Svalbard is famous for its large population of polar bears. It is also famous for its wild arctic scenery and beautiful scenery with many seabirds, seals, walruses and other marine mammals. For good reason, several impressive photo books have been published about Svalbard, but only a few tourists come to Svalbard.
How to go to Svalbard?
Tourists to Svalbard go by boat (cruises) or by plane. I only have experience in traveling by plane, which is a convenient flight from Oslo. Since Svalbard is part of Norway and therefore part of Scandinavian cooperation, it is possible to use Scandinavian Airlines bonus tickets to fly the long haul from another Scandinavian country.
Several cruises circle the Svalbard Islands or simply make a shorter stop on the way from Norway.
In general, I can recommend boat trips in Svalbard as the countryside is quite difficult to navigate and takes a long time. But some visitors spend weeks enjoying the spectacular seascape.
Longyearbyen in Svalbard
We spent a few days in the main town of Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen is a former mining town and now it mainly survives on tourists who come mainly in the summer, but also during the dark months of the year. Some mining activity is still going on in Svalbard.
Much of Svalbard remains unspoiled countryside and is in fact strictly preserved. The Svalbard Archipelago and its surrounding fjords and the Arctic Sea are a haven for photographers and nature lovers. I took some very nice photos and enjoyed perfect weather conditions. It is amazing to enjoy the sun not only during the day but also at night in the height of summer. It can be a challenge to sleep, but that’s a small sacrifice to enjoy arctic magic.
Wildlife in Svalbard
Living conditions in the Arctic are difficult. Only a few species can live on Svalbard, but some like seabirds live here in large numbers.
It can be very exciting as a visitor to Svalbard to take photos of all this wildlife as a team during the short but hectic Arctic summer months. Arctic terns, shorebirds, eiders, and skuas nest right in the middle of town with wildlife close by when you stay in Svalbard.