The best time to visit Svalbard is between the months of May and September. Svalbard has distinct and extreme seasons, with the contrasting polar night and midnight sun. Spring sees the end of a very long dark winter, where the sun doesn’t rise for months on end. As the daylight creeps back across the mountains, Svalbard starts to come to life once again and with it comes the abundance of wildlife; making summertime the best time to go to Svalbard.
Outside of these summer months, the archipelago freezes over, becoming solid with thick ice and, in the depths of winter, completely thrust into the darkness of the polar night. At this time, the polar bears head out further across the ice in search of food, making it near impossible to find them.
Freezing temperatures and constant darkness means we would not recommend traveling to Svalbard in January.
Extensive sea ice, below freezing temperatures and an almost complete lack of sunlight means ship-based expeditions are unviable and polar bear sightings very rare.
February is a good time to visit if you want to experience the elemental majesty of the polar night, but is not ideal for wildlife sightings.
Travel in the first half of the month and you will be plunged into darkness, with nothing but a glimmer of twilight to remind you of the passage of time. Travel in the second half of the month and you will at least be treated to a few hours of sunlight each day, from around 1.5 hours at the end of the mørketiden up to almost 7 hours on the final day of February. Plenty of snow on the ground, this is a great month for those looking to try out a snowmobile or dog-sledding safari, although March and April are still better.
March sees only a barely perceptible rise in temperature, with averages ranging between -20°C and -13°C and the pack ice has not started to melt away yet, making it difficult to track the polar bears and head towards their location.
March is a good time to visit if you are looking to photograph both golden hours with cloudy skylines, but it is still not ideal for wildlife sightings.
Apart from August, March has the second highest level of precipitation (29mm/month) which comes in constant light drizzle so it is probable you will get wet during your trip if you choose to visit in March. Although March offers more sunlight than February, there is still not enough daylight hours to really make the most of your stay and slim chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
As mating season begins, mothers emerge from their dens and cubs learn to survive this harsh environment by following them north to the pack ice, but reaching them can still be difficult. We recommend travelling from late April onwards if you wish to join an Arctic expedition in search of the King of the Arctic.
April is a good time to visit Longyearbyen for dog-sledding and snowmobiling, and the end of month sees the first high ice class small ships heading out, with pristine white landscapes and ice as far as the eye can see.
Rainfall is significantly lower than March (16mm rather than 29mm), but April is cold, with an average minimum of -16°C and maximum temperatures of -9°C, you will need plenty of layers. Landings on the tundra are scarce in April as ice still prevents some fjords and coves from being accessed but there are fantastic photographic opportunities.
May sees the transition from spring to summer as the daylight hours steadily increase. Bears are active, landscapes are bright with white snow and ice, clearer blue skies, and less chance of clouds and fog.
May is a great time to visit for stunning ice formations calved from magnificent glaciers, picture-perfect valleys with snow-capped mountains, and fantastic opportunities to witness polar bears as they pad across the pack ice on the hunt for seals.
May’s temperatures creep up slowly with lows of -7°C and highs of around -3°C throughout the month. The end of May sees Svalbard come into ‘polar day’ and the month on average has 23.12 hours of daylight. This gives you an abundance of time to explore, despite navigation being limited to the south and west.
As June arrives, Svalbard is officially into summer, with the 24 hour midnight sun, temperatures above freezing and usually clear skies. Polar bear cubs are starting to learn to hunt from their mothers
June is a great time to visit as the first ships reach the northernmost islands of Svalbard. As the pack ice slowly drifts away from the land, landings increase as beaches are now free of ice.
Flora will be in full bloom by the end of the month so when you venture on-land you will be able to discover a variety of flowers and plants. The sunnier it is, the more likely seals are to be relaxing on the ice floes and taking in the rays, the more seals there are around the more likely it is to see polar bears on the prowl. Arctic foxes are changing their colours to blend in with the rocks which are now peeking out from under the snow along the bird cliffs; birds are out in huge numbers and the skies and seas are buzzing with life.
July is the warmest month and sees the ice retreat further north, opening up the busy bird mountain of Alkefjellet, home to approximately 60,000 Brunnih’s guillemots that rest right on the towering cliff face.
July is a great time to visit Svalbard as the archipelago becomes a hive of wildlife activity. If you are looking for pristine icy white landscapes, July may not be the best time for you.
Foxes are out hunting, reindeer are grazing, glaciers are calving and there is a frenzy of breeding birds on the cliffs. Whales are more visible as the archipelago is far less icy. You can walk along the tundra to see small yet striking flowers in bursts of pink, yellow and white. July can be a little wetter with an increase in fog but polar bear viewings are still excellent; they are out hunting for seal pups on the ice floes as the walrus are commonly ‘hauled out’ on the beaches.
As daylight hours start to slightly decline, the sun dips below the horizon for the first time in months, allowing for beautiful photos of pink skies over the fully green tundra.
August is a good time to visit Svalbard as the pack ice will have retreated enough to completely circumnavigate Svalbard, you can sail beside the sheer ice cliffs of Nordaustlandet, and see the variety of fjords and glaciers.
Polar bears are out hunting, making the most out of the last days of summer and you may even spot female walrus with their young. There is a general feeding frenzy of birds as it is peak hatching season.
As autumn arrives it steals the warmth and the daylight and the ship's head back south as the summer season comes to an end. Bears are preparing for winter and the whales begin their migration south as the ice starts to re-from in the fjords.
September is not a good time to visit Svalbard for wildlife sightings as they settle in for the winter months and the pack ice is difficult to reach, there can be good photo opportunities though.
You can enjoy hikes around Longyearbyen despite the temperature drop and the fog, cloud and rain. There is a warm glow for the majority of the day as the sun sits low in the sky making for a unique photographic setting.
The beginning of winter draws in and sunlight hours wane, temperatures remain below freezing as the ice cover in the waters steadily increases. Sea-based expeditions have ceased, as they can no longer navigate the archipelago.
October is not a good time to visit Svalbard for wildlife as whales have moved south, few seals remain and polar bears are denning for the long winter ahead. Instead you can make the most of the wintry conditions with an overland journey as there is still time for a snowmobile or dog-sledding safari.
If you're hoping to see wildlife in October, our Arctic Canada safaris offer a fantastic chance of seeing polar bears and other Arctic animals at this time.
From mid November, there is no longer any light so this is not a good time to visit Svalbard and our trips don’t run again until February. Instead, you can see Killer Whales in Tromso in November.
The constant darkness means December is not a good time to visit Svalbard and mainland Norway is usually better to see the Northern Lights at this time of year.
In the summer months, the ice has melted enough for our small ships to access and navigate the waters. Reaching close to the shorelines and ice floes, this is where you will find the polar bears out hunting. The peak time for ship expeditions and wildlife sightings.
During the polar night you are unlikely to see wildlife, but we do offer action packed husky and snowmobile safaris in February. Witness the Northern Lights and capture the “blue hour” when the sun moves below and back over the horizon again, tinting the land with a unique beautiful blue tone.
Early spring seeing Svalbard waking up from the long dark winter. March through April is the best time for land-based trips; snowmobiling and dog sledding across Svalbard’s pristine snowscapes.
Driving your own snowmobiles over the Arctic tundra and on-board the expedition ship, you will be on the lookout for wildlife, hoping to see polar bears, walrus, seals and reindeer alongside the epic Arctic landscape in some of the best light conditions. Svalbard is always an extraordinary adventure!
From 11000 per person
Join us in 2024 for polar bear cruises in Svalbard aboard the R/V Kinfish, where every moment is an opportunity for polar bear watching amid the stunning Arctic scenery.
From 10660 per person
Experience the Arctic like a true explorer via tented camp and husky sled, looking out for the Northern Lights and spotting wildlife in Svalbard's dramatic wilderness. Begin your adventure into the wilderness at Basecamp Hotel before spending two days camping under the stars, scouring for the magical Northern Lights and exploring the far reaches of the Arctic. Watch for wildlife and travel by husky sled before recuperating in luxury with a stay at Isfjord Radio, a converted radio station turned comfortable wilderness hotel.
From 6000 per personOn our Polar Bear Explorer, you will explore the stunning Spitsbergen Archipelago aboard the R/V Kinfish, in search of the King of the Arctic; the mighty polar bear. These trips run in the summer, from May to July.
In March, enjoy a late-night Aurora watching tour and look out for the magical Northern Lights dancing across the sky as you journey across the snow covered mountain landscapes of Svalbard.
From March to May, join an adventurous snowmobiling expedition through the landscapes of Spitsbergen to Isfjord Radio, a 1933 built solitude outpost for radio operators turned into a boutique hotel. Visit Fritjof Glacier and the abandoned Russian mining towns and learn about the history of Svalbard.
Take the time to be still and present in the remote northern reaches of one of the world’s northernmost inhabited places. Comprising of a vast area of icebergs and ice-fields, the only sounds you will hear are of the ice and the wildlife of the unspoilt Arctic wilderness.
