"Walruses" by Christopher Michel, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Source: Flickr
Svalbard
arcticpolar-bearsglaciersmidnight-sun
"Walruses" by Christopher Michel, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Source: Flickr
Norway|Europe
arcticpolar-bearsglaciersmidnight-sun
Svalbard
Norway|Europe
80
Wildlife
45
Access
65
Stay
62
Safety
90
Photo
90
Crowds
20
Cost
54
Birding
This Arctic archipelago is one of the best places on Earth to see polar bears in their natural habitat. Svalbard also offers opportunities to photograph Arctic foxes, reindeer, walruses, and numerous seabird species against dramatic glacial backdrops.
7°
Partly cloudy
Gallery
Wildlife Species
Polar Bear
UncommonMammal · Best time: Summer
Arctic Fox
CommonMammal · Best time: All Day
Walrus
UncommonMammal · Best time: Summer
Svalbard Reindeer
CommonMammal · Best time: All Day
Arctic Tern
AbundantBird · Best time: Summer
Geography
- Terrain
- Glaciers, tundra, fjords, mountains
- Elevation
- 0-1,713m
- Climate
- Arctic
- Area
- 61,022 km²
Weather
- Best Months
- JuneJulyAugust
- Avg. Temperature
- -20 to 10°C
- Rainfall
- Low (mostly snow)
- Humidity
- 75-85%
Getting There
Nearest Airport
Svalbard Airport, Longyearbyen
Direct flights from Oslo/Tromsø
Transport
- Expedition cruises
- Guided tours required outside settlements
- Snowmobile tours
Where to Stay
Basecamp Explorer
$$$Adventure Hotel · Longyearbyen
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel
$$$Hotel · Longyearbyen
Coal Miners Cabins
$$Historic Cabins · Longyearbyen
Location
78.2232, 15.6267View larger map
