Day 1: Arrive Longyearbyen
Arrive Longyearbyen, where you will be met at the airport and transferred by shuttle bus to the Miners’ Cabins on the outskirts of town, your home for the next four nights. Check-in, rest and have lunch (to your own account) before setting off on an afternoon bus and foot tour of Longyearbyen.
The tour is a chance to explore the town of Longyearbyen and learn more about life in this most remote northern outpost. You’ll visit the town museum and learn about the history and climate of the archipelago. You’ll be indoors for much of the tour and the sightseeing around town is by bus, so you needn’t get out the snow shoes just yet!
Day 2: Cruise to Pyramiden; Northern Lights (B, L)
After breakfast at the Miners’ Cabins, transfer to Longyearbyen dock and board the MS Langøysund bound for Pyramiden, a former Russian settlement on the coast of Spitsbergen.
Today's cruise will take you north through Isfjord and Sassenfjord, beneath the bird cliffs at Hatten - famous for their huge flocks of guillemots - and the imposing Mount Templet, before arriving at the abandoned ghost town. The total journey time is 3 hours. During late October and November, you can expect to catch a glimpse of the daytime Northern Lights as you approach Pyramiden.
Ice-conditions allowing, you'll be able to disembark at Pyramiden and spend a few hours exploring the outpost in the company of an experienced guide. Totally isolated, Pyramiden's modernist apartment blocks and communist-era statues lend it an imposing air, in keeping with the unhospitable environment around it. Though now abandoned to the elements, it remains a fascinating piece of history, and an example of the early 20th-century vision of a Communist utopia.
Late afternoon, return to your lodgings in Longyearbyen. The return journey will provide wonderful opportunities to experience the aurora borealis, which is visible in the night sky even as early as October.
Day 3: Winter Biking; Svalbard Brewery Tour (B)
This morning you’ll embark on a guided electric cycling tour, departing from Longyearbyen at approx. 10am.
The tour will take place on electric Fatbikes, perfect for exploring the tough Svalbard terrain. Starting in the town, you’ll learn more about the history of Longyearbyen, before continuing east out of town and along old Burma road to the famous peninsula at Hotellneset, where you’ll stop to enjoy hot drinks, biscuits and admire the fabulous coastal scenery.
Return to Longyearbyen early afternoon, having covered a distance of approx. 15kms (3 hours cycling). The bike tour is possible throughout October and into November.
On your return to Longyearbyen, you’ll be free to rest and have lunch (to your own account) at the Miners’ Cabins, before setting off on an early evening tour of Svalbard Brewery.
The Svalbard brewery tour departs at 6pm. During the tour, you’ll sample different types of Arctic beer and learn more about the foundation of the world's northernmost brewery.
Return to the Miners’ Cabins for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Trapper’s Walking Tour (B)
After a hearty breakfast at the Miners’ Cabins, set out on foot for the Arctic tundra on a unique walking tour intended to show you what life was like for the early Sami trappers on Spitsbergen.
You’ll be led by an experienced guide, who will share with you much about the life and habits of the early hunters and trappers of Svalbard. You’ll learn about the tools and techniques they relied on, and their seasonal hunting patterns.
In November, the tour will take place entirely in the dark. You’ll be given a headlight and snow shoes to aid your journey on the tundra. With luck, you’ll be able to experience the Northern Lights.
Before returning to the bus and civilisation, you’ll enjoy a warm drink of hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows in a Sami tent.
On returning to Longyearbyen, the rest of the evening is at leisure to explore the town, prior to your departure tomorrow.
Day 5: Departure (B)
This morning is free for any last-minute shopping or photo opportunities around town. When ready, transfer to the airport to connect with the afternoon flight to Oslo and connecting flight home.
Early Winter in Arctic Spitsbergen
Explore Arctic Svalbard during the Oct/Nov season, when the transition from summer to winter allows for a greater range of activities
Early Winter in Arctic Spitsbergen
October to mid-November is a unique time to travel in Arctic Spitsbergen, as the seasons change and as the Polar winter closes in. During this time of year, you can still expect a limited amount of light each day, allowing for daytime activities such as winter Fatbiking, walking tours and day cruises within the vicinity of Longyearbyen. As the season progresses, these activities take place against a backdrop of longer nights and the near-constant spectacle of the aurora borealis.
Outline Itinerary
Price guide
Price based on two travellers in shared twin/double accommodation and subject to availability at the time of booking. For group rates, please contact us.
Pricing
5 days from £1450pp
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