Top Five Things To Do in Svalbard in Winter
Top Five Things To Do in Svalbard in Winter
Winter in Svalbard is unlike anywhere else in the world. As the Polar Night settles over the archipelago, Longyearbyen becomes a gateway to thrilling Arctic adventures, from snowmobiling across frozen valleys and spotting wildlife in the wilderness to witnessing the northern lights dance overhead. It's a destination that feels wonderfully remote, yet surprisingly welcoming.
Our Head of Regent, Andrea, travelled to Svalbard to experience this extraordinary season first-hand. From wrapping up against the Arctic chill to discovering just how much there is to see and do beneath the glow of the Polar Night, she found that winter in Svalbard is every bit as magical as its reputation suggests.
"Visiting Svalbard in winter completely changed my perspective on Arctic travel. I expected dramatic landscapes and remarkable Arctic wildlife, but what surprised me most was how much life and adventure there is during the Polar Night. Every day brought a new experience, and these are the five moments I'd recommend to anyone planning a winter trip to this incredible destination."
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Andrea Godfey
Head of Regent
Dog Sledding in Svalbard
1. Dog Sledding
"I head out of the town and up to Bolterdalen to the family-owned Green Dog Sledding Company. They have 220 working dogs, mostly Alaskan Huskies but seeing the dogs chained up to their huts in the snow can be a tough sight for us sentimental, animal-loving Brits. But make no mistake, though these dogs are individually named and much loved by the family, they also remain working dogs used to living outside in such temperatures.
The trickiest thing with dog sledding is trying to get the huge padded jumpsuit, the knitted balaclava and helmet on; once kitted out it’s hard not to resemble the Michelin Man.
It’s loud and chaotic getting the dogs harnessed to the sleds as they are barking with impatience and eager to get started. The teams of dogs are carefully selected to complement each other, although inevitable squabbles break out.
After much yipping, nipping and barking, I push off and stand on the back of the sled as we pull away. Once underway and settled into a cracking pace, silence descends over the icy landscape and as my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can see the shadowy rugged mountaintops emerge against the blue twilight of the polar nights.
As we turn back, the dogs put in extra effort looking forward to their food at the end of the trip. Back at base we get to play with the cute husky puppies and warm up over a coffee and brandy."
Learn to drive your own team of eager huskies through Svalbard's spectacular Arctic wilderness on our Dog Sledding Adventures in Svalbard tour.
Snow cats in the Arctic wilderness
2. Snow Cat Northern Lights Hunt
"The good thing about Svalbard's polar nights is that I get to go out looking for the northern lights in the middle of the day. The 24-hour darkness means the aurora borealis can dance across the skies at any time. It’s hard not to miss the huge red Snow Cats, even in the dark.
These immense fully-tracked vehicles almost look comical picking a group of us up outside the hotel. I clamber up into the heated rear cabin, picking a seat next to its huge windows, and enjoy the slow trundle out along Adventdalen away from the lights of Longyearbyen.
Several stops are made along the way and at one point we excitedly think we’ve seen a polar bear in the far distance. Only a few weeks ago a mother and her two cubs had wandered into town. But, after a few minutes of squinting into the distance, we all agree that it is, in fact, a Svalbard reindeer.
I look up and examine the sky for the tell-tale white clouds or flash of green of the northern lights. The brilliant thing about travelling with a local guide are the fascinating stories of life in Longyearbyen that accompany your journey, interspersed with facts about polar bears and, of course, the northern lights."
Spend an evening on the hunt for northern lights by gliding through the Spitsbergen on a snowcat. You'll drive through the frozen Advent Valley and enjoy incredible views back towards the glittering lights of Longyearbyen on our Tromsø & Svalbard Twin Centre tour.
Relaxing in Camp Barentz
3. Spend an Evening in Camp Barentz
"This is a delightful way to spend a few hours in the company of other travellers out on in the icy plains of Adventdalen.
Away from the light pollution of Longyearbyen, this is also a brilliant spot to watch out for the northern lights.
The evening at Camp Barentz is spent in a cosy cabin, tucking into a hearty meal around an open fire. The cabin is a replica of the dwelling that Willem Barentsz and his crew made from their ship’s timbers when it became stuck in the ice off Novaya Zemlya following their discovery of Spitsbergen. Other buildings here include an authentic gamme, a type of house built by native people in northern Norway, as well as a lavvo, the traditional tent of the Sami.
The Camp Barentz hosts greeted us with a traditional meal of reindeer stew, followed by the most delicious brownies and coffee. We listened to a presentation on the King of the Arctic - the polar bear - and tales of Arctic adventurers. The main highlight for me (and a fabulous end to a wonderful trip) was a fantastic display of the northern lights outside. When we got cold, we could nip back in to warm up quickly before dashing back out to catch the display!"
On our Svalbard Arctic Winter Break at Funken Lodge, allow your hosts to serve you warming and deliciously refuelling dishes whilst you cosy up in front of a bonfire as you keep your eyes peeled for the aurora above on a northern lights evening at Camp Barentz.
Northern lights in Svalbard
4. Into the Coal Mine
"Longyearbyen was originally a mining town founded in 1906 by American John Longyear (hence the name of the town), who worked for the Arctic Coal Company. Mining still happens on Svalbard but in Svea Mine, south of Longyearbyen.
This Svalbard excursion takes us out towards the airport and past the International Seed Bank, which I can't help but think looks a but like a set from a Bond film. Though Mine 3 was closed in 1996, it still looks like the miners have only just clocked out at the end of their shift; their ID tags, overalls and tools are still laying around.
Our irreverent and very funny guide told us about the life of miners throughout the decades as we wandered through the workshops and tunnels. I also had the opportunity to crawl through a narrow passage carrying heavy equipment to experience a little of what it's like to work metres underground. At the end of the tour, we walked into the mountain and to mouth of mine, where we turned our torches off to experience the intensity of complete pitch darkness."
Choose to immerse in this intriguing experience on our Svalbard Light Winter Break this year.
Traditional beer tasting
5. Beer Tasting
"Yes, beer tasting. And it's not just about the booze, there's a fascinating history to be learnt on this excursion surrounding Svalbard's brewery.
Here you find out how world’s most northernmost brewery got started, in just 2011. The founders, husband and wife duo Robert Johansen and Anne Grete, battled for over five years to change the 1928 law, which banned brewing on Svalbard in order to to save the livers of the miners living there at the time.
Well, with tourists visiting now and no need to look after the welfare of non-existent miners, we got stuck in to a brewery tour. Here I tasted two delicious types of beer made with hops imported from Germany and 2000-year-old glacier water from Svalbard's Boge glacier on Svalbard.
This is definitely a great excursion to include on your trip and a welcome respite from the arctic temperatures!"
Enjoy your own warming Arctic beer tasting experience after a thrilling day on a wilderness safari on our Food & Fun at the Funken Lodge- the perfect way to wind down!
Explore Svalbard by Expedition Cruise
Hurtigruten, MS Serenissima
If Andrea's winter adventures have inspired you to discover more of Svalbard, why not experience the archipelago from the water?
Our Svalbard Mini Cruise combines time in Longyearbyen with a three-night voyage on board Hurtigruten's MS Serenissima, sailing through spectacular fjords and past towering glaciers in search of Arctic wildlife, including walruses, seabirds and, if you're lucky, polar bears. Along the way, you'll visit the fascinating research settlement of Ny-Ålesund, where you can learn more about the history of Arctic exploration and send a postcard from the world's northernmost post office.
Inspired by our top five winter activities in Svalbard?
We have plenty more knowledge about Svalbard to share with you. Get in touch with one of our Travel Specialists today, and we can start planning your winter adventure.
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