Ice Cave Hiking from Longyearbyen in Svalbard

Experience the Svalbard archipelago with an expert by your side and embark on a challenging, but breathtaking adventure on this ice cave hiking from Longyearbyen! Located almost 1000 kilometres from mainland Norway, the Svalbard archipelago is known for its glaciers and frozen tundra, which houses incredible Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, reindeer, and foxes. Longyearbyen, in central Svalbard and on Spitsbergen Island, is a small town that holds the world's northernmost settlement, surrounded by mountains, a stunning valley and a river.

On the day of your ice cave hike in Svalbard, your Backyard Svalbard instructor will pick you up at your hotel in Longyearbyen. They'll drive you toward the starting point of the experience and distribute the helmet, headlamp and spikes that you'll use along the excursion. The final step before starting the hike is a thorough safety briefing with a clear itinerary breakdown, so you can be prepared for everything that will happen during the approximately 6 hours that you'll be out in the Arctic landscapes of Svalbard.

Once you're geared up, you'll set off! You'll hike uphill for about 6 to 8 kilometres, enjoying the views and the challenge that the snow might pose. Once you arrive at the entrance of the cave, you'll take a break to regain your strength with a provided lunch and hot drinks. Next, it will be time to enter the cave. Keep in mind that ice caves are shaped by meltwater channels during the summertime, so their landscape is ever-changing, and you might be able to enter the cave walking, but also maybe have to descend a ladder or even crawl on your knees. You'll have the chance to explore the cave with your instructor and observe the amazing icicles, snow crystals and art-like ice formations that form from the refrozen meltwater, before retracing your steps to return to your accommodations.

To participate in this wonderful 6-hour ice cave hiking excursion in Longyearbyen, you must have very good physical condition, since you will have to hike up a mountain, enter the cave in diverse ways, and explore it in the dark (with a headlamp, of course). You should also come prepared with a wind and waterproof jacket and pants, thermal underlayers, a hat, a buff, gloves, hiking boots, a water bottle, and anything else you might need (medications, extra snacks, etc.) to have a good time out in the Arctic temperatures of Svalbard.

Don't miss out on a unique and physically challenging experience in the stunning landscapes of the Svalbard archipelago of northern Norway. Book your ice cave hike from Longyearbyen in Svalbard today!