--- title: "Svalbard Sailing Expedition | Boreal Yachting Journal" description: "A Svalbard sailing expedition runs from Longyearbyen between June and September, when the fjords are largely ice-free and the sun does not set until late Augu" lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization", "name": "Boreal Yachting", "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com", "logo": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "description": "Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. 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Voyages of one to two weeks reach tidewater glaciers, walrus haul-outs and bird cliffs, under Sysselmesteren regulations and AECO guidelines.", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/svalbard-expedition" }, "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/svalbard-expedition", "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/assets/article-svalbard-expedition-C_BKpLBz.jpg", "articleSection": "Arctic knowledge", "wordCount": 202, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Boreal Yachting crew", "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/about/crew" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization" } } ] --- [Skip to content](#main-content) [Boreal Yachting ](/) [Experiences](/experiences) [Destinations](/destinations) [Our Fleet](/fleet) [About Us](/about) [Journal](/journal) [For Partners](/partners) [Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey) 1. [Home](/) 2. / [Journal](/journal) 3. / Svalbard Expedition [Arctic knowledge](/journal/arctic-knowledge) # Svalbard sailing: glaciers and polar bears By [Boreal Yachting crew](/about/crew), Skippers and guides, Tromsø Publication date not available A Svalbard sailing expedition runs from Longyearbyen between June and September, when the fjords are largely ice-free and the sun does not set until late August. Voyages of one to two weeks reach tidewater glaciers, walrus haul-outs and bird cliffs, under Sysselmesteren regulations and AECO guidelines. ![Svalbard sailing: glaciers and polar bears](/generated-images/article-svalbard-expedition-1279.webp) Svalbard sailing: glaciers and polar bears. Svalbard sailing runs from 74° to 81° North. The archipelago holds around 2,000 residents and an estimated 3,600 polar bears, and the sun does not set for weeks each summer. Our expeditions depart from Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost settlement with a regular airport. From there we sail north through Isfjorden, past the abandoned Russian mining town of Pyramiden, and into the wilderness beyond. Polar bears patrol the sea ice and shoreline. Walruses haul out on rocky beaches in groups of dozens, bearded seals rest on ice floes, Arctic foxes hunt along the coast, and Svalbard reindeer — a small subspecies unique to the archipelago — graze the sparse tundra vegetation. Svalbard's glaciers are among the more accessible in the Arctic. We anchor close to tidewater glaciers, where the ice cracks audibly and calves in pieces the size of houses. The rock here records hundreds of millions of years, from tropical coral reefs to coal seams laid down in ancient swamp forests. Sailing in Svalbard requires an experienced crew and proper equipment. Our yachts carry polar bear protection, satellite communication and emergency supplies, and the crew includes an armed guide for shore excursions, a legal requirement in Svalbard given the polar bear population. Related experience: [Summer Svalbard Expeditions](/experiences/svalbard-expeditions). Where this sails: [Sailing Svalbard](/destinations/svalbard). About the author ## Boreal Yachting crew Skippers and guides, Tromsø Written by the Boreal Yachting editorial team using operational knowledge from the skippers and guides who sail Northern Norway and Svalbard. [Meet the crew](/about/crew) ## Read next [ ### Northern lights sailing: an aurora photo safari Northern lights sailing means using the boat to move away from town lights and cloud. Tromsø lies at 69.6°N, under the auroral oval, and the season runs from late September to late March. A boat can shift anchorage overnight to find the clearest sky. ](/journal/northern-lights-sailing)[ ### Ski & Sail: 24 summits reachable only by sea Ski and sail combines ski touring with a boat as basecamp. The yacht anchors below the mountain, the group skins up from sea level, and skis back to the water. In the Lyngen Alps this reaches summits between 850 and 1,834 metres, from February to May. ](/journal/ski-and-sail) [All writing in the Journal](/journal) ## Start planning your Arctic journey. Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you within two working days with a considered answer — not a template. [Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey)[Speak to us directly](/contact) Boreal Yachting Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. Sailing these waters since 2003. 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