Peter travelled to Svalbard with a friend at the end of January 2024. We arrived midday on a Friday, and left again midday the following Monday. That gave us two full days and two half days, which was just enough to take the tours we wanted.
We travelled during the arctic winter, at the beginning at the “blue light” period. It means that the sun does not rise during the days, but the sun illuminate the sky on clear days, painting the sky in tones of blue. The moon was full, and those light sources were enough to be outside without headlamps.
Flights arrive in Longyearbyen. We took the shuttle bus to the very small city centre, where we stayed at the Vault Hotel.
Polar bears roam freely on Svalbard, and for that reason you can not leave Longyearbyen without a guide (or your own rifle). As a consequence, all activities require taking an organised tour with an agency.
We used the essential www.visitsvalbard.com to book tours before departing. All tour agencies post their tours on this page, and it was easy to find the tours we wanted.
It can be minus 25 degrees in January, but it was unusually warm the day we arrived. It had rained earlier in the day, and the streets were very slippery with ice.
Dog sled tour
On the night of arrival, we joined Green Dog Svalbard for a 4-hour dog sled tour to Bolterdalen.
It was a clear night, and we were lucky to experience aurora lights. The dogs followed the guides on the front sled, so the only task we had on our sled was to control the speed with the foot brake.
The tour is long enough to get away from the lights of Longyearbyen and experience the landscapes to the sound of the sled’s swish and the footsteps of the dogs.
Snow mobile tour
At 10:00 Saturday we were picked up by the shuttle from Svalbard Adventures, that drove us to their office and launching point for snow mobile safaris. It was a dark, cold and very windy day, with some snow that reduced visibility.
We were thoroughly instructed in how to drive a snow mobile, and equipped with very warm clothes. Surprisingly, we did not get cold driving in the rough weather.
The tour went via Adventdalen to Brattli valley. On the way we stopped near a herd of reindeer, which are specific to Svalbard and have adapted to the conditions there.
In Brattli dalen, the tour company has a large tipi, where we had lunch and rested. There was also time to go for a short walk.
It was a lot of fun getting familiar with the mobile, but after a full day, we were tired.
Hiking to Trollsteinen
Sunday we had planned a hike, and we were lucky to have clear weather without wind. We were picked up by guides from Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions and equipped with snow shoes at their office. The hike to Trollsteinen starts at the southern end of Longyearbyen and on the first kilometres we could see the city. As we continued further, the city got out of sight, and we could enjoy the incredible landscapes instead.
We had headlamps, but did not need them. The moon and the blue sky provided enough light. The colour of the light did not change during the day, and it felt like a very long, perfect sunrise all day.
The conditions were perfect as we continued towards Trollsteinen. The scenery changed all the way. On the last part we used crampons, before crossing a short ridge to the snow covered rock called Trollsteinen. A narrow path led round Trollsteinen, and there an amazing panorama unfolded.
On the way down from Trollsteinen, we were again lucky to see Aurora. The hike also included a stop for lunch in an ice cave.
The day was more than what we had hoped for and is very highly recommended. As a fitting end to the day, we had whale for dinner.
Visit to the coal mines
Svalbard has a rich history of producing high-quality coal that is used in the European steel industry. It is possible to visit a mine that is now closed. We took a morning tour of the mine before flying home.
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