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THE BIG SHORT BREAK BOOK PERK
Half price Glacier Expedition, including walk into the glacier itself. Based on two people What's this?

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
Experiencing permanent twilight / midnight sun > Playing with your own husky dog team > Tracking polar bears on a snowmobile safari > Well-earned pints in the most northerly pub in the world.

High in the Arctic Circle is a large group of islands that most people have hardly heard of, yet Svalbard holds some of Europe’s most unique and exhilarating experiences. Now established with modern tourism and immortalised in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, Svalbard offers an insight into life in the polar regions – a world of Northern Lights, midnight sun and frozen wilderness dominated by the polar bear.

It’s important first of all to get a grasp of where and what Svalbard actually is. Imagine a land mass the size of Ireland that looks like the Scottish Highlands during an Ice Age and start adding a long list of superlatives and quirky facts: Svalbard is almost as far from Oslo as the coast of north Africa; contains Europe’s largest true wilderness; has the world’s most northerly scheduled flight, full service hotel and pub; is inhabited by almost as many polar bears as humans; 60% of its land is covered by glaciers – and you start to get an idea of what Svalbard’s all about.

The climate is remarkably mild for somewhere so close to the North Pole - a unique location that allowed early Norwegian and Russian hunters to settle over winter. The first visitors in the seventeenth century were attracted by the abundant whaling and fur-trapping opportunities. Discovery of rich coal veins in the 1900’s lead to the first permanent settlement of Longyearbyen - the archipelago’s main town and home to the thriving modern community of miners and others working in the fields of tourism, Arctic exploration and scientific study. A confusing point can be the names, the collective area is Svalbard whilst the early Norwegian name for the main island is Spitsbergen – or “Sharp Mountain”.

The colourful little town of Longyearbyen is tiny, with just 1,800 inhabitants, but is the perfect launch pad for the adventures into the Arctic desert. Come mid-February, the sun peeks over the horizon to give an orange light and rich blue skies until late March. These six weeks are the locals’ favourite, a permanent sunrise that brings added illumination to the spectacular Northern Lights. The midnight sun then sits high over the Arctic summer from mid-April to late August.

This Big Short Break is best experienced from February to May, in order to make the most of the snowy landscape and rising light levels which enable adventurous day-trips into the wild. Dog-sledding is the most natural way to enjoy the scenery and learning to captain your own 6-dog husky team is a fun experience. Modern transport takes the form of snowmobiles, which are good for exploring the frozen ocean of the east coast, where you can track polar bear prints and look for seals. Closer to Longyearbyen, investigating the ice cave within the local glacier is worthwhile. As you walk on a frozen river inside the glacier, the ice crystals and clear glass-like formations are spectacular.

Longyearbyen has excellent accommodation options in the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel and Spitzbergen Hotel. The Radisson was originally Team America’s home for the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994 before being relocated to Svalbard and is now the town’s premier hotel. This is true urban comfort and dining with great panoramic views. The Spitsbergen Hotel, overlooking the town, has deeper historical roots as the early mining officers’ mess and dining room, and has the feel of a gentlemen’s club.

Important Note on Polar Bears and the Environment
These formidable creatures are both extremely beautiful and extremely dangerous. The Inuit word iliyra best describes the bears and their delicate environment – fear that accompanies awe. Visitors need to understand that they are entering the bears’ habitat. They are a protected species and rarely attack humans but your guides will carry a loaded rifle and flare gun at all times. Utmost respect not just for the bears but for nature and the environment must be observed at all times. All cultural remains pre-dating 1945 are protected by law and visitors must not leave any evidence of their stay. It’s just as illegal to pick a flower as to shoot a polar bear!

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PRICES
The price shown above is based on the sample itinerary, with flights in economy class, accommodation on a B&B basis (or more where stated), transfers and activities specific to this trip. Where prices fluctuate throughout the year, the price is based on low season rates and where more than one accommodation option is listed, on the cheapest available. We would be delighted to put together a current and 100% accurate quotation based on your specific travel requirements, so please contact the relevant member of our expert team.

TAILORED TO YOUR EXACT SPECIFICATIONS
Almost every one of our Big Short Breaks and Beyond the Big Short Breaks can be entirely tailormade from scratch, so you can enjoy the holiday exactly how you want it, exactly when you want it, and for exactly as long as you want it. Our expert team, who have been to every one of our destinations, are here to talk you through all the options available in order to create the trip best suited to you.