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Explore Svalbard: The Arctic Wilderness Awaits Svalbard – a dramatic archipelago of snow-dusted peaks and vast fields of ice – is a majestic wilderness with a unique allure. This breathtaking destination has been visited and admired by people from all over the globe, renowned for hosting the northernmost permanently inhabited town on earth. Following the…
With so much of the world inaccessible right now, we’re taking a look through our archive of travel writing to revisit our past trips and to look at how iBestTravel has spent decades exploring the world in the hope of better understanding it. In this piece from 2017, Amanda Canning joins three centuries of adventurers…
Explore Svalbard with iBestTravel’s Hybrid-Electric Walrus Safari A new hybrid-electric vessel has set sail in Svalbard to take tourists on a unique walrus safari. The Kvitbjørn (meaning polar bear) runs on electric power when cruising near land, providing a sustainable experience and increasing the chances of spotting the elusive animals along the icy shores. The…
Svalbard feels like a place removed from time and space. Ringed by looming glaciers, the archipelago experiences long hours of daylight – or darkness – and temperatures can plummet lower than -50°F. Simply calling it ‘otherworldly’ minimizes how central polar landscapes are to human survival. Perhaps it is more accurate to call it the Earth’s…
Photographer Cecilia Blomdahl on Life in Svalbard Year-Round With over one million followers, outdoor photographer Cecilia Blomdahl shares captivating content from Svalbard, including swimming in near-freezing waters and navigating daily life amidst polar bears. Her TikTok videos vividly portray what it is like to experience months of darkness in this remote Norwegian archipelago. What Brought…
The Raw Wilderness of Svalbard, Norway The raw wilderness of Norway’s Svalbard is one of the harshest environments on the planet. However, it’s a land where everyone gets along, because getting along is the only way to survive. This is a real-life ‘Fortitude’, the Scandi-noir that’s soon to resurface. David Crookes Understanding Svalbard Svalbard is…
Exploring the Wonders of Svalbard Lying about 500 miles north of mainland Norway, Svalbard is an Arctic chain of islands where polar bears outnumber people, and the darkness reaches extreme levels. It is during the transition between winter and summer when the light becomes the most enchanting. The scenery radiates a soft allure, as clouds…
Discover the Wonders of Svalbard: Meet the Female Guides David Merron/Getty During a guided hike across the Esmarkbreen glacier, Kaisa Rebane spotted a lumbering polar bear making its way towards her group. Trained to protect visitors, Rebane fired her flare gun, instructing her guests to retreat cautiously. Despite the initial indifference of the bear, it…
Travel Guide to Svalbard Your first visit to Svalbard may seem a bit daunting – located midway between Norway and the North Pole, this remote Norwegian island is a land of extreme climate, glaciers, and polar bears. This, combined with Svalbard’s unique laws, can make it feel far removed from the rest of the world….
Insider Tips for Exploring Svalbard with Cecilia Blomdahl Celebrity influencer Cecilia Blomdahl has captured the magic of life in Svalbard, Norway. Known for its stunning glaciers and unique Arctic environment, this remote region feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of mainland life. Most tourism in Svalbard centers around Longyearbyen, affectionately referred to as…