Svalbard Travel Info

Svalbard Currency

The local currency in Svalbard is the ‘Norwegian Krone’ (kr). One Norwegian Krone is divided into 100 øre.  Notes are in denominations of 50 kr, 100 kr, 200 kr, 500 kr and 1000 kr. Coins are in denominations of 50 øre, 1 kr, 5 kr, 10 kr and 20 kr.

Spending Money

The currency used will vary depending on which ship your expedition is on, details will be sent to you prior to departure. Tipping is discretionary throughout your trip, a rough guideline is about 10-15US$ per passenger per day. The money is collected by the Ship Manager at the end of the voyage and distributed amongst the crew and expedition staff.

Foreign Exchange

We recommend that you change your money upon arrival or at home before departing, it is more difficult to change money whilst travelling.

Bank timings in Svalbard are usually from 0900 hrs to 1600 hrs Monday – Thursday, 0900 hrs to 1700 hrs on Friday and 0900 hrs to 1200 hrs on Saturday. Be aware that you are in remote areas for most of the trip and will not be able to access these.

Never keep all of your cash in the same place, keep it in different pockets and split it up between different bags.

Credit Cards

There is an ATM in Longyearbyen, however do not rely on this as it can often break down. There are ATMs available in airports on your way to Svalbard; it is easy to use these if you are using a credit card on one of the major networks, such as Cirrus. Using the ATMs or getting your money changed in your home country is more convenient than bringing foreign currency or travellers cheques to be exchanged.

It is a good idea to bring cash or a credit card as back up. Most major credit and debit cards, such as Visa / Mastercard are accepted by hotels – however cash is preferred in supermarkets and shops. On all ships, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) are often accepted.  You will be sent further details prior to your departure.

What to Wear

Layers are essential when travelling to Svalbard. But how many layers do you need? What kind of material should you wear? You can find all the information you need on our What do you wear to Svalbard? page. 

Welcome Service

Upon arrival in Longyearbyen, you will be met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel. We have provided local contact details in the accompanying information but if you have any problems please call our 24-hour UK telephone number on +44 (0)7887 637 628.

Expedition Ships

Expedition ships vary, however we only use the most intimate and comfortable. They will rarely be overly luxurious, but they are exactly what you need to explore the most remote regions of the north. Ice-strengthened and kept small so they can explore the places the bigger ships can't reach.

Laundry

This will depend on your chosen expedition ship. There will not usually be laundry facilities on-board.

Wild Animals

One of the main focuses of your expedition is the wildlife. The north is harsh and the summer’s brief. These brief summers happen to be the only time the animals can reproduce and prepare for the long winters, and coincides with peak visiting season. Make sure you always watch your step and keep to established paths whenever possible, don’t startle the wildlife and avoid trampling on plants. Always listen to your guide and stay with the group. This is for your safety. We also ask that you do not collect natural souvenirs or litter, you must also ensure that you don’t reintroduce any new species by ensuring your boots are washed and there are no seeds in packaging or clothing etc. 

Food & Water

You meals will be provided for you on board your expedition ship. Food will usually come second to wildlife sightings, so if there is something especially amazing that needs to be explored, you will usually do that first. If you have any dietary requirements or allergies please do let us know well in advance of travel so your requirements can be catered for.

Communications

Each expedition ship has a different means of communication. Some have satellite phones, others will provide you with your own email address on board so you can stay in touch with loved ones. We will send you the details of your specific ship prior to your departure.

Local Time

Svalbard is 1 hour (+1) ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Daylight Hours

Hours of daylight in Svalbard vary to the extreme depending on the time of year. Svalbard is in ‘polar night’ from October 28th to February 14th with the darkness peaking from November 14th to January 29th. It is then ‘polar day’ between April 19th and August 23rd. During this time the sun does not go below the horizon – known as the ‘midnight sun’. 

Electricity

The electricity supply varies between ships and you will be sent specific details prior to your departure.

Safety

All of our local operators conform to local safety regulations. If you at any time feel that this is not the case please do not hesitate to contact us.

Know Before You Go is an ongoing campaign from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to help Brits stay safe abroad, however in our opinion it has useful information for all nationalities. The campaign was launched in 2001 to promote these key messages:

• Get adequate travel insurance
• Check the FCO’s country travel advise
• Visit your GP as soon as possible before travelling
• Check your passport is in good condition and valid, and you have all necessary visas
• Make copies of important documents and/or store them online using a secure data storage site
• Tell someone where you are going and leave emergency contact details with them
• Take enough money and have access to emergency funds

We suggest that you go to the Foreign Commonwealth & Office website to get up to date information on your specific destination and important travel tips before you travel.

See the Travel Aware section for relevant and important travel tips to plan your trip abroad.

Security

Svalbard is generally a very safe place for tourists to travel in and incidents are extremely rare, but common sense precautions need to be taken as with any destination abroad. We would recommend taking taxis when travelling at night and not flashing expensive photographic equipment and jewellery around. Do not flaunt money and always use safes when provided at hotels/lodges. Expedition ships will sometimes conduct an 'open door' policy. If in doubt please ask your guide.

For latest travel advice please contact us, at our UK office, or alternatively use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

Health & Medical

Always seek medical advice before travelling; please consult your GP or Doctor who will be able to advise you on required vaccinations and anti-malarial prophylaxis. 

In the UK we recommended visiting the ‘Fit for Travel’ website.

In the USA we suggest consulting CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/

Please bring any personal medication required. You will not be able to obtain any medical supplies while you are on tour, so make sure you bring supplies of any prescription/over the counter drugs you take on a regular basis. Make sure any medications are in the original, labelled packaging. There is a small hospital in Longyearbyen for emergencies so it might be possible to obtain some non-prescription drugs there.

Medical services are not readily available. It is essential you have appropriate travel insurance with adequate medical cover, air repatriation with a 24-hour contact telephone number for emergencies.  Securing the necessary travel insurance for your safari is your own responsibility.

Insurance

It is a condition of booking that all clients must have, and must demonstrate to the company prior to their departure, adequate insurance for the duration of the tour.

Proof of the following items of insurance is required on booking; cancellation or curtailment of your trip, medical expenses, repatriation, loss of luggage, personal injury, adventure activities such as white-water rafting, tracking wild animals, theft of personal belongings.

Please report any theft, trip disruption immediately to your guide during your trip and also in writing to Natural World Safaris immediately on return to your home country. 

Smoking

Many ships will not allow smoking aboard.

Getting Around

You international flight will need to arrive in Longyearbyen and will usually change in Oslo, Norway. Upon arrival in ongyearbyen you will be met and transferred to your expedition ship. You may need to stay at night on either side of your safari in Longyearbyen.

Weather

Svalbard is situated in the high Arctic, but has a relatively warm climate compared with areas of similar latitude, with an average day temperature of 6 ºC in the summer, going down to -14 º in winter. There is very little rain and thick ice and snow cover the archipelago in the winter. However, in the summer months the ice loses grip and the harsh coast become possible to navigate by boat and you discover the beauty of the midnight sun. Bear in mind that weather conditions can change very quickly in Svalbard. 

Photography

Please refrain from photography of military personnel, military installations and airports. Always ask for permission when taking photos of local people or alternatively ask your guide for advice. Please bring extra batteries as it may not always be possible to re-charge them at the lodges. In addition it might be useful to bring a car charger (cigarette lighter variety).  For photographing wildlife a zoom lens of 300mm or more is highly recommended. 

Ensure you check all your equipment before departure and bring extra batteries with you. We recommend you bring twice as many memory cards as you think you’ll need. Bring a tripod, however we also recommend bringing a bean bad for steadier shots on-board your expedition ship.

Charitable Giving & Community Projects

We recommend as part of our responsible travel policy that you do not give money or gifts directly to local people. We have links with local projects/schools that would appreciate your support. Please ask your guide for further details. If you would like to contribute to these donations of clothing, pens and pencils are greatly appreciated. 

Consumer Protection

When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists the flight, accommodation, car hire and/or other services that are financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. Company Name: Natural World Safaris Ltd. ATOL Number 9826. For more information please visit their website: http://www.caa.co.uk/atol-protection/

As a member of the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), Natural World Safaris Ltd has provided a bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.

In the event of insolvency, protection is provided for non-flight packages commencing in and returning to the UK and other non-flight packages excluding pre arranged travel to and from your destination. Please note that packages booked outside the UK are only protected when purchased directly with Natural World Safaris Ltd.

In the above circumstances, if you have not yet travelled you may claim a refund, or if you have already travelled, you may claim repatriation to the starting point of your non-flight package.

The ABTOT number is 5127.