We live in Longyearbyen, through the polar night and the 24-hour daylight, and we work only here. That is the practical reason to book with us: we know where the good ice is this week, not where it was last season.
MyArctic AS is a licensed Norwegian company in Longyearbyen, founded by Kate Deren, who first sailed to Svalbard in 2014 and never really left. A sailor and hiker, she has completed three modules of the SGO (Svalbard Guide Training) course and speaks English, German, Spanish and Polish. She is an authorised SGO guide and has been leading visitors across these glaciers since 2014. She guides alongside Paweł, co-founder and co-owner of the company, a certified SGO guide who will talk for hours about the Spitsbergen mines.
We are a member of the Norwegian Tourism Guarantee Fund (RFG) and of Visit Svalbard, so your booking is legally protected and it is made directly with the operator. Every trip below runs with an armed, SGO-certified guide carrying GPS, satellite communication and a first-aid kit. Safety and Polar Bears explains why that matters.
Winter expeditions (Feb–May)
Frozen fjords become the roads, the light comes back in long blue and pink hours, and the ice caves open up.
Snowmobile day trips
Reindalen & Van Mijenfjord (from 09:00, full day) crosses the wide valley to the fjord, with an expedition lunch on the ice. East Coast (from 08:00) is the long one: a full day across the island, an ice cave if conditions allow, watching for reindeer, fox and seals. Colesbay (from 18:00) climbs Longyearbreen for sunset, then drops to the abandoned Soviet settlement.
- Difficulty moderate. No snowmobile experience needed; we brief you and let you practise
- Requires a valid physical driving licence to drive (digital copies not accepted, passengers exempt), and sobriety
- Included: suit, boots, gloves, helmet, goggles, balaclava
- Best for anyone who wants distance and empty country instead of a loop near town
Hike to the Ice Cave
A hard ascent to a cave inside Larsbreen, helmets and headlamps provided, then down through meltwater channels thousands of years old. Good fitness is genuinely required. Afterwards you get the view back over Longyearbyen, sometimes with aurora above it.
Overnight in an Ice Cave (2 days)
A full day of glacier and wildlife snowmobiling, then down into a cave to sleep inside it. Sleeping bag, mat and hammock provided, optional climbing with a certified guide, breakfast boiled from fresh snow. 2 days / 1 night, licence required.
Dog sledding
Scott Turner Glacier is a full day via the Green Dog kennel 12 km outside town, two per sled swapping between driving and riding, with lunch by a birchwood fire. Bolterdalen is about 1.5 hours along a riverbed. No experience necessary, and dogs make excellent bear detectors.
Northern lights
By snowmobile is an evening ride away from the light of town, stopping at a frozen waterfall with hot drinks. By car is the same hunt from a heated minivan into Adventdalen, no licence needed, with our in-house photographer helping with exposure settings. The aurora cannot be guaranteed, and we will not pretend otherwise.
Cruise to the Frozen Billefjord
Toward the Nordenskiöld glacier, past the bird cliff at Diabas and Skansbukta, with the story of Svenskhuset told on deck. Returns around 19:30.
Summer adventures (Jun–Sep)
Boat season, midnight sun, tundra in flower, walruses on their beaches.
Boat safaris
VIP Walrus Safari is a full day on a twin-engine steel boat with a heated cabin, lunch included, max 12 passengers, min 6. In May and June sea ice can still block the walrus beach. Catch of the Day runs a full day to the northern glacier fronts of Isfjorden, with bird cliffs from May to August and a licensed bar aboard. Cruise Package is a few hours timed to the cruise-ship schedule, with return guaranteed before departure.
Kayaking along the glacier
Double kayaks in the bay in front of Sveabreen, an hour of boat crossing each way, dry suits provided, no experience required. Min 6 people, min age 12. If you are lucky the glacier calves while you are floating there. It is a sound you feel in your chest before you hear it.
Hiking
Wildlife Walk in Bjørndalen (from 09:30) is easy walking via Vestpynten for fox, reindeer and birds, warm lunch included. Fuglefjella – Bird Cliff (from 08:30) is our hardest day hike: 300 metres of ascent over 500 metres of distance, past the little-auk colony on Platåberget, with a river crossing possible. Heritage Tour and Endalen is a flat valley walk past Mine 5, plus a drive past Mines 6 and 7.
Dogs, photography and cold water
Dogs on Wheels is about 1.5 hours on summer carts toward Endalen. Dogs & Sea is about 3 hours including transport, any age or fitness. The Midnight Sun Photography Tour takes max 8 guests and shoots in a golden hour that lasts all night. Arctic Dive & BBQ has an evening pickup from 19:00, with a guide on bear watch throughout.
Polar night (Nov–Jan)
From mid-November to late January the sun never rises. Our published day-trip programme runs in the summer (May–October) and winter (February–May) windows, so polar-night visits are arranged as custom trips: car-based aurora hunts, museum and town days, blue-hour photography. Tell us your dates, and do not expect a snowmobile trip on ground that has not frozen yet.
Multi-day group packages (2027)
Small escorted groups guided by Kate and Paweł, based at Gjesthuset 102 in Nybyen, where the trails to Longyearbreen and Larsbreen start outside the door.
| Package | Dates | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beauty of the Arctic | 15–21 Feb 2027 | 7 days / 6 nights | 24,000 NOK |
| Arctic Explorer Package | 13–18 Apr 2027 | 6 days / 5 nights | 23,000 NOK |
| Arctic at Your Fingertips | 22–26 Mar 2027 | 5 days / 4 nights | 20,000 NOK |
All three share a spine: orientation walk and safety briefing, a car safari into Adventdalen and Bjørndalen, a snowmobile expedition to Tempelfjorden below the Tunabreen glacier (6–7 hours, licence required), and a trek to the Larsbreen ice cave (4–5 hours, equipment provided). The 7-day adds a dog-sledding day plus a free-choice day. The 6-day adds a boat cruise to Borebukta. The 5-day is compressed, with dog sledding or a cruise as a paid add-on.
Included: double room with breakfast, one lunch, airport transfers, Search & Rescue insurance, a guide with full equipment (weapon, GPS, satellite communication, first-aid kit, sled), a snowmobile for a full day (2 per machine, single upgrade available), snowmobile clothing and insurance (8,000 NOK excess), fuel, the ice-cave trek, car sightseeing, 24-hour guide assistance. Not included: flights, travel insurance, Oslo accommodation, and meals beyond breakfast and the one lunch. A burger and a beer in town runs roughly 300–350 NOK.
A 6-day Summer Arctic Expedition also runs: walrus safari, glacier hike, a car afternoon taking in the Seed Vault and Mine 7, an on-demand activity day, and a cruise to a glacier. Price on request.
Custom & private expeditions
Tell us your dates, your fitness and the thing you actually came here for: a specific fjord, a night in the ice, a photography schedule built around the light instead of the clock. We design it, and we say honestly what that week can deliver and what it cannot. Quoted individually.
How booking works
- Day trips are booked through our online booking system, one product per tour.
- Group packages and custom expeditions start with a message. Capacity is limited and each one is arranged by hand.
- Email
info@myarctic.eu· Facebook facebook.com/MyArctic.eu · Longyearbyen, Svalbard. - Book 4–8 weeks ahead in high season, and arrive 1–2 days early: weather delays flights, and a missed tour is not refunded.
- Deposits, cancellations and refunds are covered in our booking terms and General Terms & Conditions.
Compare at a glance
| Tour | Season | Duration | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowmobile to the East Coast | Feb–May | Full day, from 08:00 | Moderate |
| Overnight in an Ice Cave | Feb–May | 2 days / 1 night | Moderate–hard |
| Hike to the Ice Cave | Feb–May | Half–full day | Hard |
| Northern Lights by Car | Feb–May | Evening | Easy |
| Dog Sledding in Bolterdalen | Feb–May | ~1.5 h | Easy |
| VIP Walrus Safari | Jun–Sep | Full day | Easy |
| Kayaking along Sveabreen | Jun–Sep | Several hours | Moderate (12+) |
| Fuglefjella – Bird Cliff | Jun–Sep | Full day, from 08:30 | Hard |
| Dogs & Sea | Jun–Sep | ~3 h | Easy, all ages |
FAQ
Do I need snowmobile experience?
No, but you do need a valid physical car or motorcycle licence, which we must see. Passengers riding pillion need none.
How far ahead should I book?
Four to eight weeks in high season, arriving a day or two early in case weather delays your flight.
What if the weather turns?
We reserve the right to change a route for safety, and we use it. Safety and Polar Bears explains how those calls are made.
What should I bring?
Base layers, wool and personal items — we provide the heavy gear and dry suits. See How to Pack.
Will we see polar bears, or the aurora?
Possibly, never guaranteed. We watch for both at a respectful, legal distance. We would rather under-promise than sell you a certainty.
Pick a date and send us a message. We will tell you plainly what that week can deliver, and put you on the ice with people who live here.