Navis.gr - Svalbard, North Pole

Svalbard, North Pole - The Arctic Pearl

Common sense rules for Svalbard

Don't be an Arctic litterbug! Live no lasting signs of your visit.

Birds and other animals are not to be disturbed. Remember, you are the guest.

Help take care of the biodiversity. Do not pick flowers.

Leave old cultural remains alone. Law protects all traces of humans from before 1946.

Pursuing, attracting or enticing polar bears is strictly prohibited. They are dangerous animals, but also vulnerable.

Do not leave the settlements without a suitable gun and experience in using it.

Be considerate of others.

Facts about Svalbard

Location Group of Islands between 71°N and 81°N & 10°E and 35°E.

Area Approx. 63,000 sq. km; approx. 60% covered by glaciers.

Largest Islands Spitsbergen, Nordostlandet, Barentsoya, Edgeoya and Prins Karls Forland.

Settlements Longyearbyen (Norwegian administrative centre) approx. 1,400 inhabitants. Barentsburg (Russian mining community) approx. 850 inhabitants. NY Alesund (Norwegian international research centre) approx. 40 - 100 inhabitants. Sveagruva (Norwegian mining community) approx. 90 commuters. Hornsund (Polish research station) approx. 8 inhabitants.

Administration Norwegian sovereignty regulated by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920.

Transportation By plane from/to Tromso, Norway. There are no roads connecting the communities on Svalbard.

Under the magnificent polar sky, halfway between the North Pole and mainland Norway, lies the island kingdom of Svalbard. The 63,000 square kilometres of Arctic expanse, fjords and glaciers is an exotic, untamed and magnificent travel destination.

For many who visit Svalbard it is the Arctic light that is the most impressive whether experienced on a clear polar night with sparkling stars and dancing Northern Lights, [animation 105 KB] or on a snow-covered April landscape bathed in the midnight sun.

See the 'Dancing Northern Lights' animation [105 KB]

The nature here is wild and beautiful, but at the same time very fragile. The rich flora and fauna must survive gruelling weather conditions. So all travel and other activities take place on nature's
terms - no damage must be done to the environment. All visitors must therefore exercise the utmost care while visiting Svalbard!

Despite the fact that Svalbard has only been known for about 400 years, the group of islands have an exciting and rich history, attested to by the many historical sites. Traces after whale hunters, trappers, expeditions and even industrial activity is well preserved in this Arctic climate.

In the last century, mining by Russian and Norwegian companies has been the prime industry on Svalbard. Longyearbyen, the Norwegian administrative centre on Svalbard, is a diverse community, featuring in addition to a full range of shops and services significant international research and educational institutes.

Svalbard is very welcoming to guests. Accommodation opportunities vary from charming guesthouses, primitive snow caves and hunter's cabins to unique high quality hotels. And if you fancy a bite to eat, you can choose between several popular restaurants featuring delicious Arctic cuisine. Another important detail is that you can shop tax-free at all stores in Longyearbyen.

Don't leave Svalbard without having taken part on some of the many available activities. Let local guides take you around on exciting adventures in magnificent nature. You can choose from boat tours, walking tours, ski tours, dog-team sled tours, tours with packhorses, horse-back riding and much more. What about visiting a Russian settlement, picking million-year-old fossils, kayaking along the edge of pack ice, diving in an Arctic marine environment, discovering the inside of a glacier or crawling on all fours in a mine? The choice is yours!