Svalbard is so alluring in part because of its sheer remoteness: when you’re out exploring the wilderness – whether by Zodiac, ski-doo or snowshoe – you and your guide are likely to be the only humans there. In Europe, being this alone is all too rare an experience.
From glacial plateaux to vegetation-rich tundra, the Svalbard archipelago offers one of the world’s most varied Arctic ecosystems. In summer, trek to nearby peaks from Longyearbyen – capital of Spitsbergen, the main island – or paddle through Adventsfjorden alongside beluga whales.
Cruise out to Jan Mayen to observe the volcanic cone of Beerenberg or, in winter, snowmobile across the frozen fjord towards a Dutch schooner-as-hotel in Tempelfjorden, moored in the ice. Between Zodiac sea crossings, dog-sledding adventures and tranquil polar nights gazing out towards nature’s end, exploring Svalbard’s dynamic landscape will never fail to enchant you.
Roger Norum author of Svalbard: the Bradt Guide
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Sit back and enjoy this kaleidoscope of colours.
It is, quite simply, magical.
In this extract from Beastly Journeys, Kelsey Camacho tells of travelling through an Arctic blizzard with a pack of huskies in Svalbard.