Snowmobile Safari to Elveneset
Your guide will pick you up at the hotel and drive you to our expedition centre. Here you get equipped with a scooter dress, boots, balaclava, helmet and mittens, before we go to the scooters that are waiting for us outside. The guide will show you how the scooter works and how to drive it – then it’s time to head out into the wild!
This tour covers a total of about 70 kilometres. The goal is to reach Elveneset, a phenomenal viewpoint just at the bank of Tempelfjorden (the ‘Tempel Fjord’). Here spectacular views await, over the fjord and Tempelfjellet. Tempelfjellet (the ‘Temple Mountain’) is 766 meters high and lies on the north bank of the Sassen Fjord. The mountain received its characteristic name from the intricate structures that the spring meltwater has carved in the mountainside. From a distance, it reminds one of temple ruins.
The terrain of this tour is varied but easy, going through valleys with soaring mountains on all sides. With some luck, we will encounter some of the local wildlife, such as the Svalbard reindeer and maybe a polar fox. At our turning point, Elveneset, we will take a nice break with warm drinks and biscuits before setting course back to town.
Get ready for your snowmobile adventure
A valid driver’s licence for a car or motorbike is required to drive a snowmobile. Remember to take it with you on the tour. The guide will check each passenger's driver's license and will refuse participation if the driver's license is not valid in Svalbard and Jan Mayen. Please contact the responsible authorities in case of any questions regarding driver's licence.
Please note: No refunds will be given due to an invalid driver's license.
We advise wearing warm woollen underwear, warm outer pants, and a solid woollen jumper under the snowmobile suit. We also recommend bringing extra clothes in a backpack, such as an extra jacket, woollen hat, and mittens.
Snowmobile driving is not recommended for pregnant women.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is not permitted. The ‘Vegtrafikkloven’’ or Road Traffic Act applies to Svalbard.
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 tour leader will not drive with a passenger.
Your safety is our top concern! Even if you are experienced with winter conditions, Svalbard’s nature is unlike what many have encountered before. Going on a tour with a guide who knows the local terrain is the safest way to explore outside Longyearbyen. As a participant on a snowmobile tour, it is essential to follow the guide’s instructions throughout the journey to ensure your safety and that of the group. Weather and snow conditions on Svalbard can be unpredictable, and we reserve the right to change the route or destination based on what is safest for you and the group.
Hurtigruten Svalbard's guides have varied experiences and backgrounds, but they all share the goal of providing you with the best and safest experience. Some guides have completed the Arctic Nature Guide programme, while others are certified mountain guides, glacier guides, or authorised Svalbard guides through Svalbard Guide Training (SGO). The SGO certification includes essential training in safe travel within Svalbard’s unique environment, with education on tourism, field safety, and a deep understanding of environmental and cultural values. In addition, our guides receive internal training and participate in regular exercises throughout the year.
