Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway
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ABOVE: Modern houses in Longyearbyen, with a school-bus stop in the foreground.

Sights and excursions

Museums

The Svalbard Museum, formerly housed in a converted pig barn, moved into the new Svalbard Science Center in April, 2006. Its building, which is also home to the Norwegian Polar Institute and the University Centre in Svalbard, is located just below Longyearbyen's business district and the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel Spitsbergen.

The Svalbard Museum uses traditional exhibits, reconstructed environments, and videos to present 400 years of Svalbard history and culture. An hour's visit will teach you about whaling, trapping, coal mining, wild animals, geology, and other aspects of Svalbard life. And don't worry about being bored: The new museum was designed to be engaging, not soporific. (It also has a decent gift shop.)

In Nybyen, up the valley from the main part of town, the Galleri Svalbard offers a collection of antique maps and lithographs that may be worth seeing if you're in the neighborhood. It also has a slide show of Svalbard photos and changing exhibits of works by local artists. You can buy everything from souvenir refrigerator magnets to hot chocolate and bottles of wine in the small gift shop/café.

Excursions

sign Longyearbyen is the starting point for adventure and expedition travel in Svalbard. Wilderness travel is by permit only, and you'll need to visit the governor's office (which may require proof of insurance and a bank guarantee to cover rescue expenses) before heading into the boondocks on your own. For convenience and safety, most visitors use the services of local outfitters.

The biggest outfitter, Spitsbergen Travel, is also a full-service travel agency that serves an international clientele. It offers "hard" and "soft" adventure trips such as:

A 12-day "ultimate trek" for hiking and nature enthusiasts
Kayak camps
Summer and winter ski trips
Snowmobile and dogsled "safaris"
A winter "ice grotto" walk inside a glacier
Tours of the Store Norske coal company's Mine 7 and the EISCAT space radar installation
Day and evening cruises on the Isfjord.
3- to 7-day Spitsbergen expedition cruises in conjunction with Norwegian Coastal Voyage/Hurtigruten.

On trips outside of town, Spitsbergen Travel guides are equipped with Iridium satellite phones for use in emergencies. They also carry rifles to protect against polar bears, as required by law.

For more information, visit the Spitsbergen Travel Web site. (Also see my article and photo diary on an excursion by PolarCirkel boat to the Fuglefjell Bird Cliffs of Spitsbergen.)

Other outfitters in Longyearbyen include:

Arctic Adventures - Based 12 km or 8 km from town, with dogledding and other tours. The company has its own dog kennel.

Basecamp Spitsbergen - Trips include winter and spring expeditions to a schooner that's frozen into the ice at Tempelfjorden.

Henningsen Transport & Guiding - Rent a snowmobile, book a scooter safari, or enjoy a summer day trip on the Isfjord.

Poli Arctici - A range of trips in Spitsbergen, plus logistical support for science expeditions and TV or film crews.

Spitsbergen Experience - Drive-your-own sled tours year-round for experienced dogsledders.

Svalbard Explorer - Tours of the local coal mine. (The Web site is in Norwegian only.)

Svalbard Hestesenter - No Web site, but you can e-mail [email protected] for information on horseback rides and packhorse tours.

Svalbard Nature - Spring and summer kayak tours for boaters of all abilities, plus North Pole trips by private jet and helicopter or skis for small groups of well-heeled travelers.

Svalbard Snøscooterutleie - Rent a snowmobile ("snøscooter" in local lingo), hire a guide, or book a scooter safari.

Svalbard Villmarkssenter - Short and long dogsled trips (on wheels in summer), overnight stays at a trapper's hut, and--in winter only--a Northern Lights evening with views and reindeer stew.

Note: It isn't uncommon for an outfitter to subcontract services from its competitors, so don't be surprised if you book with one vendor and find yourself heading for polar bear country with another. The level of guide expertise is high, thanks to a training and certification program that was introduced in the early 1990s. (Also, don't be surprised if your guide turns out to be a master's candidate in Arctic biology or geology at the University Centre in Svalbard.)

Next page: Cruises and boat trips

Longyearbyen tourist information:
Introduction	Restaurants
History, background	Shopping
Sights, excursions	Arrival and departure
Cruises, boat trips	Planning tips, Web links
Hotels, guesthouses, camping	Photos with captions

Related articles:

Bird Cliffs of Spitsbergen - Fuglefjellet boat trip

MS Nordstjernen - Spitsbergen Adventure Cruise

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