CNH Tours - Cultural and Natural Heritage Tours

Your Ship: The Quest

The ship M/S Quest was built in Denmark in 1992 to serve as a ferry along the west coast of Greenland. In 2004-2005, it was completely refurbished into a comfortable expedition ship, and in 2018, the passenger areas underwent further renovation.

M/S Quest can accommodate 50 passengers, with all 24 cabins being outside cabins equipped with private facilities. The triple cabins feature upper and lower berths, while all other cabins have either two lower berths or a double bed. Each cabin includes a desk with a chair and a cupboard for storage. The superior cabins are spacious, featuring armchairs and a TV. The owner’s cabin offers a double bed, two large picture windows, a separate seating area, and a TV.

WATCH THE SVALBARD TRIP PLANNING VIDEO

Svalbard Trip Planning Video

Our Polar Destination Expert, Danna Walker, spent ten days in Svalbard and has a lot of information to share with those contemplating a trip to this high Arctic archipelago. She answers questions such as:

How do I get to Svalbard?
What kinds of ships navigate the waters there?
What kinds of wildlife should I expect to see?
Do we actually go walking around polar bear country?
... and more.

Why Svalbard?

We like to say that the Svalbard Archipelago, 600 miles / 1000kms from the North Pole, is “the Galápagos of the Arctic”—and for good reason. Like its equatorial counterpart, Svalbard is a remote, otherworldly laboratory of life, where wildlife, dramatic geology, and fragile ecosystems converge in one of the most pristine environments on Earth.

Why “the Galápagos of the Arctic”?

Extraordinary Wildlife: Just as the Galápagos is home to a diversity of species such as marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies, Svalbard hosts creatures found nowhere else in such abundance. Think polar bears roaming the pack ice, walrus colonies piled onto pebble beaches, arctic foxes blending into the snow, and thousands of nesting seabirds along sheer cliffs.
Natural Laboratory: Like Darwin’s Galápagos, Svalbard offers scientists (and curious travelers) a window into evolutionary adaptation and climate change. Glacial melt, permafrost thaw, and changing sea ice patterns are reshaping this living, frozen frontier.
Isolated and Unsullied: Both archipelagos are profoundly remote, relatively untouched by human settlement, and governed by strict environmental regulations. This ensures visitors experience not only incredible nature—but nature in its most elemental form.

What to Expect as a Visitor

Dramatic Landscapes: Glaciers calving into fjords, midnight sun in the summer months. Stark mountains, icebergs, and ancient rock formations form a backdrop as breathtaking as it is humbling.
Adventure: Visit by expedition ship, kayak through ice-filled bays, hike with a guide in polar bear territory, or join a dog sledding or snowmobile trip in the long polar winter.
Climate: Svalbard's climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Current. Summers are cool (4–10°C), while winters can drop well below freezing. Pack accordingly.
Unique Human Footprint: From the global seed vault protecting the world's crop diversity, to the abandoned Soviet mining town of Pyramiden, Svalbard’s human history is as strange and stark as the environment itself.

In short, Svalbard is a mirror-world to the Galápagos—where ice replaces lava, and polar bears replace giant tortoises—but both offer a chance to encounter life at the edges of the world.

Svalbard is a lot bigger than Galapagos

Svalbard Travel FAQ

🧭 Getting There

Where is Svalbard?
Svalbard is a remote Arctic archipelago, located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The largest island is Spitsbergen.

How do I get there?

By air: Regular commercial flights from Oslo and Tromsø to Longyearbyen (LYR), the main town.
By sea: Expedition cruises from Norway or Iceland in summer.

Visa requirements?
Svalbard has an open immigration policy, but transiting through Norway requires a Schengen visa if you're from a country that needs one.

🌡️ Climate and Conditions

What’s the climate like?

Polar climate: Dry and cold.
Winter (Nov–Feb): −20°C to −5°C, dark 24/7.
Spring (Mar–May): −15°C to 0°C, brightening skies.
Summer (Jun–Aug): 3°C to 10°C, 24-hour daylight.
Autumn (Sep–Oct): Cooling down, daylight dwindles.

Is it always dark or always light?

Polar night: Late October to mid-February (no sunrise).
Midnight sun: Late April to late August (no sunset).

📆 When to Go – What to Expect

SEASON	WHAT TO EXPECT
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Ice-free seas, wildlife active, tundra in bloom
Shoulder (May, Sept)	Good mix of light & access, wildlife emerging
Winter (Nov–Feb)	Northern lights, dog sledding
Spring (Mar–Apr)	Stunning snowy landscapes, light returns

⏳ How Long to Stay?

Typical trip: 4–7 days.
Enough time to join guided excursions and explore Longyearbyen and nearby wilderness.
Longer cruises (7–14 days) are required to reach remote parts of the archipelago.

🧭 Ways to Visit

🏙️ Land-based (based in Longyearbyen):

Guided day tours: dog sledding, snowmobiling, glacier hikes, boat trips.
Overnight trips to remote cabins or outposts.

🚢 Expedition Cruise:

Access to ice fjords, walrus colonies, bird cliffs, polar bear territory.
Usually 7–12 days, with daily zodiac landings and naturalist guides.
Summer only, starting from Longyearbyen or further south.

🐾 Wildlife and What You Might See

Polar bears: ~3,000 across the region. Best chance via cruise. Always with a guide outside town.
Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, walrus, bearded and ringed seals.
Whales: Beluga, minke, and humpback (mostly summer).
Birds: Puffins, guillemots, Arctic terns – peak from May to August.

🐻 How Likely Is It to See a Polar Bear?

Cruise-based visitors: ~80–90% chance in summer.
Land-based visitors: Much lower chance unless taking multi-day expeditions by snowmobile or boat.
Sightings are never guaranteed — they’re wild animals in a vast area.

💸 Costs – What to Budget

Expense	Range (US$ Per Person, Per Day)
Budget land-based trip	$200–$350 (hostel + tours)
Mid-range trip	$350–$600 (hotel + day tours)
Expedition cruise	$700–$1,500+
Food & drink	$30–$100/day

Note: Alcohol and groceries are taxed and expensive. Guided activities are mandatory outside settlements and can be pricey. Meals and in some cases drinks are included on expedition cruises.

⚠️ Important Practicalities

You can’t leave town without a guide or firearm (due to polar bear danger).
Travel insurance should include emergency evacuation. (CNH Tours provides complimentary US$200,000 medical evacuation insurance to all its guests)
Cashless society: Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.
No roads between settlements: Travel is by snowmobile, boat, or plane.

❄️ Packing Essentials

Thermal base layers
Wind- and waterproof outerwear
Insulated boots
Gloves, hat, buff
Sunglasses & sunscreen (yes, even in winter!)
Camera with zoom for wildlife

📱 Connectivity and Services

Longyearbyen has good Wi-Fi, hotels, restaurants, and even a brewery.
Beyond town: no service, no signal — which is part of the charm.
Most expedition ships offer internet service via Starlink.

🧊 Why Visit?

Arctic landscapes unlike anywhere on Earth
Sense of isolation and adventure
Rare wildlife sightings
Northern lights or midnight sun
Rich polar history & science stations