Nov - Feb
3 hours
Vroooom! As you press the gas your snowmobile will bound forward, and the headlamps will light up the dark polar night. Like pearls on a string, you will drive one after the other into Advent Valley, as you hunt for the northern lights. After a while you will make a stop, turn of the motor, and feel silence descend. Don’t forget to look up!
All day Aurora
Northern lights safari with snowmobile is one of the most exotic things you can experience on Svalbard. You will quickly come well away from own and the light pollution, and chances for seeing the northern lights are good. Due to the polar night between mid-November and late January you have the chance of seeing the northern lights 24/7 - even in the middle of the ‘day’. It is generally a little weaker than the night time lights, but often more colourful, and is a fascinating sight.
Your guide will serve hot drinks, biscuits and stories from Svalbard underway, whilst the rest of the experiences will be provided by the mighty natural wonders.
Included
- Transfer from hotel/accommodation place in Longyearbyen.
- Warm drinks and biscuits.
- Snowmobile suit, shoes, gloves and helmet to use during the tour. See our introduction video here.
- Tour leader with weapons and safety sled.
- Rescue insurance.
Practical information snowmobile tour
Drivers’ licence
A valid driver’s licence for car or motorbike is required to drive a snowmobile. Remember to take it with you on the tour.
Recommendations
We recommend that you dress in warm woollen underwear, warm outer pants and a solid woollen jumper under the snowmobile suit. We also recommend that our guests have extra clothes in a backpack, for example an extra jumper, woollen hat and mittens.
Take a look at our video on how to dress here.
Pregnancy
We advise against pregnant women taking part in snowmobile and dog sledding trips, because a blow to the stomach or a fall entails a risk of injury to the pregnant woman and the unborn child. We recommend that your GP is consulted if you are thinking of participating in these activities.
Possible changes
We reserve the right to change the route of the tour for safety reasons should the weather or snow conditions require it. This will not be grounds for a change in price. The participants agree to follow the tour leader’s directions and instructions. The tour leader will not drive with a passenger.
Alcohol
The ‘Vegtrafikkloven’’ or Road Traffic Act applies on Svalbard. Driving under the influence of alcohol is not permitted.
Language
Safety is our highest priority, and the guide needs to be able to give directions you understand. To participate on one of our excursions, it is required that you speak and understand English or one of the Scandinavian languages.
Safety snow mobile trip
Your safety is our priority. Even if you have experience in winter sports, the Svalbard environment is different to that many might have been in before. Taking a tour with a guide who knows the local conditions is the safest way to explore the area outside of Longyearbyen. As a participant on a snowmobile tour, it is important that you follow the guide’s directions underway. This is both for your own safety, and that of the group. Weather and snow conditions are the big factors on Svalbard, and we reserve the right to change the route or destination to one that is safest for you and the group.
Hurtigruten Svalbard’s guides have different backgrounds and experience, but what they all have in common is that they come to work to ensure you will have the best and safest tour. Some have taken the Arctic Nature Guide study, others are certified mountain guides, glacier guides or authorised Svalbard guides who have taken the Svalbard Guide Opplæring (SGO - Svalbard guide training). SGO study includes fundamental requirements for safe travel on Svalbard, as well as education about tourism, field safety and an understanding of environmental and cultural values. In addition our guides take part in internal training and exercises through the year.
Facts snow mobile trip
Difficulty
2- Suitable for most without any snowmobile experience, very easy and flat terrain
8 years
Minimum participants
1 snow mobile
Distance
40 km
Duration
3 hours
