Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions

A Longyearbyen outfitter for Svalbard on foot, ski and paddle

Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions is a guiding company based in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, that runs its own day tours, camps and multi-day expeditions in the surrounding Arctic wilderness. Its homepage headline reads, in Norwegian, over 30 years of expeditions in Svalbard's wilderness, always in small groups, and the footer copyright runs from 1992, with a postal address at Postboks 164, Vei 608, 9170 Longyearbyen and a phone line on +47 79 02 22 22. Every trip on the site starts and ends in Longyearbyen and stays on Svalbard: hikes to Trollsteinen, Platåfjellet and the bird cliff, kayak trips in Billefjorden, ski camps in the mountains around town, ice cave nights, snowmobile trips to the east coast and boat trips to Kongsfjorden and Ny Ålesund. The site is written mainly in Norwegian with English tour names, and prices are in Norwegian kroner. The company's stated philosophy is active travel under your own power: reaching a summit you walked up yourself, or crossing a fjord one paddle stroke at a time.

The program, season by season

The homepage sorts tours by activity and gives a season for each.

Day hikes. The Seed Vault Hike (Jan. to Dec., 1 350 kr), Platåfjellet Panorama Hike (Jan. to Dec., 1 200 kr), Trollsteinen, Hike to the Summit Rock (Jul. to Oct., 1 900 kr), Ice Cave Hike (Nov. to May, 1 650 kr), Between the Glaciers to Sarkofagen (Oct. to May, 1 790 kr), Fuglefjella to the top of the bird cliff (Jun. to Sep., 2 290 kr), Foxfonna Wilderness Hike (Jul. to Sep., 2 050 kr), Ridge Hike to the Highest Peak (Jun. to Sep., 2 300 kr), Hiorthhamn to the frozen fjord (Nov. to Mar., 1 450 kr) and Frozen Summit, which combines Trollsteinen and the ice cave (Nov. to May, 2 150 kr).

Kayak. Half-Day Kayak: Explore the Fjord (1 650 kr), Full-Day Kayak: From Shore to Shore (2 200 kr) and Arctic Challenge, a hike and kayak day (2 890 kr), all Jun. to Sep.

Camps and expeditions. A 3-day Snowshoe Winter Camp (Mar. to Apr., 12 750 kr), the 3-day Ski Touring Camp (Apr. to May, 14 900 kr), 3-day and 4-day Wilderness Camps combining kayak, glacier and trekking (Jul. to Aug., 19 900 kr and 23 900 kr), the 4-day Kayak Expedition Billefjorden and the 4-day Wilderness Trek on the Nordenskiöld Circuit (both August, 27 500 kr and 14 500 kr), a 5 day Nordenskiöld Circuit ski expedition (Mar. to Apr., 21 500 kr), and the Svalbard Crossing, an 8 day ski expedition from east to west (April, 33 900 kr).

Ski, snowmobile and boats. Ski touring days to Trollsteinen (1 900 kr) and Nordenskiöldfjellet (2 500 kr), Arctic Mix ski and snowmobile (6 450 kr), East Coast snowmobile and cabin trips of 1 night to 3 days, hybrid catamaran tours from April to October, a summer walrus safari, a 4 day Kongsfjorden mini-cruise, and the sailing trips Ski & Sail and Hike & Sail, each 69 900 kr.

Private guides. A private Svalbard guide or private ski touring guide is listed at 8 500 kr and a private snowmobile guide at 13 500 kr; the listing does not say what period those prices cover.

The longer trips up close

Ice Cave Overnight (Nov. to May, 4 500 kr). Hotel pickup at 17:00, a briefing at the base, then each guest pulls a pulk (sled) up about 400 meters of climbing to the glacier, which the page says usually takes 2 to 3 hours at a calm pace. In the polar night the walk is by headlamp. Dinner and sleep are inside the cave; the group walks out after breakfast and is back in Longyearbyen by 11:00 at the latest. The page lists difficulty 4 / 5, 2 to 4 participants, 6 to 8 km round trip, 17 hours and an age limit of 16. The company says it suits people in good physical shape, involves some crawling inside the cave, and is not suitable for people with back problems or claustrophobia. Guests must be able to communicate in English. Muck Boots rent for 100 NOK and sleeping bags for 600 NOK.

3-day Ski Touring Camp (14 900 kr). Pickup at 09:00, a base camp set up in the mountains with luggage brought in by snowmobile, and summits chosen daily by the guide from weather, snow and avalanche conditions. Candidates named on the page include Trollsteinen at 850 meters, Bingtoppen at 915 meters and Lars Hiertafjellet at 878 meters. The page lists difficulty 4 / 5, 4 to 10 participants and a date of 29.04 to 01.05.2027. Minimum age is 16, provided at least 4 participants are over 18, and guests need previous ski touring experience and avalanche gear (rentable for 450 NOK; skis and boots 1100 NOK). Because of polar bear risk, the page says the group always travels with an armed guide, and everyone takes turns on bear watch at night. The price includes transport, meals, tents, a guide with safety equipment and search and rescue insurance.

4-day Kayak Expedition Billefjorden (27 500 kr). The group meets in Longyearbyen at 14:00 for a briefing on packing, tents, stoves and polar bear routines (that night's lodging and meals are not included), then goes by boat to Skansebukta and paddles north past Petuniabukta to the Nordenskiöldbreen glacier and the abandoned settlement of Brucebyen before a boat pickup. The page lists 1 + 4 days, about 60 km of paddling in total at around 15 km a day, 4 to 10 participants, and says 2027 dates are coming. Kayaks are 2-person sea kayaks, and the price covers boat transport, dry suits, all meals, shared tents and a guide. Sea kayak experience is recommended but not required. Limits: dry suit size XXL, height 195 cm, cockpit girth 130 cm.

Ski & Sail Svalbard (69 900 NOK per person, full board). Run with Eira Expeditions aboard Ylva, a two-masted teak ketch: 8 days and 7 nights on board, 4 cabins, only 8 guests, skiing from the boat or via Zodiac mostly in Isfjorden. The page says it is for experienced ski tourers in good shape, that travel to Svalbard is not included, and that 2027 is fully booked.

Booking and terms

Each tour page has a book button, and the homepage has a trip planner where you pick travel dates and see what runs. The footer links to separate terms and conditions and an FAQ. The Ski & Sail page carries a reservation note: every trip needs a minimum number of participants, and if that is not reached the trip may be canceled with a full refund or an offer to rebook. Routes can change for weather, wildlife or operational reasons, and the pages say a polar bear sighting can shorten or reroute a trip. A detailed packing list is sent after booking, and larger luggage can be stored at the company's warehouse. Guests who book at least 1 multi-day activity get 10% off at the Gjestehuset 102 guesthouse.

What is left open, and who it suits

The tour pages do not set out cancellation windows or deposit amounts; the footer points to a separate terms page. Private guide prices come without a stated duration. Most day hikes on the homepage show a season and a price but no length or group size. The company says it is certified under the Norwegian Miljøfyrtårn environmental scheme and labels its trips unmotorized, small-group and locally guided, although its range includes snowmobile trips.

It suits active travelers who want to walk, ski or paddle through Svalbard with a small guided group, from a single day hike to a week on skis. The detail on physical demands, ages and gear makes it easy to judge fit before booking. Travelers who read no Norwegian will lean on the English trip names, and those wanting a comfortable sightseeing day will find more effort asked of them here than on a coach or cruise.