Spitsbergen Travel

Longyearbyen liegt auf 78° Nord – eine der nördlichsten dauerhaft bewohnten Städte der Erde. Der Archipel gehört zu Norwegen, aber die Regeln des Alltags gelten hier kaum noch: Rund 65 % der Fläche Svalbards stehen unter Naturschutz, und außerhalb der Siedlungen gelten besondere Sicherheitsregeln zum Schutz vor Eisbären. Östlich und nordöstlich von Spitzbergen liegt die Barentssee, nördlich das Nordpolarmeer; westlich schließen Grönlandsee und Europäisches Nordmeer an. Es ist ein Reiseziel für Menschen, die die Welt noch einmal anders sehen wollen – rauer, stiller, ursprünglicher.

Inventia’s expeditions to Spitsbergen are not your typical cruises. They are journeys aboard small ships, led by experienced guides, with itineraries that adapt to ice conditions, weather, and wildlife sightings—not a fixed schedule. Whether you’re traveling to the High Arctic for the first time or are already familiar with the polar climate, Spitsbergen reveals itself differently to everyone.

The highlights of our Svalbard trips at a glance:

• Small expedition ships carrying around 12 to 70 passengers—for impromptu shore excursions, flexible itineraries, and up-close wildlife viewing
• Travel from the Arctic spring through to fall —depending on the season, enjoy the midnight sun, wildlife, pack ice, or the Northern Lights
• Polar bears, walruses, whales —Svalbard is one of the most famous wildlife viewing destinations in the Arctic
• Expeditions for every travel style —from compact short expeditions to a round-trip tour of Spitsbergen or a 15-day combined itinerary to Northeast Greenland and Iceland
• inventia provides personalized consultation in German —with a curated selection of the world’s best expedition tours

Small ships, flexible routes – why that makes all the difference here

On a ship carrying 200 passengers, you see Spitsbergen from a distance. On an expedition ship with 12, 20, or 30 guests, you land right in front of it. This isn’t a marketing promise, but a matter of physics: Small ships can get closer to glaciers, anchor in bays that are off-limits to large ships, and turn around within minutes if a polar bear appears on the shore.

Many coastal areas are accessible only by small expedition vessels or Zodiacs—secluded coves that remain off-limits to larger ships. Itineraries and daily schedules are determined by what the Arctic has to offer—not by what’s in the brochure. This makes every trip unique, and that’s exactly what makes them indispensable for anyone seeking true wilderness rather than a rigid itinerary.

Inventia’s fleet ranges from the MS Quest, which accommodates 22 passengers, to the MS Stockholm and the Aqua Lares, an ice-class superyacht designed for expeditions in Arctic waters. All expedition teams have international experience, and the language on board is usually English—that’s simply the nature of these trips. German-language consultation, selecting the right route, and preparing you for what to expect: inventia takes care of all that before departure.

Svalbard in the Summer: Midnight Sun and Wildlife

Spitsbergen is particularly easy to explore from spring through late summer. The midnight sun defines the travel season from late April through late August—in midsummer, the sun shines 24 hours a day. While this may sound abstract at first, it fundamentally changes the travel experience: Zodiac excursions at midnight, glacier trekking without time constraints, and wildlife viewing in the golden light at 2 a.m.

The wildlife is at its peak during this season. Walruses bask on the ice floes, puffins and kittiwakes nest in large colonies on the cliffs, and humpback whales migrate through the fjords. Reindeer and arctic foxes roam the tundra, and seals are hardly disturbed by passing ships. Those who visit Svalbard in the summer experience the Arctic summer in all its intensity—short, intense, and unforgettable.

Polar bears on Spitsbergen

Svalbard is one of the world’s most famous regions for observing polar bears in the wild. The Barents Sea region surrounding the archipelago is home to an estimated 3,000 polar bears—one of the largest populations in the Arctic. In summer, they can often be seen along the coast or on drift ice; in spring, they are particularly easy to spot on the pack ice in the northeast. An expedition ship with an experienced guide is one of the safest and most responsible ways to encounter them. In Svalbard, there are legal minimum distances to polar bears: 500 meters until June 30, and 300 meters starting July 1—landings and observations take place exclusively under the supervision of experienced guides.

The best time of year to see polar bears on Spitsbergen depends on what you want to experience: polar bears in the pack ice under the low winter sun—spring. Polar bears on the coast with the midnight sun in the background—midsummer. Both are possible on Spitsbergen, and both are extraordinary.

Spitzbergen im Frühjahr: Packeis und Winterlandschaft

Im Frühjahr zeigt sich Spitzbergen von seiner arktischsten Seite. Das Meereis erreicht rund um den Archipel in der Regel im März seinen jährlichen Höchststand, viele Fjorde sind noch vereist, und die Landschaft wirkt stiller und rauer als im Sommer.

Einige Reisen bei inventia konzentrieren sich genau auf diese Phase der Saison: tiefverschneite Landschaften, Schneeschuhwanderungen über zugefrorene Buchten und Expeditionen entlang des Packeises. Auch die Chancen auf Eisbärbeobachtungen gelten im Frühjahr als besonders gut, da viele Tiere noch auf dem Meereis unterwegs sind.

Excursions and Activities on Spitsbergen

Svalbard isn't a destination for sightseeing, but for getting involved. What that means depends on the trip:

• Kayak expeditions among drift ice and glacier fronts—gliding silently through landscapes undisturbed by the sound of engines
• Snowshoe hikes across the Arctic tundra and glaciers, sometimes extending to the edge of the pack ice
• Land-based wildlife viewing – guided shore excursions to walrus colonies, bird cliffs, and glacier fronts, accompanied by experienced expedition biologists
• Historical sites – abandoned whaling stations, Russian mining settlements, and polar research stations – tell the story of a bygone era in the Arctic
• Photography – the lighting conditions on Spitsbergen are exceptional in every season; several trips offer on-board photography guidance

The activities available on a particular trip depend on the ship, the route, and the season. Not every expedition offers everything—and that’s just the way it should be. A good Svalbard vacation has a specific focus.

Cruise to Spitsbergen: Expedition ship or cruise ship?

Those looking for a traditional cruise will find both options in Spitsbergen today: large ships with fixed itineraries as well as small expedition vessels designed specifically for voyages in Arctic waters. The difference is immediately apparent: small expedition vessels allow for flexible itineraries, Zodiac landings, and voyages to regions that are often inaccessible to larger ships.

inventia konzentriert sich bewusst auf Reisen mit echtem Expeditionscharakter – mit kleinen Schiffen und erfahrenen Expeditionsteams.

Svalbard and Northeast Greenland—or both?

Those who travel far often want to explore more than one region. Several itineraries in the inventia lineup connect Spitsbergen with Northeast Greenland and Iceland—a trio of Arctic islands, Greenlandic ice fjords, and Icelandic volcanic landscapes. The 14-day expedition “Svalbard – Northeast Greenland – Iceland” is one of the most geographically diverse Arctic routes: three polar regions, one route, one ship.

Northeastern Greenland is one of the most remote regions on Earth. Scoresby Sund—widely considered the world’s largest fjord system, covering approximately 38,000 km²—is accessible only by small expedition vessels and is occasionally closed due to ice conditions. Anyone wishing to go there needs flexibility and a suitable vessel.

Getting There

Many of our Svalbard expeditions begin and end in Longyearbyen, the archipelago’s main town, which has its own airport (LYR). There are no direct flights from Germany—the usual route is via Oslo with a connecting flight to Longyearbyen; the flight time from Oslo is about 3 hours. Some travelers plan to travel via Tromsø, from where flights to Longyearbyen also depart—some expeditions also begin or end there.

The total travel time from Germany to Longyearbyen is between 6 and 10 hours, depending on the connection. We recommend spending a day in Longyearbyen before the expedition begins—both as a buffer in case of flight delays and because the town itself is worth a visit.