Explore the top 8 things to do and see on the Svalbard Islands and make the most of your Arctic adventure.

The best time to visit Svalbard and Spitzbergen is between June and September as it is high season for cruises, the wildlife is active, the ice flows have melted, and the days are long.

The Iceland travel experts at Adventure Life choose the top-rated cruise lines highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each.

We review the top expedition cruise lines visiting the Arctic. Which one is a good match for you?

Between June and September is the best time to visit Svalbard and Spitsbergen as it is high season for cruises, the wildlife is active, the ice flows have melted, and the days are long.

Though the austere Arctic landscape is often imagined to be a cold white wasteland, the brief months of summer see the flora blossoming and the fauna emerging from their long winter dormancy. Find out the best time to visit the Arctic based on your interests and expectations.

Svalbard is an archipelago situated in the Arctic waters just north of Norway. The rugged terrain is largely covered by icepack & glaciers, granting opportunities for unique adventure activities. Rare wildlife sightings, tastes of local culture, & taking in awe-inspiring views are just a few of the things to look forward to.

“The Arctic” is an umbrella term for a number of diverse destinations near the northern pole. This area includes parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, as well as the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. The region is home to unique ecosystems, flora and fauna, and cultures which have adapted to the extreme climate.

Highlighting my travels through mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago. My first tastes of life above the Arctic circle, shrimp, and a true polar plunge. Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer beauty of this Arctic gem - Svalbard was a dream from which I never wanted to wake.

Haley and I had the opportunity to travel to the magical land of Svalbard, with a quick stop-over in Norway's lovely capital of Oslo. Svalbard is a place of mystery that draws people in with the lure of Polar Bears, and then blows them away with dramatic and sublime landscapes. We were spoiled-rotten on an 11-day cruise aboard the Sea Spirit. We …

Follow along my journey to the Svalbard Archipelago in the Norwegian Arctic, also known as the "gateway to the North Pole," and a wildlife paradise aboard the new expedition ship, the Ultramarine with Quark Expeditions. A weeklong voyage that highlighted the incredible wildlife, stunning landscapes and incredible history of the Arctic in Spring. …

It's one of those magical destinations I never really thought I would visit: THE ARCTIC (with a bonus stop over in Iceland!) Our time aboard the Ocean Endeavor was nothing short but awesome! We learned about the land and the wildlife, such as polar bears, walruses and birds. We had a very good time!