Svalbard & Longyearbyen – The Worlds Northermost Town

My adventure to Svalbard and Longyearbyen was only planned a short time in advance. In fact, a few days before booking my flights I’d never even heard of the island! But once I’d read about it I just knew I had to include it as part of my upcoming trip through Norway. It looked like such an unnatural and unrealistic experience after growing up in Australia, and after visiting I still stand by that statement. I loved every moment of the trip, from walking to the local pub through a blizzard, to hot chocolates in the hostel with new friends from all around the world. 

I loved the sense of community the entire town has together, the adventurous personalities of everyone who had voluntarily sent themselves to the arctic wasteland and the niche cultural practices they have on the island. Firearm lockups in the local supermarket and walking around museums were two of my favourites.

People from over 50 different nationalities live and work on Svalbard, so it was amazing to hear everyones stories, from where they were born and how they ended up living and working here. It definitely won’t be the last time I visit Svalbard. Next time I plan on visiting in summer, and I am determined to see a polar bear (as well as see the island in some daylight).

Here’s what I did during my time on Svalbard:

Husky Sledging Tour

One can’t go to an arctic island without using everyone’s favourite mode of arctic transport: dog sleds! Using a company called Green Dog, I was able to do a 4 hour sledging tour across to visit a glacier and back. They pick you up from the front door of your accommodation and drive you to their dog yards. The huskies were incredibly cute, and so eager to prove how fast they could really run. With the Northern Lights dancing above us, we set out into the dark following the guide to the glacier. Each person gets to take turns being a passenger, but also driving the sledge, controlling the huskies and letting them know when to slow down. Don’t let this deter you, it’s easier than it sounds and a huge thrill to feel the wind rushing across your face as they pull you along. Upon returning, you get to help return the dogs to their huts and give them some well deserved pats. Before returning you to your accommodation, the guides treat you to a snack and a warm beverage to defrost you after your journey! This was a must do activity and I’m so glad I was able to experience this during my visit.

You can find more info on sledging tours with Green Dogs here!

Museums

Svalbard has 2 local museums – The Svalbard Museum, and the North Pole museums. The Svalbard Museum contains the history of the island, from settlements, mining politics and activities carried out in the area. The North Pole Museum goes into great depth about all the attempts to navigate to the North Pole during the late 19th and 20th Century. Both museums are extremely cheap and contain loads of great information. I spent many hours in each of them as they were great entertainment and value, and a good escape from the cold weather. The staff were all super friendly and knowledgeable, and more than happy to answer any questions you have. I would definitely recommend committing to a museum day while on Svalbard.

Svalbard Museum: https://svalbardmuseum.no/no/
North Pole Museum: https://northpolemuseum.com/

Bus Tour

One of the activities offered was a bus tour around the town of Longyearbyen. They take you to all the local sites and attractions, whilst giving good, and humorous, knowledge about the town itself. You’re able to spot the Global Seed Vault, as well as venture to the outskirts of the city that you wouldn’t have been able to reach on foot. In total it took 2 hours, but was very entertaining. They pick you up and drop you off right at your accommodation, which saves having to deal with the endless pesky wind and weather on the island. I booked the tour here: https://www.visitsvalbard.com/

Trollsteinen Hike + Ice Cave Tour

Not for those that despise cold conditions, the 8 hour round trip hike to Trollsteinen and its Ice Caves was incredible. Done through Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions, our guides picked us up from the accommodation and took us to their office to supply us with the right equipment and supplies for the day. We set off in our small group into the darkness of the mountains, with our guide armed for protection against polar bears. We got to experience Svalbard’s notorious winds blowing from every direction, but the view from the top was incredible. On the way back down the mountain, we stopped to explore some natural ice caves, built from ice that is thousands of years old. In the cave we even found fossils of plants and small insects! The views inside the caves were just as breathtaking as those from the top of the mountain. Again, another ‘must do’ experience while visiting Svalbard! Check out Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions here!

Connect with Locals – Explore the Town

The local population of Svalbard is by far the best community I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Whether it was the retail assistants, hospitality staff or the local students and citizens, everybody was approachable and friendly. With my newly met hostel mates, we headed to the local pub on Friday night and we were the centre of attention for all the locals. Everyone wanted to hear our stories and why we were on the isolated island, and in return we got to hear their amazing journeys that lead them to living in such an unusual place. I’d highly recommend interacting with the locals and the town while you’re here. It’s an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Northern Lights

During winter, the Northern Lights can be seen at almost all hours of the day given the right weather conditions. Best seen from a dark vantage point, the lights can usually be seen during most activities you do on the island, but also always possible to see from the front of your accommodation too. Don’t forget to look up every now and again so you don’t miss them. But also don’t stray too far from the town trying to find a dark spot, we wouldn’t want any issues with any polar bears!

If you’re interested in checking out some of the other unique places I’m planning on visiting, read my post here about my top 5 external territories I’d love to visit!