Sustainable Adventures
Hurtigruten Svalbard is the oldest and most experienced travel experience company on the island. From thrilling adventures to unforgettable wildlife encounters, we’ve been guiding visitors through Svalbard’s breathtaking landscapes and unique culture longer than anyone else. You can trust us to show you the very best of the Arctic.
Collaborating for a sustainable Svalbard
As active members of Visit Svalbard, we work closely with the broader community to promote sustainable tourism practices and protect the Arctic's cultural and natural heritage. This collaboration ensures that we all contribute to the responsible development of Svalbard as a destination.
We’re also members of AECO (the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators), which ensures that everything we do in the Arctic is as sustainable as possible.
AECO’s rules are straightforward but powerful—protect wildlife, respect fragile ecosystems, and leave no trace. Whether you’re cruising fjords or heading out on a snowmobile adventure with us, you can feel good knowing it’s all designed to preserve the beauty of the Arctic while benefiting the people who live here.
Protecting Wildlife
AECO guidelines help us ensure that animals like polar bears, seals, and Arctic foxes are respected and undisturbed during our activities.
Preserving Nature
AECO’s rules ensure we leave no trace behind, from managing waste responsibly to protecting fragile tundra and ecosystems.
Supporting Communities
Membership in AECO encourages meaningful engagement with local cultures, ensuring that tourism benefits the people who live here.
Local and sustainable energy
We are taking big steps towards a greener future with innovative energy solutions powered by the forces of nature, solar and wind! It’s all part of our mission to reduce emissions and protect the fragile Arctic environment we call home.
In the summer of 2023, we made a huge leap forward by installing 650 solar panels on the roofs of the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel and Polarsenteret in Longyearbyen. Together, these panels are expected to generate around 140,000 kWh of clean energy every year. When combined with our existing solar setups and wind turbine, which produce an additional 43,000 kWh annually, renewable energy now covers nearly 8% of our total energy needs.
And because we love Svalbard’s incredible wildlife just as much as its landscapes, we take extra care during the spring. When migratory birds return to the archipelago, we turn off the wind turbine to keep the birds safe, letting solar energy take the lead. It’s all about striking the perfect balance between efficiency and protecting nature.
By harnessing the power of the sun and wind, we’re creating a cleaner, more sustainable Svalbard, because preserving this extraordinary place is as important as exploring it.
Here’s the coolest part:
Our solar panels and wind turbine team up to keep things running smoothly year-round. During the bright summer months, the solar panels soak up the midnight sun to power key operations. In the darker months of the polar night, the wind turbine at our expedition centre steps in, ensuring energy production even when the sun takes a break. All this power is stored in a large battery pack, keeping our expedition centre warm and our fleet of electric snowmobiles, cars, and bikes ready to roll.
Local guides & storytelling
Our guides are more than just experts—they’re storytellers, adventurers, and passionate ambassadors for this incredible Arctic destination. For many of us, Svalbard isn’t just a place; it’s a feeling. It’s something you can only truly understand once you’ve been here, and our guides are here to help you experience it.
Read more about our guides
Electric Snowmobiles
Imagine gliding across Svalbard’s beautiful landscapes on a snowmobile, where the only sound is the crunch of the track on the snow and your own breath. These electric snowmobiles, charged with the power of the Arctic sun and wind, offer a magical and sustainable way to explore the wilderness.
We’re excited to share that we’ve upgraded our fleet with eight brand-new, next-generation electric snowmobiles, offering a significantly improved range. Our journey with electric snowmobiles began in November 2019, when we introduced the first-generation eSleds that have served us well over the past five seasons. With no noisy engines to disturb the peace, these snowmobiles create the perfect opportunity to soak in the beauty of Svalbard or quietly observe its wildlife.
Whether you’re hunting for the northern lights or exploring the icy wilderness, our emission-free snowmobiles promise a green, serene, and unforgettable journey.
Our electric catamaran MS Bard
Step aboard MS Bard and embark on an eco-friendly adventure through Svalbard’s stunning fjords. This innovative electric catamaran has been carefully designed with the Arctic environment in mind, offering a quiet and sustainable way to experience this magical landscape.
MS Bard runs entirely on electric motors, ensuring a serene and silent journey through fjords and near wildlife. To accommodate the extended range of our trips, the catamaran is equipped with "range extenders"—diesel engines used solely to recharge the batteries—so the electric propulsion remains in operation at all times. This allows you to fully immerse yourself in Svalbard’s beauty without disturbing the wildlife or the tranquillity of the Arctic silence.
Built with sustainability at its core, MS Bard combines electric propulsion with recycled materials to reduce noise, vibrations, and pollution. It’s a responsible and gentle way to explore this fragile environment, allowing you to connect with Svalbard while helping to preserve its unique beauty.
Electric Bikes
For an active and eco-friendly adventure, discover Longyearbyen on our electric bikes. Available for both summer and winter tours, they let you glide through Longyearbyen’s stunning landscapes with ease and a smaller environmental footprint.
These bikes are powered by locally produced renewable energy, solar panels and a wind turbine charge them, making your adventure both fun and sustainable. Zoom up hills, cruise through snowy streets, and take in the views, all while enjoying a ride that’s quiet, smooth, and kind to the planet.
Electric Vehicles
We are switching to electric vehicles as part of our commitment to reducing emissions.
Our fleet now includes a Mercedes e-Sprinter van, charged using solar energy from Polarsenteret, for handling logistics around Longyearbyen. For guest transportation, we’ve added four Toyota ProAce Electric minibuses, powered by a mix of solar and wind energy.
These quiet, sustainable vehicles offer a smoother and greener way to get around Longyearbyen, showing that eco-friendly travel doesn’t compromise convenience or comfort.
Citizen Science with UNIS
We are excited to team up with The University Centre on Svalbard (UNIS) to bring Arctic research to life. Through our citizen science projects, you’ll have the chance to go beyond sightseeing and become part of something bigger—helping to protect and understand one of the world’s most fragile environments.
This winter, we’re diving into the fascinating world of Pingos—those mysterious Arctic mounds! Together with researchers, we’re studying methane emissions from meltwater around these unique formations. Why does this matter? Because these emissions hold crucial clues about climate change and its effects on the Arctic ecosystem.
In summer, the adventure continues with new research projects that let you explore Svalbard’s stunning landscapes while contributing to vital scientific discoveries.
Here’s the best part: on select tours, you can get hands-on by helping to collect samples! It’s not every day you get to be part of cutting-edge science while surrounded by breathtaking Arctic beauty.
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