Svalbard

Spitsbergen is the crown of Arctic Norway. Located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, one might expect it to be unbearable cold. However, thanks to the Gulf Stream, Spitsbergen and the other islands in the Svalbard archipelago boast a surprisingly mild climate with distinctive seasons. Among a large variety of plants and wildlife are seals, thousands of seabirds coming in every summer, the Arctic fox, reindeer, and the top predator: The polar bear.

KLONDIKE-LIKE ATMOSPHERE

Part of the Spitsbergen experience is visiting the different fascinating settlements such as Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, and Ny-Ålesund. They all have different atmospheres but they share a certain ‘pioneer’ feeling, a ‘Klondike-like’ spirit – and they all display self-reliance in their isolation from the mainland.

Longyearbyen is a colorful modern town with first-class facilities, such as excellent hotels and restaurants, and regular flight connections to mainland Norway, as well as an impressive range of activities to suit every traveler.

CLOSE TO THE WILDLIFE

With Hurtigruten, you can choose among a variety of expedition sailings on the MS Fram or MS Nordstjernen, or add a Spitsbergen adventure as an extension to your coastal Norway voyage with flights from Tromsø. Our expedition-style landings will take you close to the Arctic wildlife, ghost towns of the early whaling stations, remote mining towns, research communities, and spectacular fjords and icebergs.