boat tour. The open RIB boat allows you to get close up on nature and if you’re lucky, the wildlife. The tour takes you up close to a glacier and across the vast Icefjord.

Barentsburg
Barentsburg is the second largest settlement on Svalbard with 470 inhabitants. The settlement is almost entirely made up of Russians and Ukrainians. Similar to Longyearbyen and Pyramiden, Barentsburg is also a mining settlement.

To finish up the Arctic adventure, spend the day in the beautiful nature surrounding Longyearbyen by going on a hike or going kayaking, depending on what you want to see more of. There are a number of hikes with different levels of difficulty and length. Find something suitable for you. However, keep in mind that Norwegians are used to the lifestyle of hiking in the mountains and their way of grading may be slightly different.

In the evening take a boat trip through the fjords. Lean back in a closed RIB boat and keep a keen eye on the horizon for any wildlife. You’ll be served dinner and maybe get that sight of a polar bear roaming the frozen tundra.

Read more: The ultimate Svalbard Bucketlist (summer)