Ultimate 4 Day Svalbard Itinerary: How to Make the Most of Winter for Just £600

I know, I know, it sounds mental, but it 100% possible.

You can go husky sledding, ice caving, glacier hiking, snowmobiling and more, all in four days for under £600 a head. Cheaper if there is more of you!

Read the rest of this post to get the entire breakdown of how we did it and all the operators we used.

Brief overview of what you’ll get up to:

1. Husky Sledding

2. Glacier

3. Ice Caving

4. Snowmobiling

5. Visiting the northern most brewery

6. Visiting a husky cafe

7. Sauna and a dip in the ice cold arctic sea

Things you should know about Svalbard before visiting:

1. Svalbard is a visa free zone. That means you don’t need a visa to enter the island, to work there or live there. You have to be able to prove you have the means to sustain yourself as there is limited support on the island.

2. There are no native islanders. Svalbard was found by a British man, and the mines that were built were later sold to Norway, and so is therefore part of the Kingdom of Norway. This means everyone who lives on Svalbard, chooses to be there!

3. You cannot be born or die on Svalbard. Take this with a pinch of salt, but the hospital there does not have the facilities to north children and therefore expecting mothers are sent to the mainland to give birth. As for dying, you are not allowed to be buried in the island due to the fact that the permafrost prevents bodies from decomposing. Therefore, bodies are taken to the mainland to be buried, or cremated.

4. Svalbard experiences Polar Night and Day. Over winter, Svalbard experiences the polar night, \where the sun never rises. This means that only certain activities are available to do. However, there is a sweet spot at the end of January into February, where the sun starts to show on the horizon, giving some light. This means Svalbard has a twighlight hour. This time is the cheapest period to go.

5. You will have to show your Airline Ticket to buy liquor. When residents of Svalbard buy alcohol, they have “ration cards” that must be stamped. This dates back to when Longyearbyen was a mining town and certain types of alcohol were rationed out to the workers. Quotas still apply for how much beer, strong wine and liquor you can buy per month at Nordpolet in Coop Svalbard in Longyearbyen.

6. Svalbard's population is greatly outnumbered by polar bears.

You cannot leave designated areas without firearms and knowledge of how to use them because of this. Therefore, most activities must be boooked with a guide unless you have the necessary skills and gear to undertake them yourself! Visit Svalbard has a lot of really good information about the Polar Bears on the Archipelago, you can find out more here.

What to do in Svalbard, Norway:

Svalbard itself, although a big island, has very few settlements and even fewer places to visit/sleep and eat. That means, you can squeeze everything you want to do in four days. Here is my recommendation for a four day itinerary. Below, I have added in a few bonus things to do for if you wanted to stretch your time in Svalbard to a week.

4 Day Itinerary for Svalbard

Thursday

14.05 - Land in Longyearbyen

There are only a few flights a day, so getting at this time is very common. Because of this, you’ll be greeted by your guide from Svalbard Huskies at the airport and go straight to the husky farm, on the outskirts of Svalbard.

15.00 - 19.00 Husky Sledding

You will be instructed on how to be a ‘musher’, learning how to control your own sled and dogs. You will be given gloves, a snowsuit, winter shoes and a hat - all perfectly suited to an arctic climate.

19.00 - Dropped at the Gjesthuset

You will be dropped back at the guesthouse, where you will be able to check in and drop your bags off. You will be staying a twin room or in a combined dorm. There are other options too if you would like more privacy or if you have more friends in your group.

20.00 - Dinner

There are so many options for dinner across the town of Longyearbyen. If you are looking to be more sustainable, you should head to a restaurant that serves local food. Otherwise, there are plenty of options. Why not have sushi from the northernmost sushi restaurant in the world?

Friday

07.30 - Breakfast

Breakfast is included in your stay and you can head down from 07.00 - 11.00 to collect it. There is a buffet style spread, and you can pile your plate up as high as you’d like; you’re going to want to have a full stomach for the day ahead for you.

08.30 - 16.30 - Snowmobile Safari to Templefjorden

At 8.30, you will be picked up from your accommodation by your guide from Svalbard Adventures. You will be taken to their snowmobile depot where you will be suited and booted in the arctic gear. You will be given an outer suit, mitten, goggles, and a face mask. You will then be shown how to drive your very own snowmobile and then you will set off on a 6 hour round trip across the arctic dessert to Templefjorden. You will stop to take in the breathtaking sites and have a warm lunch before heading back, getting changed and being dropped back at your hotel.

16.30 - 19.00 - Dinner and free time

Now is your chance to explore the town a little more. Check out some of the shops, and the surrounding landscapes before finding another place for dinner.

19.00 - 22.00 - Open Brewery

The northernmost brewery opens it’s doors on a Friday evening. Why not check out some of the local brews and learn about life on the archipelago.

Saturday

07.00 - 11.30 - Free time

Have a lie in, or get up bright and early to explore some more. You could visit the Husky cafe, and drink coffee with some of the retired huskies, or visit the Polar expedition museum for some insightful history. Check out some of the shops and maybe purchase a souvenir. Make sure you grab breakfast and are back the guesthouse for 11.30 for your next adventure.

11.30 - 16.30 - Glacier Hike and Ice Caving

At 11.30, you will be picked up and head over to Spitsbergen Adventures HQ. You will be provided with various equipment based on the weather conditions such as micro spikes and boots and then set off on a 5km round trip hike across the glaciers to an Ice Cave. Starting at the base of Sarkofagen, you will climb the glaciers moraine before transitioning to glacier walking with an elevation gain fo 400m. It is a physically demanding hike, thought the pace will be set by your group. Once inside the cave, you will be able to experience 5.000 year old ice walls and hear captivating stories about the region. You will be provided with a warm lunch as you explore deep into the Larsbreen glacier core. This is not for the claustrophobic!

16.30 Onwards - Free Time

You will be dropped back at the thotel at 16.30 and can chose how you would like to spend the evening. You could visit the church, or the town, or stay in and play games in the guesthouse common room.

Sunday

08.00 - Breakfast

Your last breakfast of the trip and a chance to stock up for the long day of travel ahead of you.

09.00 - 11.00 - Sauna and Ice Dip

Sunday morning you better be feeling brave. Head to the coast for a relaxing sauna and then a cold dip in the icy arctic fjord.

12.45 - Shuttle to airport

At 12.45, a shuttle from the guesthouse will take visitors to the airport, ready for their flight. Although the drive is short, it goes outside of the Polar Bear safety area and therefore you mustn’t walk the distance.

14.45 - Flight back to the mainland

Time to debrief on the plane, look at all those pictures and tell everyone of your amazing time in the northernmost settlement in the world.

Extra Things to do in Svalbard

If you have a bit longer, or want to spread out your activities a little further, here are some other things to do in the winter that would make great adventures, and why I didn’t include them in my 4 day itinerary.

Global Seed Bank

Pyramiden

What should I pack for Svalbard?

• Gloves.

  • It might be wise to bring a couple of pairs, or some with liners.

• Thermals/Base Layers.

  • Wool or natural fibres are best as they wick water away from the body and don’t smell.

• Layers.

  • Lots of clothing items that can be stacked on top of eachother to keep you warm.

• Ski Goggles or Sunglasses.

  • To protect your eyes if it is snowy and windy.

• Contact Lenses.

  • As you will be getting hot and cold constantly, your glasses are likely to steam up, so if you wear them, contact lenses will be a good idea.

• Swimming Stuff

  • If you’re feeling brave, you will have the chance to do a cold dip in the icy fjord after a hot Sauna.

• Crocs/Camp shoes

  • There is an old tradition of not wearing shoes indoors left over from when Longyearbyen was a mining town. Therefore, places like your accommodation and shops will not allow you to wear boots/outdoor shoes.

• Warm Socks

  • Wool is best. Your hands and feet are going to get the coldest whilst there.

• Beanie

  • Your head emits a lot of heat so a beanie will help you to stay warm.

• Puffer/Down Jacket with a hood

  • a hood will help you keep your neck warm, and keep out any snow and wind. Down is great, but can lose insulation when wet, so bring a wind/waterproof outer shell to stay warm and dry.

• Snood/Scarf/Buff

  • Bring something to protect your neck. Lots of jackets and jumpers wont keep your face him and neck warm. Especially when you are snowmobiling.

• Waterproof trousers/Salopettes

  • If you want to play about in the snow, you will want something that keeps you warm and dry.

• Adapters

  • Make sure you have enough adapters to charge all your electrics. The cold will affect the battery life of your cameras and phones.

• Cameras

  • Make sure you have something to capture the magical landscape and wildlife!

• Portable Chargers

  • As mentioned, the cold will negatively affect battery life of most appliances, having portable chargers and extra batteries will help prolong usage.

• Warm Phone Pouch

  • Phones can sometimes struggle with the cold, keeping it in something warm will help with the functionality.

• Day Pack

  • Something around the 20-30L capacity that can hold water, cameras, chargers, snacks and extra layers.

• Passports/IDs/Drivers Licenses

  • You will have to have a valid licence to drive the snowmobiles in Svalbard. Although there is no requirement for Visas, if you are entering the Schengen area to get to Svalbard you may need a transport visa to pass through.

• Flask/Water Bottles

  • If it is below freezing temperatures, you may want to keep your cold water in an insulated bottle. You will also want a flask to keep any hot beverages in.

• Vaseline and Moisturisers

  • The cold is very dry. Vaseline on your nostrils and lips will help to stop skin from becoming dry and itchy.

    
    

Cost Breakdown

The bit you’ve all been waiting for! How to do it for under £600.

Disclosure: I have links below that are affiliate links. This means I may earn from any purchases you make on these sites within a short period after you click on these links. It is at no extra cost to you and helps me to earn a little from my blog posts.

All prices and conversions are as of February 2025, they are subject to change.

Accommodation

Gjesthuset 102

3 nights, breakfast included, twin/double room.

2685 NOK (1342 NOKpp)

Book Here

Husky Sledding

Svalbard Husky AS

2 hours sledding, equipment and training provided

2381.93 NOK

Book Here

Snowmobile Safari

Svalbard Adventures

1 x Driver - 3800 NOK

1 x Driver & 1 x Passenger - 5400 NOK

Book Here

Glacier Hike and Ice Cave

Spitzbergen Adventures

1300 NOK

Book Here

Sauna & Ice Dip

Svalbard

300 NOKpp

Book Here

Shuttle to Airport

175 NOKpp

Total Price: 8199.43 NOK or £582.82 Per Person

The cost above is working on the assumption that there are two people sharing a twin room, and one will be a passenger during the snowmobile safari. Obviously this doesn’t include flights, food and spending money.

Additionally, any travel insurance, SIM costs and emergency funds are not included.

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