Endless expanses, lonely silence and untouched nature as far as the eye can see. Welcome to Svalbard! In the far north of Europe, surrounded by icy and stormy northern seas, lies the Norwegian archipelago of Spitsbergen. There are few people living there, because Svalbard is mainly a destination for researchers or adventurers – people like you who like to travel .
Glaciers, fjords and polar bears
When you travel to the Arctic, you think of walruses and especially polar bears, but also of memorable landscapes, massive glaciers and great fjords. While you need a bit of luck to actually spot a polar bear, in Svalbard you can look forward to beautiful encounters with whales, reindeer, arctic foxes and a very selective bird world – all species that live in the icy climes of northern Europe. Our Spitsbergen trips are designed for nature lovers and adventurers: people who like to observe animals and enjoy unique natural spectacles.
Travel information in brief
Travel time
The climate is arctic and cool to cold all year round. The coast is only free of snow for about six weeks in summer. In June the days are usually sunny and temperatures usually fluctuate between -5 ° C and + 5 ° C. After booking, we will send you a detailed packing list and further information about the trip so that you know which equipment you should take with you.
Currency / money
In Norway, the Norwegian krone (NOK) is the unit of currency. One Norwegian krone is equal to 100 Øre. International credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. At the ATMs you can usually withdraw cash with an EC card and PIN number. We recommend that you withdraw cash in euros, US dollars or Danish kroner.
Vaccinations
No special vaccinations are required. Nevertheless, we recommend checking the three standard vaccinations polio, diphtheria and tetanus. On a trip to Svalbard there can be rough seas. You should therefore bring seasickness tablets with you. On our trips so far, there was no case of severe seasickness, the sea was often as smooth as a mirror.
Visa / entry
An identity card is sufficient for German citizens to enter Norway and is valid for at least six months upon departure.
On the trail of polar bears and arctic foxes
Svalbard is one of the last untouched areas on earth. The archipelago in the far north of Europe belongs to Norway and is considered to be one of the northernmost inhabited areas on earth. Although Svalbard has a few and permanent residents, the islands are primarily determined by the Arctic flora and fauna. We would like to show you exactly this world on nature trips to Svalbard.
On land you can watch reindeer, polar bears and arctic foxes in Svalbard – an unforgettable experience to see the large land mammals in the wild! Since we live on a ship on our Svalbard trip and explore the country in this way, we will also see the many marine mammals that are in the arctic seas.
In the recent past there have been increasing voices that it would be better to leave the animals alone and not travel to Svalbard anymore. In our opinion, this is the wrong approach. Without nature travelers, Svalbard would be left to the interests of the coal and oil industries. The protection of whales and other animals is our top priority. If we see a polar bear from the ship, we do not disembark, but observe the animal from a distance and therefore do not approach it. If there is no polar bear in sight, a team of guides and crew goes ashore to check the safety of the guests. Only when the area has been carefully controlled, the travelers are allowed to go ashore. Safety is a top priority.
