Svalbard Travel Guide is an excellent travel destination for those who want to see some exciting places. Located in the Svalbard area, Norway, Svalbard is a scenic island with a small population of less than ten thond people. It is a part of the Arctic region and is surrounded by the sea, mountains and green valleys. Svalbard's landscape is mainly unspoiled and there are some beautiful glaciers in the area. Svalbard became a settlement in the 13th century and until now, people from all over the world fly to this place each year to spend their summer holidays.
The Svalbard travel guide provides that the best time to go there is in the late spring or early September. This is the best time for viewing the magnificent polar bear. Polar bears are protected species and you can see them at their most vulnerable point during springtime. You should also pay a visit to the sea ice in late September and early October, when the ice melts and enables seal migration.
At this time of year, the northern lights begin to illuminate in Svalbard. Svalbard has a wide variety of wildlife, including the brown bear, which is only found in Svalbard in summer months. However, you can expect to see a lot of other wildlife during these summer months, such as the red-back spider and white-tailed deer. In fact, you may even see the rainbow trout, which is a rare species found only in Svalbard in the summer months.
In the late summer months and in autumn, the sea ice breaks up, allowing seal migration. You will also find the Arctic foxes, the small arctic fox that lives solely on sea ice, looking for seals to hunt. During late autumn, you will also be able to see polar bears. Svalbard especially offers good opportunities to spot polar bears. You can take pictures of bears or watch one as it mates with a female polar bear during late autumn and early winter.
In the late spring or early summer, the northern lights become visible in Svalbard. This is the best time to go hiking in Svalbard as the northern lights are most visible in the evenings. You can hike from the southern tip of Svalbard to the island of Rogaland. From Rogaland, you can see the village of Fjordsfjord, which is the capital of Svalbard.
The summer months are very beautiful in Svalbard. The best time to visit Svalbard and see polar bears is in June, August and September. In these months, you will find bear tracks all over Svalbard. You will also find a variety of other animals during these months, such as moose, reindeer, whales and fish. Many tourists who come to Svalbard do not even want to leave their hotel because they simply cannot get enough of wildlife.
The best time to explore Svalbard in summer is from mid August to mid September. At this time, the weather is very hot, and the waters are warm enough for sailing. Sailing on a traditional barge is also possible. Visit Fjordsvit, where you can view polar bears as they feed in the fjords. There is plenty to do at Fjordsvit, such as swimming, sailing, snorkeling, hiking, cycling and diving. If you do not want to camp, then there are several campsites available to stay at.
One other great attraction is the Longyearbyen Land. Longyearbyen is the largest land mass in Svalbard. It consists of numerous large islands and numerous smaller ones. At night, you can witness the polar bear from the safety of a camp parents. A camp barentz is an ideal way to see the northern lights in Svalbard.
Up to date information for vaccinations before you travel to Svalbard are available from the NHS Fit for Travel website.
Review the latest FCDO Travel Advice before travelling to or from Svalbard
May - September. These summer months are the best time to go to Svalbard. This is the warmest time to visit, and most suited to some of the outdoor activities you can enjoy such as snowmobile tours, skiing, dog sledding, hiking, and boat tours.
If you hold a British Citizen passport, you don't need a visa to enter Norway
See which forms you may need for entry into Svalbard.
The official currency of Svalbard is the Norwegian Krone (NOK). If you're looking to transfer or spend money in Svalbard you can grab amazing Norwegian Krone deals via Wise.com (GBP to NOK).
A total of 19 species of marine mammals are found in Svalbard waters. This includes polar bears, walruses, five species of seals and 12 species of whales. Of these, polar bears, walruses, narwhals, white and bowhead whales stay in the area year-round.
Norwegian food? Lappskojs, pronunciation is like “Lapskois”, it is traditional food around Norway and Sweden, include Svalbard region. Principal material is potato. It is simmered to much tender with diced beef, carrots and sausages.
You can typically expect to pay around £5.00p for an equivalent pint of lager or beer.
The official languages of both Svalbard and Jan Meyen is Norwegian; a North Germanic language (along with Faroese and Icelandic). You can learn some basic Norwegian before you travel to Svalbard and really impress the locals!
The currency in Svalbard is the Norwegian Krone (Tipping in Norway isn't customary, but it is considered a nice gesture to round up the bill to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK for service that exceeds expectations. People working in the service industry make a decent wage, meaning they aren't reliant on tips to subsidize their income.).
The GMT time difference is 1 hours