Polar Bear Explorer
Join us in 2024 for polar bear cruises in Svalbard aboard the R/V Kinfish, where every moment is an opportunity for polar bear watching amid the stunning Arctic scenery.
From 10660 per personWhen to visit Svalbard
The best time to visit Svalbard is between the months of May and September. Svalbard has distinct and extreme seasons, with the contrasting polar night and midnight sun. Spring sees the end of a very long dark winter, where the sun doesn’t rise for months on end. As the daylight creeps back across the mountains, Svalbard starts to come to life once again and with it comes the abundance of wildlife; making summertime the best time to go to Svalbard.
Outside of these summer months, the archipelago freezes over, becoming solid with thick ice and, in the depths of winter, completely thrust into the darkness of the polar night. At this time, the polar bears head out further across the ice in search of food, making it near impossible to find them.
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The Best Time to Visit Svalbard
- JAN
- FEB
- MAR
- APR
- MAY
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
- SEP
- OCT
- NOV
- DEC
Freezing temperatures and constant darkness means we would not recommend traveling to Svalbard in January.
The Polar Summer: May to Early September
In the summer months, the ice has melted enough for our small ships to access and navigate the waters. Reaching close to the shorelines and ice floes, this is where you will find the polar bears out hunting. The peak time for ship expeditions and wildlife sightings.
The Northern Lights Winter: October to February
During the polar night you are unlikely to see wildlife, but we do offer action packed husky and snowmobile safaris in February. Witness the Northern Lights and capture the “blue hour” when the sun moves below and back over the horizon again, tinting the land with a unique beautiful blue tone.
The Sunny Winter: March to April
Early spring seeing Svalbard waking up from the long dark winter. March through April is the best time for land-based trips; snowmobiling and dog sledding across Svalbard’s pristine snowscapes.
Our Svalbard Safari Vacations
Land & Sea Adventure
Driving your own snowmobiles over the Arctic tundra and on-board the expedition ship, you will be on the lookout for wildlife, hoping to see polar bears, walrus, seals and reindeer alongside the epic Arctic landscape in some of the best light conditions. Svalbard is always an extraordinary adventure!
From 11000 per person
Telegraph Route To Isfjord Radio
Experience the Arctic like a true explorer via tented camp and husky sled, looking out for the Northern Lights and spotting wildlife in Svalbard's dramatic wilderness. Begin your adventure into the wilderness at Basecamp Hotel before spending two days camping under the stars, scouring for the magical Northern Lights and exploring the far reaches of the Arctic. Watch for wildlife and travel by husky sled before recuperating in luxury with a stay at Isfjord Radio, a converted radio station turned comfortable wilderness hotel.
From 6000 per personThings to do in Svalbard
Search for Polar Bears
On our Polar Bear Explorer, you will explore the stunning Spitsbergen Archipelago aboard the R/V Kinfish, in search of the King of the Arctic; the mighty polar bear. These trips run in the summer, from May to July.
Look for the Northern Lights
In March, enjoy a late-night Aurora watching tour and look out for the magical Northern Lights dancing across the sky as you journey across the snow covered mountain landscapes of Svalbard.
Snowmobiling
From March to May, join an adventurous snowmobiling expedition through the landscapes of Spitsbergen to Isfjord Radio, a 1933 built solitude outpost for radio operators turned into a boutique hotel. Visit Fritjof Glacier and the abandoned Russian mining towns and learn about the history of Svalbard.
Experience the Stillness and Silence
Take the time to be still and present in the remote northern reaches of one of the world’s northernmost inhabited places. Comprising of a vast area of icebergs and ice-fields, the only sounds you will hear are of the ice and the wildlife of the unspoilt Arctic wilderness.