Svalbard Holidays

People join our Svalbard holidays from all over the world. We have people from all walks of life joining our tours, and they have different reasons for wanting to come to this incredible place. For some, it’s a one-off opportunity to see Arctic wildlife and nature up close. Others are looking for escapism, hiking. Some are fascinated by Arctic exploration and human history. Whatever they come for, they all have the chance for an amazing adventure.

Our Svalbard holidays run in spring and summer (April-August) which is the best time to see Svalbard from the coast. Conditions are better for ships to pass, and of course, we can take advantage of more daylight for better visibility of the coast and the spectacular landscapes.

There is a fair bit of variation in weather and opportunities to spot particular wildlife across these seasons, so here’s what you can expect to experience during different times of the season.

April is actually a peak breeding time for polar bears on Svalbard, but they’re easier to reach and spot towards the end of the month, or in May. Temperatures rise slightly in April too, as the archipelago transitions to spring with an average minimum of – 6°C and maximum temperatures of -9°C, but let’s face it, you’ll need decent warm gear all year round on Svalbard.

If you’re coming for the Arctic flora and fauna, then travel from May onwards. Migratory birds won’t have returned from wintering further south in the early season. Heavy snow and ice cover make shore landings more difficult earlier in the season too, but it does offer the chance to sport polar bear mothers with their cubs.

By mid-summer, the tundra regions are in bloom with the arrival of Arctic flowers. This also when the migratory birds return to Svalbard, look up to the iceberg and soaring bird cliffs and you might spot Arctic terns. The skies above Svalbard will also be filled with other seabirds including thousands of kittiwakes and guillemots.

The 24hr daylight of late summer is perfect for Arctic photography – make the most of the amazing light and clarity.  Migratory birds will head south towards the end of August, so go earlier if you want to spot them.

There are no roads connecting Svalbard’s islands. The best way to see it is from the coast, on a small expedition vessel during the summer on one of our Svalbard holidays. That’s because sea ice recedes in the summer, so it’s more accessible to ships. Smaller vessels like ours can reach places larger ships can’t travel to – like some fjords.

Travelling by a small ship on our Svalbard holidays makes it easier to explore to the coast, increasing our chances of spotting wildlife like polar bears, walruses and other marine life as we cruise along. One of the reasons we started Secret Atlas was to offer the alternative way of seeing Svalbard: up close, away from crowds, and with the opportunity for a real adventure. The way it deserves to be seen, which isn’t possible in the same way on a large cruise ship with hundreds of people. Visitors on our expeditions often describe our trips as once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Expedition micro cruise is a term we use to describe an expedition cruise with no more than 12 guests in total. Our cruises take place on custom built expedition vessels built for safe travel in the polar regions. All our vessels offer good comfort levels, private cabins and great food with the huge added bonus that you will be experiencing Svalbard with just a handful of guests.

The focus on our trips is exploring and we will aim to make daily landings by Zodiac landing craft to explore the shore. You will be accompanied by a knowledgeable expert guide who will tell you about the areas you visit. When you have been apart of a small group experience we guarantee you will never want to go back to cruising on larger vessels.

Unlike larger vessels with higher passenger capacities, our voyages are personal and unique in their approach. Travelling with a small group of guests means more time and flexibility exploring and less time waiting to go ashore.

Our small expedition vessels will get you closer to nature and landscapes that you came than larger ships can due to their smaller size, offering you a great deal more intimacy.

Our Expedition Micro Cruises and Small Ship Adventures give you the opportunity to experience the Arctic first hand on a real adventure without the crowds of people on larger ships. Our goal is to make you part of the adventure.

Svalbard is an untamed Arctic wilderness and on every cruise we do we encounter different wildlife. Svalbard in our opinion is the best place in the High Arctic to see wildlife including polar bears as there are high concentrations surrounding the islands.

The chances of encountering wildlife are very high and on all previous trips, we have seen walruses, whales, Svalbard Reindeer and a variety of birdlife. Whilst we can’t make any guarantees, we have encountered polar bears on the majority of our trips and we cruise areas where they are known to hunt.

If seeing a polar bear is one of your main attractions we would recommend Svalbard Pioneer of the Wildlife and Natural Wonders of Svalbard cruises. On these trips, we visit areas where Walruses are known to haul out and also regularly see Arctic foxes, puffins and Beluga whales.

A part of the adventure of an expedition cruise is to spend time exploring the wilderness which means every trip is different. Our route is decided on the day of boarding and is chosen by the expedition leader and the captain in line with the prevailing weather and ice conditions. Their aim is to ensure that you see the very best that Svalbard has to offer.

On a typical Svalbard holiday, you can expect daily shore landings to visit sites of historical and natural interest and to undertake short wilderness hikes. Svalbard has over 2000 glaciers and we aim to visit at least 1 calving glacier face which is an incredible sight. On some cruises, if conditions allow we will attempt to visit the edge of the sea ice.

We will also visit known wildlife sites including beaches where walruses haul out and areas where polar bears are frequently sighted.

Due to the influence of the gulf stream on Svalbard’s climate, it is warmer during the summer than most people would imagine. A summer’s day rarely feels colder than the temperatures experienced in Northern Europe during the winter. It is not uncommon to be out hiking with only a base layer on when the sun is shining.

The temperature varies depending on the month you travel with the months of July and August offering the warmest temperatures.

Average High:

April -9°C,

May -3 °C

June +3°C

July +7°C

August +6°C

September +1°C

Our cruises are suitable for the vast majority of people and we aim to make them as accessible as possible. We ask that our guests have a good level of mobility as it is a requirement that you can safely step down from the vessel into the landing craft and then exit the landing craft on the beach. Due to the remote areas we visit and the distance from medical assistance, we advise that you have a reasonable level of fitness and are in good health. During the shore landings, we have 2 guides which enable us to split the group if we have some keen hikers and some other guests with more limited range.

We don’t have any age restrictions on our trips and we pride ourselves on having diverse guests from all over the world with a passion for exploring. In the past we have had young professionals eager to explore, middle-aged solo travellers, looking for their next adventure, through to retirees looking to see Svalbard in a more in-depth way. Our trips are friendly and inclusive for all our guests.

Yes, you can and every year we welcome solo travellers onboard where you will find a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We offer accommodation options for single cabins or sharing a cabin with travellers of the same gender.