Aerial view of Longyearbyen between fjord and snowy peaks under the summer sun

Summer package · 4 days

Summer Short Break

Four days, three nights, and a sun that never sets. The quickest way into Arctic Svalbard: a boat day to a glacier front, a land day across the tundra, and a town at 78° North to come back to each night. From €1,390 per person, May to September.

Length
4 days · 3 nights
From
€1,390 pp
Season
May to September
Base
Hotel in Longyearbyen · 3 nights
Guiding
English-speaking guides

Four days is enough for a real first taste of Arctic Svalbard: not a rushed checklist, but two full guided days bracketed by an easy arrival and a calm departure, all under 24-hour daylight.

You sleep in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town, and head out from there: one day on the water toward a glacier front and the wildlife that gathers along the coast, one day inland across the open tundra. Between them there’s a town of cafés, a brewery and a museum to come back to whenever the light keeps you up, and in high summer, it usually does.

Nothing here is staged. Wildlife is wild and the weather moves fast, so your guides shape each day around what the Arctic is actually doing. What we promise is the time, the people who know the ground, and a plan built around your dates.

On this trip

What you’ll see and do

A modern expedition cruise ship among Arctic sea ice below snowy peaks

Daylight that never switches off

From late April to late August the sun stays up around the clock. There is no evening to race, so a boat that runs late or a long walk in golden light at midnight is simply part of the day. It also means flexible plans: your guides can wait out fog and still have hours of light in hand.

Small boat on a calm Svalbard fjord heading toward a glacier

A glacier front, from the water

A full day on a small boat takes you out along the fjord to a calving glacier, where blue ice meets the sea and the water is busy with birds. You watch from a safe distance as slabs break off, with a guide reading the ice and the coast as you go.

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

Walrus, whales and seabird cliffs

Summer is the water season. Walrus haul out on gravel spits, whales feed in the open fjords, and seabird cliffs run loud with kittiwakes and guillemots. None of it is promised, since wildlife is wild, but this is the time of year the coast comes alive.

Svalbard reindeer grazing on the open summer tundra

Across the open tundra

Your land day heads up Adventdalen on the snow-free tundra, past old mining structures and into wide Arctic valleys. Svalbard reindeer graze close to the track and Arctic foxes work the slopes, with the archipelago's mining history along the way.

Day by day

Your 4 days, day by day

4

4 guided days, 3 nights based in Longyearbyen.

  1. 1

    Day 1

    Arrival in Longyearbyen

    Your transfer brings you in from the airport and you settle into your hotel. The rest of the day is yours, whether a walk through town, the museum, or a first dinner under a sun that won't set. Your guide runs a short briefing for the days ahead.

  2. 2

    Day 2

    Out on the fjord

    A full guided boat day along the coast to a glacier front, with long deck time and stops wherever the wildlife shows: walrus haul-outs, seabird cliffs and, with luck, whales. Lunch is included on the water.

  3. 3

    Day 3

    Into Adventdalen

    A guided day on land across the open tundra, taking in reindeer, Arctic fox and mining history, at a relaxed walking pace. The afternoon stays flexible so the team can use the best of the weather.

  4. 4

    Day 4

    Final morning and departure

    Breakfast, a last look down the fjord, and your transfer to the airport. Four days, three nights, and a season's worth of light behind you.

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
  • 3 nights' accommodation in Longyearbyen
  • Daily breakfast buffet
  • Lunch and/or dinner on tour days

Not included

  • Flights to Longyearbyen
  • Travel insurance

From €1,390 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

Mirror-calm Svalbard fjord with reflected snowy peaks
Ice floes drifting in front of a glacier
Atlantic puffin perched on a coastal rock
Whale surfacing in clear Arctic water
Blue iceberg before snowy Arctic peaks
Cabin on a green shore beside a summer fjord

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. We tell you what's likely, not what sounds good.

How fit do I need to be?

Moderate. Boat days are easy; the land 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 Summer Short Break 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