The pack ice north and east is where polar bears are most reliably found, hunting seals along the floe edge. Late season voyages that push north as the ice retreats generally have the best success; bears are also seen on shore and on glacier fronts throughout.

The bird cliffs — Alkefjellet above all — hold hundreds of thousands of Brünnich's guillemots on vertical basalt, with kittiwakes, glaucous gulls and Arctic foxes patrolling the scree below for fallen chicks. It is among the great seabird spectacles of the northern hemisphere.

The walrus haulouts at Poolepynten, Torellneset and elsewhere hold groups of animals piled on the beach, watched from a set distance on shore.

The fjords and glacier faces hold bearded and ringed seals, beluga whales in shallow water, and in the outer waters blue, fin and humpback whales through the summer.

The tundra around Longyearbyen adds Svalbard reindeer — a short-legged endemic subspecies — along with ptarmigan and breeding waders, all accessible on foot with an armed guide.

June to August is the main season, with 24-hour daylight; late season gives the best ice and whale numbers. Winter brings snowmobile and dog-sled trips under the northern lights.

New rules worth knowing

Norway tightened Svalbard's environmental regulations from the start of 2025, and they shape every trip. Visitors must keep at least 300 metres from polar bears between July and February, and 500 metres from March to June; walrus haulouts require 150 metres. Landings in the national parks and nature reserves are restricted to a fixed list of authorised sites, vessels carrying more than 200 passengers cannot land at all, and drones are effectively banned in protected areas.

Outside Longyearbyen, carrying a firearm for polar bear protection is required — which in practice means going with a guide. Book operators that are properly licensed and expect the rules to be enforced.