Svalbard in Summer: Under the Midnight Sun

Your expedition begins in Oslo, Norway’s fjord-side capital. If time allows, take the opportunity to explore the city independently.

Oslo offers a compelling mix of heritage and contemporary culture, with renowned museums, art galleries, and striking architecture such as the Oslo Opera House and the new Munch Museum.

Walk through Ekebergparken Sculpture Park, tour the historic Akershus Fortress, or unwind in a floating sauna. Discover the modern waterfront district of Sørenga, or sample innovative New Nordic cuisine before your overnight stay at a conveniently located airport hotel.

After a morning flight from Oslo, your journey continues with a two-night stay in Longyearbyen—the northernmost town in the world. This colorful frontier outpost, where snowmobiles outnumber residents, offers a rare perspective on life at the edge of the Arctic wilderness.

Spend the next two and a half days discovering Longyearbyen and its surroundings. The compact town is easily explored on foot; stroll down the main street and you may spot a curious, yet docile, Svalbard reindeer wandering by.

For a broader view, join local guides on an e-bike tour that brings Longyearbyen’s unique history and polar context to life.

From the expedition center, travel beyond town on an unpaved road to Hotellneset, home to a scenic lake and remnants of early mining activity. It’s also where Hurtigruten pioneer Richard With built Svalbard’s first hotel, long before today’s settlement emerged.

Return to Longyearbyen via the historic “Burma Road,” once used to transport coal from the harbor. Along the way, take in sweeping views and pass key landmarks including a defunct funicular, the Svalbard Church, and WWII bombing ruins.

Continue beneath the dramatic cliffs of Plateau Mountain, past the town’s cemetery and the iconic Huset—a multi-purpose building that’s served as cinema, bar, school, and church. End the tour with lunch at the Coal Miners’ Cabins, the original miners’ quarters, before returning to your hotel.

On Day 4, you can have the morning to finish looking around Longyearbyen before boarding the ship in the afternoon and beginning your expedition cruise.

Your expedition cruise continues south toward Hornsund—one of Svalbards most beautiful fjords. Rich, colorful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, admire Mount Hornsundtind, and watch glaciers calving into the sea.

Then, head to Bellsund, whose cliffs are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots, and northern fulmars, while Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer can be found below. Look out for the early mining settlements here and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper. 

Your activities will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day.

Making your way to Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, cruise into Magdelenefjorden and through Sørgattet, the southern entrance to Smeerenburgfjord. The light of the midnight sun gives you plenty of time to explore this breathtakingly scenic area. 

Over the coming days, explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of this breathtaking national park. In this wilderness of steep mountains, stark glaciers and beautiful offshore islands, scan for some of the animals of the Arctic: seals, walruses, and reindeer. At this time of the year, much of the shore ice has receded, meaning you can venture into areas that are inaccessible at other times. 

It’s also peak whale season in the archipelago, so you can scan the seas for species such as humpback, blue and sperm whales. There’s a good chance you may spot polar bears too, so look out for these iconic but elusive predators. Marvel at the array of majestic glaciers and gain insight into the area’s whaling past. On the cliffs above, look out for thousands of Arctic birds like little auks, Arctic terns, skuas, eider ducks and barnacle geese. 

Each day will be different. From landings to kayaking, be ready for anything as your captain and expedition leader decide on the best landing sites and activities based on the day’s conditions.

If conditions allow, sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities here for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge photogenically on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, the team will lower the expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable close-up experience amid the floating ice.

The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. As summer progresses from May to August, it retreats further toward the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for you. If this is the case, then instead explore the equally impressive deep fjords, mighty glaciers and enchanting scenery of the Svalbard coast. In late July and into August, this is a time when the wildflowers appear, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and color.

Today, discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighboring fjords, such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions, as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station requires you to switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship “Norge.” Now, the town is a hub for global science and climate research, and you can still see remnants of its history. 

Be immersed in rugged, glacial scenery as you explore the fjords around Ny-Ålesund. Be ready for adventure; the team will seize any opportunity to launch the small expedition boats, go ashore to hike or cruise by majestic glaciers.

Your Arctic adventure comes to an end back in Longyearbyen. A transfer will take you to the airport for your flight to Oslo. Return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice, and climate change than you arrived with—and with memories of an incredible experience.