Svalbard
The best places to see the Northern Lights in Svalbard
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- Nybyen6713
- Guided tours in Adventdalen
The archipelago of Svalbard lies halfway between Norway and the North Pole, in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. Here, you can explore pristine arctic wilderness and distinctive wildlife in a landscape that is both rugged and fragile.
Exceptional conditions
Located 900 kilometres north of the Norwegian mainland and 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole, Longyearbyen offers excellent conditions for northern lights. From early spring until autumn, the midnight sun makes never-ending days. While the polar night from November until the end of January means that there is no daylight in Svalbard in winter. This attracts people from all over the world who come to experience the northern lights dance across the sky (with some luck!), as well as the beauty of the limitless, starry sky... In October and February you can enjoy the amazing and unique blue arctic light during the day and the northern lights at night.
Top things to do in Svalbard
Go aurora hunting in the arctic wilderness.
Choose from a wide selection of northern lights excursions.
Go dog sledding and snowmobiling.
Try glacial ice caving and snowshoeing.
Warm up in a sauna.
Note that you should never venture out of town on your own without a local guide. This is polar bear country!
Arctic metropolis
A quirky and somewhat unlikely cosmopolitan Norwegian city with 2,400 residents from almost 53 different countries, Longyearbyen is well worth the trip in itself. Here, you will find a wide range of shops, restaurants and bars, breweries, and concert venues. There are separate lanes in the town centre for snowmobiles, and you have to watch out for reindeer in the streets!
With the world’s northernmost airport for scheduled flights and offering excellent accommodation, Svalbard is a perfect gateway to the High Arctic and a premier destination for northern lights trips. The most common way to travel to Svalbard is by plane.
Winter in Northern Norway
Did you know that you can experience the northern lights as early as late September until late March?
4-day tour including a cruise with Hurtigruten. Choose from a wide selection of winter activities including dog sledding and northern lights excursions.
Price from NOK 7 080Book Now
6-day tour, including a return cruise from Tromsø to Kirkenes with Hurtigruten. Visit the North Cape and try winter activities including dog sledding and snowmobiling.
Price from NOK 12 030Book Now
Join a northern lights cruise and enjoy delicious arctic tapas from our partner in Tromsø, while hunting for the northern lights!
Price from NOK 1 790Book Now
Spend 5 days in Alta at an Arctic wilderness resort, a forest chalet and an igloo-style dome. Enjoy dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice-fishing.
Price from NOK 40 800Book Now
4-day winter break to Tromsø, including dog sledding and a northern lights chase by minibus. Additional winter activities can be added.
Price from NOK 9 060Book Now
4-day break to Tromsø with a cruise and hunt for the northern lights. With one free day, you can add winter activities like dog sledding, a reindeer safari, and more.
Price from NOK 7 690Book Now
This 6-day tour includes a guided day tour of Tromsø, sea kayaking, and a sea eagle safari. Stay in a small fishing village and learn how to capture the northern lights on camera.
Price from NOK 16 275Book Now
4-day trip with an aurora-chase guided tour, RIB boat tour, and accommodation in a traditional fisherman's cabin.
Price from NOK 9 498Book Now
6-day winter adventure. See the fjords and the Arctic city of Tromsø. Winter activities like dog sledding, a northern lights safari, and much more can be added.
Price from NOK 8 490Book Now
Explore the Tromsø fjords on a hybrid-electric boat with panoramic windows, while savouring a delicious dinner and keeping an eye out for the magical northern lights.
Price from NOK 1 590Book Now
Join a 6-day northern lights round trip. Fly from Oslo to Tromsø and experience all the highlights of the region, including several opportunities to chase the northern lights.
Price from NOK 27 995Book Now
6-night round trip from Oslo. Stay at an ice hotel, go on a king crab safari, take a reindeer sleigh ride, and enjoy an Arctic gourmet dinner.
Price from NOK 31 595Book Now
Round trip from Oslo including a scenic train ride to Trondheim, two nights onboard a cruise ship, a visit to Bodø, Tromsø, and a Viking feast on the Lofoten Islands.
Price from NOK 24 350Book Now
Fly from Oslo to Kirkenes and stay overnight at a snow hotel, then go wilderness dog sledding before taking a 5-night cruise to Bergen. Visit Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral and Lofoten along the way.
Price from NOK 34 510Book Now
Join a 7-day adventure through Norway. Chase the northern lights, go on a king crab safari, experience dog sledding, and explore Flåm and the UNESCO fjords.
Price from NOK 26 890Book Now
7-hour trip. Your guide will choose the camp location with the highest chance of seeing the northern lights. All camps have shelters, toilets, campfires, and benches outside.
Price from NOK 1 590Book Now
Combine a northern lights experience with comfort and luxury. These once-in-a-lifetime stays are in prime locations for optimal aurora borealis viewing.
Price from NOK 3 000Book now
Hunt the northern lights along Norway's entire coastal route with 34 ports, 1,000 mountains, and more than 100 fjords. Enjoy insightful lectures from astronomers during the voyage.
Price from NOK 28 048Book Now
Spend a night in a private crystal Lavvo in the Lyngen Alps. Learn how to photograph the aurora and try snowshoeing. Return transfers, lunch, dinner, and breakfast are also included.
Price from NOK 3 390Book Now
Enjoy two nights in central Tromsø , including a northern lights tour. Stay in a Crystal Lavvo in the Lyngen Alps, with a view of the auroras. Local transfers, activities and meals included.
Price from NOK 11 220Book now
Try reindeer sledding, spend the night in a traditional Sami tent, feed reindeer, and enjoy Arctic landscapes. With some luck, the northern lights might appear!
Price from NOK 3 995Book now
Experience Tromsø, the gateway to the Arctic and a great place to witness the spectacular northern lights! This holiday package includes two nights stay in a cosy hotel and two unforgettable tours that maximise your chance of seeing the mighty aurora borealis.
Price from NOK 6 790Book nowWhat to do
Where to stay
Where to eat
Getting There
There are only about 46 kilometres of road on the Svalbard Islands. Driving off-road is strictly prohibited.
There are no roads between the various settlements. Instead, locals use boats or snowmobiles. Snowmobiles are available for hire in Longyearbyen.
There are daily flights with Norwegian and SAS to Svalbard throughout the year, and the frequency increases in the summer.
It takes around 3 hours to fly to Oslo Airport and 1.5 hours to Tromsø Airport.
An airport shuttle service is available for all scheduled flights and takes you to most hotels and guest houses for a fee.
There is no regular boat transportation between the Norwegian mainland and Svalbard.
Several companies offer Svalbard safaris and round trips, but these do not offer passage to and from the mainland. You have to make your way to Svalbard through other means.
Check out ferry and cruise companies in Svalbard.
