An Interview with Backpacking with the Bonds: How to Hike in Svalbard, Norway, the Northernmost Place on Earth
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the North Pole as a kid, Svalbard, Norway is as close as it gets. It’s in the Arctic Circle. It’s covered in snow from October to May. It has prime views of the Aurora Borealis. And yes, there are reindeer.
Svalbard is halfway between Norway and the North Pole. It is the furthermost north you can physically go while keeping your feet on solid ground. Aside from the sheer amazement of where Svalbard is when you point to a globe, is the fact that it makes for a downright epic adventure travel destination.
We’re talking hiking glaciers, trekking into polar bear country, cross country skiing and endless fat biking over snow-packed trails. Or no trails at all – hey, it’s mountain biking at it’s finest!
Yea, taking a trip to the Arctic Circle is a tad extreme. But that makes me love it even more.
And because getting to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway (the main town on the island) requires a bit of patience and planning, it means that the island stays crowd-free almost year-round. Though the best time of year to visit Longyearbyen is during its daylight hours in the summer months.
I personally am still trying to get myself into winter sports and adventures. I really am.
But the thought of throwing on some winter layers and trekking through crunchy snow doesn’t make my heart sing – yet (though I’m confident the day will soon come, dear friends).
So I enlisted someone whose heart does to give you some inspiration for your next cold-weather adventure.
Albert and Carrie from Backpacking with the Bonds were still enjoying the endorphin highs of spending multiple days hiking, biking and exploring when I caught up with them to ask exactly what went into planning a trip to Svalbard, Norway.
You recently took a trip to the Arctic Circle (Norway). A lot of people default to tropical beaches when planning a vacation. So, tell me, what the heck inspired that?
We tend to travel to off the beaten path destinations or popular destinations in the offseason, as they can be more adventurous (and affordable too), so the Arctic Circle was a natural choice for us. Carrie and I have traveled to much of Europe and our search to find a piece of the continent filled with adventure and few travelers led us to Svalbard, Norway!
We love exploring beautiful parts of that world that many travelers either don’t know much about or wouldn’t consider.
A tropical beach sounds nice and all for a day or two, but who wants to be surrounded by thousands of others jostling for spots on the beach, when you can travel to literally the end of the earth and have it almost to yourself!?!
Saying it’s “off the beaten path” seems like a bit of an understatement! Can you tell us exactly where Svalbard, Norway is?
The archipelago of Svalbard, Norway is located within the high Arctic Circle (on the 78th parallel north) and is less than 900 miles from the north pole. So, yes way WAY off the beaten path.
The mining town of Longyearbyen, Svalbard is sort of the gateway to the region. It’s managed by the Norwegians and is the highest year-round settlement on Earth. All flights arrive into Longyearbyen and it was basecamp for our adventures.
What is the weather like in the Arctic Circle? Are there better times of year to plan your adventure?
The high arctic climate is unlike anything we’ve experienced. Due to its northern location on Earth, it experiences dramatic seasonal changes.
Svalbard’s summer is when the region is consumed by the midnight sun (24 hours of sunlight) for several months. The winter, on the other hand, experiences 24 hours of darkness for several months. While that might be appealing for those looking to catch up on sleep, it’s challenging to explore the region in the darkness. So, that makes summer the best time to plan your trip to Svalbard, Norway.
The weather and the constant sunshine in the summer is pleasant for hiking, biking, and exploring nearby glaciers via boat. Our recommendation based on our experience is to visit in either May or June.
We’ve read a lot about Arctic travel which is mainly centered around the south, but to be perfectly honest travel to Antarctica is expensive and time-consuming – and not within our means.
Svalbard, Norway is much more affordable, accessible, and breathtaking. Plus, it’s a playground for the adventurous.
Who doesn’t like traveling to destinations filled with adventure, breath-taking landscapes and very few fellow travelers?
When we first met, the stories of your trip got my heart pumping in that “I’m excited to travel, let’s add this to the list!” sort of way. Can you tell me about the most epic part of your trip to Svalbard, Norway?
Svalbard is truly an adventure from the moment you arrive until you depart so you SHOULD add it to your list!
Never have we traveled somewhere so remote, which was part of the allure. We knew we had to take advantage of all that Svalbard offered in the summer so we did what everyone who travels to Svalbard should do, we hiked.
But it wasn’t a normal hike – we were on a glacier.
We were interested in a moderate-level hike that would give us the opportunity to hike across a glacier and get us way out of Longyearbyen. There are several different tour operators offering all sorts of treks from multi-day hikes to ones that last just a couple of hours. We settled on a 7 hour 12-kilometer (7.5-mile) hike with Wildlife Adventures that would take us across Lars Glacier and up to Trollsteinen Rock.
Lars Glacier is surrounded by dramatic mountains. And, while hiking, you will get an up-close look at a moraine landscape, which is the result of a glacier passing over the land, before getting to the famous summit.
Trollsteinen Rock (Troll Rock) is amazing to see from Longyearbyen, Svalbard. But it was like a whole other world getting to hike right up to it.
Our group of 7 – including our guide Adam – began our journey at the edge of town. Adam carried our lunch and snacks to have atop Trollsteinen Rock, along with his rifle to fend off the unlikely encounter with a polar bear.
We were provided with hiking poles to help us manage the ice and snow.
We began our journey at the rocky edge of Longyearbyen near one of the many defunct mines that dot the edge of the mountainside surrounding the town. With the sun high in the sky (as it is 24 hours a day during this time of year), we set out on our journey into the wilderness of the high Arctic Circle (Norway).
As we slowly began our ascent, the temperature began to drop from (the warm) 40 degrees in town, and the ground went from wet and rocky to soft snow.
We stopped several times along the hike to hear Adam describe the landscape and, most importantly, to take photos! As we continued our hike across Lars Glacier the snow turned into a mixture of ice and snow with the temperature dropping even more.
By this point, it was cold and windy and I was grateful for the gear I had bought.
It’s very important if you’re going to hike in this part of the world that you bring the appropriate clothing and boots. Our waterproof Oboz boots, Patagonia jackets, and REI hiking pants, with layers on underneath, were perfect for the hike and environment.
We dressed to stay dry and warm – critical when you’re several hours away from any town.
As we began our final ascent up Trollsteinen Rock, the temperature dropped even more and the wind picked up, making hiking slightly challenging. This was the point where it really hit me that I was hiking in the high Arctic Circle!
While other June vacationers were battling for lounge chairs or spots on the beach, we were pushing ourselves through snow and experiencing stunning landscapes with only a handful of others.
An added bonus: Unlike other destinations, even the most popular trail near Svalbard, Norway will not be crowded at all.
On our 7 hour hike, we encountered only 10 other hikers.
From the top of Trollsteinen Rock in between the clouds, we caught amazing views of the neighboring valley and the surrounding islands north of Svalbard. As a group, we rested and had warm tea (needed by this point) and lunch as we savored the views. Looking out across the desolate landscape, we also applauded our achievement of climbing across a glacier and up a mountain in this rugged remote part of the world.
Wow! That sounds unforgettable! So, how do you follow up hiking a glacier – what other adventures can you get into in Svalbard, Norway?
We managed to follow it up with two activities that were just as amazing.
We’re huge cyclists and when we saw there was a fat bike tour to a nearby valley we jumped at the chance.
Fat-biking is the perfect way to explore the landscape. Despite the snow, you’ll notice that everyone in Longyearbyen owns a bike and snowmobile.
Our tour began in town with an overview of the history of the area before biking to the edge of town where we stopped for photos next to the polar bears warning sign! We continued our bicycle tour out to a nearby valley where we stopped and walked around for a bit.
The landscape was absolutely incredible and the bike ride was refreshing – if a little cold at times (something to be expected with the Svalbard weather – even in summer!).
The other activity we did was a glacier boat tour to a nearby island.
The nearly half-day tour was easily one of the highlights of the entire trip. We not only got way out of Longyearbyen, Svalbard to explore more of the high arctic landscape but we also saw two blue whales surface twice – right around our boat!
View this post on Instagram
Not only did we explore more of the region, but we had the tour all to ourselves!! I highly recommend one of the many boat tours offered.
We booked the RIB – Along the Ice Edge with Svalbard Booking. The boat was a rigid-hulled inflatable boat that allowed us to get closer to the glaciers than the larger boats. This gave us the opportunity to take some of the amazing photos we have of Svalbard, Norway (we shared these in our complete guide Svalbard).
The other boat tour we seriously considered was out to the Russian mining town of Pyramiden, one of the most remote inhabited towns on Earth.
Sign me up! You’ve inspired me, and I’m sure a few others reading this, too. But an adventurous trip like this can be intimidating for those who don’t consider themselves advanced travelers. Do you have 3-5 insider tips that would help someone planning their own Arctic Circle (Norway) trek?
First, I would suggest you do your research and plan your trip out well in advance.
Our guide covers our trip in detail, but I’d also suggest utilizing the Visit Svalbard website as well. They have a thorough overview of all the available activities and tour operators in Svalbard, Norway. There’s a lot to and see do so planning everything out will be important, especially since some activities only occur a couple of times a week.
Second, bring the appropriate gear for the Svalbard weather and climate. Even in the summer, the temperature doesn’t really go above 40 degrees (7 Celsius) so make sure you’re going to be warm and dry!
Third, if you are making the effort to go all the way to one of the furthest points on Earth, make sure you allocate the right amount of time for your trip!
We were there for 5 days. That was enough time to acclimate and explore the landscape by hiking, biking and touring by boat. But you could easily spend longer if you wanted to see the famous Global Seed Vault or go dog sledding.
Fourth, bring an eye mask.
I tend to bring one for convenience when I fly overnight, but it was critical up in Svalbard. The sun never sets in the summer and the curtains weren’t dark enough to block out all the sunlight. Having the eye mask meant I was able to get good sleep.
Fifth, use your frequent flyer miles or points (if you have them) to get to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway. SAS is part of the Star Alliance. This means you can use your United miles to get to Longyearbyen or at least fly into Oslo, Norway.
One of the reasons we’re able to travel as much as we do is because we collect miles religiously and use them for nearly every trip. And a major perk of traveling to Svalbard is how accessible and (surprisingly) affordable it is to reach.
To travel to Svalbard, I used miles to fly to Oslo (30,000 one-way – IAD to OSL via DUB) and then purchased the $300 roundtrip ticket to Svalbard. You don’t have to deplete your bank account for an arctic adventure like you would to travel to Antarctica.
Don’t have many frequent flyer miles?
The budget airline Norwegian Air flies from Oslo to Longyearbyen a couple of times a week. Even paying full prices, this makes a visit to the most northern point on Earth relatively affordable!
Is it possible to rent all the gear you need to experience Svalbard, Norway or do you need to bring it with you?
Clothing-wise you need to bring all of your own gear, except for if you take a boat tour.
For that, we were provided with masks, gloves, heavy-duty rubber boots, and full body suits to keep us warm out on the water.
We did a lot of research prior to our trip to purchase the appropriate boots, pants, and jackets suitable for a hike in the Arctic Circle (Norway) or stroll around town, even in the summer. The conditions atop the glacier can get cold quickly, so it’s best of have durable clothing. This is not the place to cut corners and try to save some money – but you can save by shopping sales, like Moosejaw’s 40% off winter clearance (until March)!
For our hike, the guide provided hiking poles and carried all the food and drink we needed for our lunch. If you’re looking to do something longer or a little more adventurous, that might require gaiters or other specialty gear.
For that, I’d be sure to check with the tour operator.
Is an outdoor adventure in Svalbard, Norway safe for beginners and/or solo travelers?
Svalbard is suitable for both beginners and solo travelers.
The range of available activities caters to every adventure level. Whether you want short hikes (less than 4 hours) or longer multi-day hikes you’ll find them in Svalbard.
For beginners, my advice is to be honest with yourself about what you’re capable of hiking. And to bring clothing suitable for hiking in the Arctic. The last thing you want is to tire out halfway through your hike – or to be cold atop a glacier – 3 hours away from Longyearbyen.
Solo travelers will not have any issues in Svalbard, Norway. The town itself is very small, with a population of 2,144.
Any trek outside of Longyearbyen requires you to be accompanied by a guide. This is for your safety, since polar bears and other wildlife encounters may happen. So, you’ll always have someone to accompany you. Prepare yourself to see that the guides are armed. This is to fend off the unlikely event of an encounter with a polar bear.
We didn’t see any during our visit. But we learned the day before we arrived a polar bear had wandered through town! He was safely shooed away by a circling helicopter and no man or bear was harmed.
While out and about in town, we found everyone we encountered to be really friendly. Most people there are from somewhere else – which makes for great conversation!
We all have to start somewhere when it comes to getting outside. I’m assuming you weren’t always an expert (and I know that I sure as heck wasn’t). How did two get into backpacking and exploring the outdoors?
I was lucky enough to be born into a family that traveled a lot. Plus, we lived overseas for parts of my life.
My parents were both avid adventure travelers. Growing up, we got used to week long trips around Europe or even long weekend getaways. From all those trips I developed a longing to see more and more of the world.
Carrie and I met in the Peace Corps in Jordan. That’s when we really got into backpacking as a couple. During our service, we took several trips, but there is one that still holds up as one of our most epic.
We began our trip to Istanbul and traveled north to the beach town of Varna, Bulgaria. From there we took an overnight ferry to the port city of Odessa, Ukraine. From Ukraine, we traveled overland to the rarely visited city of Chisinau, Moldova. To finish, we journeyed back south to Istanbul via Bucharest and Brasov, Romania and Sofia, Bulgaria.
We experienced so much and we made friends with total strangers along the way.
It served as the beginning of us traveling off the beaten path and pushing ourselves to explore more of the world outside of the tried and tested destinations.
It was our mutual love and interest in travel that led us to take that trip. And it has led to many more since.
Beyond that, we’ve always incorporated outdoor activities into our travels.
We have lots of stories. Like the time we hiked to waterfalls on an island in Nicaragua or beaches in northern Colombia. But most recently, our love of the outdoors developed into an interest in scuba diving.
We became advanced certified divers this past March. Now we try to incorporate scuba diving into our travels as much as possible, which is the polar opposite of our trip to Svalbard, Norway!
Albert and Carrie are two adventure travelers after my own heart! Their travel agenda is capable of evoking wanderlust in even the biggest homebody. Head on over to Backpacking with the Bonds on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram to see what they’re up to now and make sure they are putting that Scuba certification to good use!
**Disclaimer: I partner with Moosejaw and will receive some compensation if you shop their winter sale from my link above. I reached out to them because I truly love the brands they carry and I hope you will, too!
Thanks again for the interview! We can’t wait to hear about your trip to Svalbard.
Thank you for sharing! I’m so inspired. Not sure if I’m going to make it this year, but I definitely have the Arctic Circle on my list of epic travels!
After looking into a number of the blog articles on your web
site, I really appreciate your way of blogging. I book marked it to
my bookmark site list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my website too and tell me how you feel.