“Spitsbergen” is Dutch - spits meaning “pointed” and bergen meaning “mountains.” It was so named in 1596 by Dutch Arctic explorer Willem Barentsz. It took some time for the name to catch on – English whalers would refer to the archipelago as Greenland until the late 1780s. The Norwegian name is Svalbard.
Touched by three seas – The Norwegian Sea, the Greenland Sea, and the Arctic Ocean – Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago of northern Norway.
Its rugged mountains and rolling tundra offer plenty of opportunities for hiking and snowshoeing. Spitsbergen is by far the largest wilderness area of Europe and offers some of the finest scenery and wildlife experiences in the world.
Cruises to Svalbard
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail
Climb snow covered alpine mountains and ski downhill
RVR18-22 This program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who have mastered ski techniques both for ascent and descent in challenging snow-covered alpine terrain. A typical day involves ski climbs on mountaintops averaging heights of 700—850 meters (2,300—2,800...
s/v Rembrandt van Rijn
Cruise date:
1 May - 8 May, 2022
Price:
on request
Arctic Ocean Expedition, Aberdeen - Fair Isle - Jan Mayen - Ice edge - Spitsbergen - Birding
Sail the East Greenland ice edge north of Spitsbergen in search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife
HDSXa22 Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to our favorite Arctic island group.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
15 May - 26 May, 2022
Price:
2850 USD
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Spring - Hike & Ski & Sail
Explore the shores and seas of an amazing Arctic island
RVR20-22 At the end of a long Arctic winter, spring is starting to awaken. The climate, however, still clings to the cold: snow-covered mountains, snow-swept shores, temperatures around –4° C (25°F). It’s a good time to experience the last of winter scenery,...
s/v Rembrandt van Rijn
Cruise date:
15 May - 22 May, 2022
Price:
on request
Arctic Ocean Expedition, Fair Isle - Jan Mayen - Ice Edge - Spitsbergen - Birding
Sail the East Greenland ice edge north of Spitsbergen in search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife
HDSXb22 Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from the Scottish port of Aberdeen to our favorite Arctic island group.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
17 May - 26 May, 2022
Price:
2600 USD
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Spring - Hiking Special
Explore the shores and seas of an amazing Arctic island
HDS01-22 The focus of this voyage is shore hiking. Hikers can choose hikes that best suits their fitness and ability level.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
26 May - 2 Jun, 2022
Price:
3850 USD
Svalbard cruise video
Svalbard photo
Svalbard story
Sights and Sounds of Spitsbergen Aboard the New Hondius
Looking out over the pack ice after reaching 80 degrees north, this was the moment when I really felt like I was in the
Svalbard blog
Cleanup for Sarah continues
Cleanup for Sarah began in 2019 and takes place every year on June 16, Sarah’s birthday.
Svalbard experiences
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Svalbard wildlife
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Svalbard cruise reviews
north spitsbergen 82 degrees north
excellent trip that met our expectations in terms of magical landscapes, interesting naturalistic observations and perfect organization (outings and stewardship). Wonderful cruise that leaves us with great m
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Professional Expedition Staff
Scenery is one thing. And for me the chief reason to visit Svalbard and Greenland. Others may focus more on wildlife. On this cruise the unexpected highlight was the great interaction between the passengers
Ein Traum wurde wahr!
Vom Beginn der Reise (Begrüßung), über die Ausflüge mit den Zodiacs - ein spitzklasse GuidesTeam. Die Guides haben sich bei den Touren und auch Nachbesprechungen viel Zeit genommen. Auch
Traumhaftes Spitzbergen
Wir hatten große Erwartungen an diese Reise, die alle bei weitem übertroffen wurden. Ein hervorragendes Expeditionsschiff, das durchaus komfortabel war. Die tolle Crew und die Guides, die durch ih
Read full review »Svalbard FAQ
Where do we go on Svalbard?
Svalbard is one of our core Arctic locations, a great place for enjoying wildlife, activities, and scenery. For this reason, there are too many areas we visit to list here. For details on intended routes and landing sites, see the Svalbard page at ou
Read more »What is the best time to travel to Spitsbergen?
This depends on what you want to experience at Spitsbergen. In case you want to experience the Polar night or the Aurora Borealis, November to February is the best time to travel to Spitsbergen. Do you want to see the midnight sun and enjoy boat trip
Read more »When is the winter season in Spitsbergen?
The sun sets for the last time in Spitsbergen in mid-September and rises above the horizon again in mid-February. The winter landscape and temperatures prevail until May.
Read more »What is the temperature and weather like in Svalbard?
The weather in Spitsbergen differs per area and location. Although snow can occur throughout the year in Svalbard, the North Atlantic Current helps provide Svalbard with warmer temperatures than many other areas within similar latitudes. However
Read more »Where can I see polar bears during a Svalbard voyage?
As polar bears can travel great distances in a day, it is impossible to say where and when we will spot them. Sea ice is the best place to look, so we tend to focus our efforts there. Though you will have a good chance of seeing polar bears in Svalba
Read more »What wildlife can I see in Spitsbergen?
Your cruise to Spitsbergen will come with an enormous amount of opportunity to spot wildlife. Polar bears are obviously the main attraction regarding wildlife. There are six national parks throughout Spitsbergen, and Svalbard alone is known to c
Read more »
About
Svalbard weather
Svalbard is located in the high Arctic and shares the Arctic’s designation as a technical desert when it comes to annual precipitation (or lack thereof). Particularly the eastern part of Svalbard sees relatively little precipitation annually. The west coast sees more precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Depending on when you take your Svalbard cruise you can expect temperatures to average anywhere from -14°C in the winter to 6°C in the summer.
Facts about Svalbard
- The name “Svalbard” is an old name (going back to at least the 1100s) meaning “cold coasts.”
- Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s only true town, was founded by an American in 1906. It has a little over 2000 inhabitants.
- Almost 65% of Svalbard is a protected nature reserve or a national park.
- Svalbard is the archipelago (chain of islands) off the north coast of Norway.
- Svalbard has the world’s third biggest ice sheet, coming behind only Antarctica and Greenland.
- Svalbard is made up of 4 main islands, and almost 150 smaller islands.
- Nobody gets buried on Svalbard. Because of the cold in the ground bodies generally fail to decompose, meaning that the graveyards would quickly get overrun. Therefore bodies are shipped to mainland Norway and buried there.
Travel to Svalbard
Travel to Svalbard and experience one of the Earth’s northernmost human inhabitations. Your Svalbard expedition cruise will take you to a beautifully stark landscape of glaciers and rugged snow-capped mountains. During your Svalbard holiday you’ll explore the preserved and protected history of the region, watch high Arctic wildlife on both land and at sea. Come during the late autumn/early winter months and your Svalbard cruise will be capped off by the great wonder of the Polar skies, the Northern Lights. For the polar bear enthusiasts special polar bear itineraries are arranged to offer the best polar bear experiences.
Polar bear video by Vedat Mihmat
