Luxury Svalbard Holidays

This is a place where polar bears outnumber people, their presence taken so seriously that no-one is allowed to leave the town of Longyearbyen without a gun. Arctic fox, reindeer and various species of seal flourish here too, joined by whales, walrus and, come summer, some 230 species of bird, which flock here to breed.

For those seeking a luxury adventure, options abound, from hiking and snowshoeing to kayaking, skiing and snowmobiling. You will also discover ancient whaling stations, abandoned trappers’ huts and groovy lodges, such as the Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel, a former radio station that comes complete with a sauna on the edge of the tundra and uses local produce to create fabulous Arctic-inspired cuisine.

While it is possible to visit Svalbard at any time of the year, the most common time to explore Svalbard falls between May and September, when the archipelago becomes accessible to expedition ships and the famous midnight sun illuminates the landscape 24-hours a day.