Things to do in Longyearbyen

REMEMBER TO CHOSE A PICK-UP LOCATION! Start with pickup at the hotels and guesthouses in town before a short drive to the outside facility of Mine Number 3. On the way there, you will pass the world-renowned Global Seed Vault where over 1 million seeds from around the world are stored. The first seed bank on Svalbard was opened in Mine no. 3 in 1984. This is where the idea to build the Global Seed Vault on Svalbard started — by storing seeds in the permafrost with no need for electricity.  Enter the facility and explore maps over Longyearbyen and Svalbard. Enjoy a historic coal mine and listen to the stories and anecdotes of what was the last mine in town where thin-seam production was applied. Expect in-depth information about the town’s history and why some men decided to settle here some 100 years ago. A model of the mine is used to illustrate how the coal was extracted using thin-seam techniques. Walk through the workshops and see machinery and equipment that was left behind when the mine was shut down in 1996. Put on a miner’s overall and crawl through a replica of a production tunnel and get a feeling of how a miner spent his days. Towards the end of the tour, discover the mine itself by walking almost 800 meters in and entering three different side tunnels. REMEMBER TO CHOSE A PICK-UP LOCATION!

Embark on a snowmobile adventure from Longyearbyen to Tempelfjorden. Take in the stunning views of the Tunabreen glacier and enjoy an expedition lunch amidst the Arctic's natural beauty. Start your day with a pick-up from your accommodation in Longyearbyen. Meet your guide and receive a safety briefing. Then, set off on your snowmobile to Tempelfjorden. Drive through the scenic landscapes of Longyearbyen, Adventdalen, Eskerdalen, and Sassendalen. Admire the stunning views of the Tunabreen glacier. Stop for an expedition lunch amidst the Arctic's natural beauty. Then, return to Longyearbyen by snowmobile. Finally, transfer back to your accommodation.

Embark on a snowmobile adventure from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg. Enjoy the thrill of snowmobiling, visit an ice cave, and explore the Russian mining town of Barentsburg. Start your day with a pickup from your accommodation in Longyearbyen. Meet your guide and receive a briefing and safety instructions. Depart to Barentsburg by snowmobile, passing through Todalen, Skiferdalen, and Grøndalen. Arrive in Barentsburg. Enjoy lunch in the hotel restaurant before taking a guided tour of the town. Return to Longyearbyen by snowmobile via a different route. Transfer back to your accommodation in Longyearbyen.

Experience the magic of the Northern Lights on a guided tour from Longyearbyen. Enjoy the best possible conditions to see the fantastic Northern Lights in Svalbard. Start with a pickup from your hotel in Longyearbyen and head out to search for the best spots to see the Northern Lights. Enjoy the cold and frozen landscapes of Svalbard, lightened up by the special Arctic light. Take the opportunity to capture the colors of the scenery and the Northern Lights on camera. Above Svalbard, enjoy a crisp and clear sky, free of light pollution and other disturbances to your experience. During the polar nights in the winter, experience the Northern Lights in both nighttime and daytime. This happens when the night lasts for all day long, opposite of the bright midnight sun in the summertime. However, this phenomenon really depends on two things: clear weather and the sun giving the “goods,” so it is a “risky” thing and there is no guarantee.

Experience a thrilling 5-hour snowmobile adventure from Longyearbyen to the old Soviet mining town of Colesbay. Enjoy a guided tour with lunch in the field, and hotel transfers included. Meet your guide and receive a briefing and safety instructions. Depart to Colesbay by route: Longyearbyen – Fardalen – Colesdalen (snowmobiling: 30-35 km, 1.5-2 hours one way). Visit the old soviet mining town Colesbay and enjoy an expedition lunch amidst the Arctic’s natural beauty. Return to Longyearbyen by snowmobile via a different route (snowmobiling: 30-35 km, 1.5-2 hours one way). Transfer to your place of accommodation.

Barentsburg, founded in 1920, is a mining settlement that to this day remains operational. It is a fantastic opportunity to capture images of both run-down, Soviet architecture as well as state-of-the-art mining equipment set against the jawdropping backdrops of the fjords with their majestic mountains reaching into the heavens. You'll travel from Longyearbyen by ship and enjoy a complimentary lunch w. soft drinks onboard. Upon arrival in Barentsburg, you'll be greeted by your own private Photo Exploring guide who will then take you on the guided tour. You will be picked up at your hotel or vessel of choice.

Get picked up at your hotel or vessel of choice. Travel from Longyearbyen by ship. Upon arrival in Pyramiden, be greeted by your own private photo-exploring guide who will then take you on the guided tour. Pyramiden was founded by Sweden in 1910 and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. It lies at the foot of the Billefjorden on the island of Spitsbergen and is named after the pyramid-shaped mountain with the same name adjacent to the town. In 1998, the settlement lost its last remaining inhabitant, thus rendering it a ghost town. This is a marvelous place to capture Soviet architecture and a Northern settlement fixed in time!

Journey back in time to the USSR with a visit to the open-air museum Pyramiden. Cross frozen valleys and fjords, spotting reindeer and polar foxes in the untouched wilderness. Explore Soviet-era relics preserved in winter silence, with the Nordenskiöld Glacier as a stunning backdrop to Pyramiden’s haunting beauty. Day 1: Longyearbyen - Pyramiden Start with a pickup from your accommodation in Longyearbyen. After a tour briefing, safety and snowmobile instructions, equipment fitting, and packing, depart by snowmobile to Pyramiden. Drive through the frozen valleys and fjords, spotting reindeer and polar foxes in the untouched wilderness. Stop for lunch in the field and admire the Nordenskiöld Glacial Wall. Arrive in Pyramiden, check-in, and unpack. Enjoy dinner in the hotel restaurant and spend the night in the hotel. Day 2: Pyramiden Start the day with breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Take an extended guided tour around Pyramiden and stop for lunch in the hotel restaurant. Embark on a snowmobile trip in the surroundings of Pyramiden. Return to the hotel for dinner and spend the night in the hotel. Day 3: Pyramiden - Longyearbyen After breakfast in the hotel restaurant, visit the souvenir shop and post office. Stop for lunch in the hotel restaurant before departing by snowmobile to Longyearbyen. Drive through the frozen valleys and fjords, spotting reindeer and polar foxes in the untouched wilderness. Stop for lunch in the field and admire the Nordenskiöld Glacial Wall. Arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to your place of accommodation.