A glacier front meeting the sea with brash ice on the dark water

Summer package · 5 days

Fjord Explorer

Five days, four nights, at the pace of the water. Two boat days to glacier fronts and wildlife, a day on the tundra, and unhurried evenings under the midnight sun. The relaxed way to see the summer coast. From €1,690 per person, May to September.

Length: 5 days · 4 nights
From: €1,690 pp
Season: May to September
Base: Hotel in Longyearbyen · 4 nights
Guiding: English-speaking guides

Five days is the sweet spot for a first real summer trip: enough time to run the fjords twice, stand at a glacier front, and still spend a day on the tundra, without ever feeling rushed.

You’re based in Longyearbyen the whole way, heading out from town and coming back each night. With four nights in hand, your guides have the margin to wait out fog and pick the calmest water, which is exactly when the coast is at its best: still reflections, feeding whales, and ice that drifts past in slow motion.

Nothing here is staged. Wildlife is wild and the weather sets the order of the days, so the plan flexes around what the Arctic is actually doing. What we promise is the time, the people who know the ground, and an itinerary built around your dates.

On this trip

What you’ll see and do

Calm Arctic fjord and distant snowy peaks in summer light

Fjords at a slower pace

With an extra day over the short break, nothing is rushed. You run the fjords twice on small boats, with long deck time, calm-water reflections and a guide who can wait for the light rather than chase a schedule.

Glacier front and peaks reflected in calm Arctic water

A glacier front up close

A dedicated stretch at a calving glacier, where the ice meets the sea and slabs break off with a crack you feel as much as hear. You watch from a safe distance while the guide reads the front and the floating ice around it.

Whales, walrus and seabirds

Summer fills the fjords. Whales feed in the open water, walrus rest on gravel spits, and the cliffs run loud with kittiwakes and guillemots. None of it is promised, since wildlife is wild, but five days widens your odds.

Cabin on a green shore beside a summer fjord

A day on the open tundra

One land day trades the boat for boots: a guided walk across snow-free tundra and valley, with reindeer grazing nearby, Arctic flowers underfoot and the old mining history of the archipelago along the route.

Day by day

Your 5 days, day by day

5 guided days, 4 nights based in Longyearbyen.

1
Day 1

Arrival in Longyearbyen

Transfer from the airport and settle into your hotel. The rest of the day is open for town, the museum, or a first dinner under a sun that won't set. A short briefing sets up the days ahead.
2
Day 2

First fjord day

A full guided boat day along the coast, with stops wherever the wildlife shows and long stretches of open deck. Lunch is included on the water.
3
Day 3

Glacier day

Back on the water toward a calving glacier front, with time to sit with the ice and the birds that gather around it. The team shapes the route around wind and fog.
4
Day 4

Tundra day on foot

A guided walk across the open tundra at a relaxed pace, taking in reindeer, Arctic plants and mining history, with the afternoon kept flexible for the best of the weather.
5
Day 5

Final morning and departure

Breakfast, a last look down the fjord, and your transfer to the airport.

The fine print, up front

What your price covers

What's included

Experienced English-speaking guides
All equipment & safety gear
Search & rescue insurance
Pick-up & drop-off at your accommodation
Airport transfers
4 nights' accommodation in Longyearbyen
Daily breakfast buffet
Lunch and/or dinner on tour days

Not included

Flights to Longyearbyen
Travel insurance

From €1,690 per person, double occupancy. Flights to Longyearbyen are not included. Your final price depends on your exact dates and group, and we confirm it within 24 hours.

From the season

What it actually looks like

Still fjord water mirroring snow-streaked mountains

Ice floes drifting in front of a glacier

Atlantic puffin perched on a coastal rock

Walrus resting at the water's edge on a Svalbard shore

Good to know

Before you book

When does the Svalbard summer season run?

Roughly late May to mid-September. The midnight sun is up around the clock from about 20 April to 22 August, which is the prime window for boat trips, wildlife and snow-free walking.

Do I need a visa?

Svalbard itself is visa-free, but every route there goes through mainland Norway, which is in the Schengen area. Check whether your nationality needs a Schengen visa for the transit before you book.

What should I pack for summer?

Layers. Summer temperatures sit around 3 to 10 °C, so bring a warm windproof jacket, hat, gloves, sturdy walking shoes and sunglasses, as the light is constant. A camera with spare batteries is worth it.

Will I see polar bears?

A near-town summer trip focuses on walrus, whales, seabirds and reindeer. Polar bears live here year-round but belong to the pack ice and the ship expeditions, not a land-and-fjord break, so we never promise them.

How fit do I need to be?

Moderate. Boat days are easy; the tundra day involves some walking on uneven ground at a relaxed pace. Tell us about any mobility needs and we'll shape the plan around them.

Make Fjord Explorer yours

Tell us your dates and who’s coming. We’ll confirm the plan and the exact price within 24 hours, no pressure.

Plan this trip