On this tailor-made holiday to Svalbard you’ll combine the ultimate in Arctic adventure with a stay at one of Scandinavia’s most stylish luxury lodges. Departing in depths of winter, the trip is designed to coincide with the drama and beauty of the polar night, a time of year when the sun never makes it above the horizon and the Northern Lights can be spotted at any time of day or night. To make this adventure more exciting still, we've included a tour by snowmobile in search of the aurora, and you’ll have the chance to choose from a menu of optional excursions, including husky and snowmobile safaris. Then, on your final night, you’ll be treated to an evening at remote Camp Barentz for dinner, drinks and even more Northern Lights fun.
Board your flight, via Oslo, to Longyearbyen, the largest permanent settlement in Norway’s remote Svalbard archipelago. On arrival, make your way to your stylish accommodation – the fabulous Funken Lodge.
Overlooking the Lars Glacier, this designer hotel boasts stunning views as well as Longyearbyen’s best restaurant, whose menus you’ll explore with your first included dinner; expect the likes of king crab cappuccino soup and dry-aged rib-eye steak, all washed down with a glass or two from the hotel’s celebrated champagne cellar.
Dinner included
Funken Lodge, Spitsbergen
Funken Lodge, Spitsbergen
Today sees you head out among Spitsbergen’s mountains and glaciers on a snowmobile tour, which sees you driving (2 per vehicle) to go in search of the Northern Lights amongst this spectacular terrain. You'll also have time for a further optional excursion with a choice of other Arctic classics such as husky sledding and a snowcat excursion to an ice cave – both offering thrilling ways to track down the elusive aurora - which during 'Polar Nights' can occur at any time.
There are gentler options, too, including a beer tasting at the world’s northernmost brewery and a visit to the excellent Svalbard Museum where you’ll learn about life in one of the remotest regions on Earth.
Breakfast included
Snowcat adventures in Svalbard
Huskies in Svalbard
Enjoy more free time to either relax or head out on one of the optional excursions you missed the day before, or perhaps try your hand at snowshoeing or head into an eerie subterranean world of stalactites and stalagmites on a tour of Spitsbergen's frozen caves. End your stay in style with an evening to remember at Camp Barentz.
Far from any light pollution, this remote outpost provides wonderful chances to spot the Northern Lights as you hear stories of the aurora from expert guides. It’s all paired with a delicious complimentary dinner and drinks before your return to Funken Lodge.
Breakfast & Dinner included
Camp Barentz (Credit: Agurtxane Concellon)
Camp Barentz (Credit: Agurtxane Concellon)
After a final breakfast at Funken Lodge, you’ll transfer back to the airport for your flight home.
Breakfast included
"There's something truly special about a trip to Svalbard in winter. Its a place of action and adventure, and its landscapes are stunning, all blanketed in snow and set alight by the magical glow of the Northern Lights. That's why I've put together this itinerary, which not only takes in these spectacles of nature, explored with our full range of optional excursions, but also includes a stay at the region's finest hotel – Funken Lodge. Expect fine food and excellent wine set to stunning views of the nearby glacier and mountains and paired with a sleek new design that's definitively Scandinavian. "
Sue McAlinden
Destination Specialist
Low Season from: £1,300 pp
High Season from: £2,170 pp