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Just a hike up the valley from Longyearbyen settlement you will find the Longyear glacier. It carves up a lot of sedimentary rocks with plenty of fossils in them. It's a good place to go fossil hunting.You will probably need a rifle or company with somebody who carries a rifle here as it is a little bit away from the settlement and other people. The terrain is rocky, and scree and glacial rubble as get closer to the glacier.
Mine No 7 is a working mine. It is owned by its workers, and delivers high quality coal to metallurgical industry and the power plant at Longyearbyen. You can visit the mine by joining a tour organised by Svalbard Explorer. I have visited both No 7 and No 3, and I find the No 7 much more interesting to visit.You go about 4 kms into the mountains by a minivan, properly dressed by as a miner for protection, and go to the areas where they take out the coal by heavy machines. You have 400 meters of rock above you. It is pitch dark and somewhat claustrophobic. 14 years minimum age for visitors. A guide - also a mine worker - explains the ongoing work, the history and culture around the Svalbard mining operations. He will also show you fozzilised footprints of a 50 million year old large horse-like mammal with paws and claws that walked here...Don't bring your finest; you will be black from...
There are two coal mines that are open for the public. One mine is actually closed for operations (Mine #3) and runs as a museum of the old methods. The other mine (Mine #7) is still active and mining coal for the power plant of Longyearbyen and some specialized metallurgical industries. The commercial Svea Mine in van Mijen Fjord 60 km from Longyearbyen is not accessible for tourists.Tours to Mine No 3 sightseeing is organised by Svalbard Wildlife.Tours to Mine No 7 sightseeing is organised by Svalbard Explorer. Both tours are bookable through internet, Svalbard Resieliv as well as other operators and your hotel reception.
Svalbard Museum tells the story of environment and human history of the Svalbard Archipelago. Emphasis is given to the past whaling industry, trapping, coal mining, war occupation and administration of the islands. Norwegian, English display texts.Good bookshop with a selection of posters, maps, books and scientific works on the islands and other polar areas.Opening hours:Mon-Wed 12-17Thu 17-19Fri - Sun 12-17Admission NOK 40 per adultNote that the museum has moved from the old Pigsty (not joking!) to the university centre. It has won a European
A stable rock formation near Mine # 3 quite close to the airport has become the Global Seed Vault. In principle, seeds, genetic material, from all the world's food plant species will be stored here as a back-up in case of some calamity. Unless you have a special connection you cannot enter the vault. The main administration is located in Oslo. For more info, see the web site. The entry is of some artistic interest, but is generally intended to keep the snow away from the entrance...This vault replaces the Nordic Gene Bank in Mine # 3.It has been suggested as a World Heritage Site.
I have had some questions about how to get to the North Pole, and to quell future questions I have collected some info here. I have never been to the North Pole, thus my immediate question back is what do you really want to do there? You need to go during good winter/skiing condtions and while there is light. Forget it during the arctic winter darkness. You also need to go there before any signs of spring/summer thaw of sorts, thus we are talking late March (very cold), April, May.The first question I get is how to get there: You fly to Longyearbyen on a regular commercial flight. You stay a few days in Longyearbyen to acclimatize, excercise and stack up on gear, gather stray friends coming in. Normally the North Pole trekkers stay at Gjestehuset 102 in Nybyen. From Longyearbyen you fly to the North Pole "airbase" called Borneo at 89 degrees north by a Russian Antonov-74 jet. There is...
Longyearbyen is the seat of local government and Norway’s main administrative centre on Svalbard. The small colourful community of approx. 1 800 inhabitants has developed from being a typical mining community into a community with a number of businesses and industries.Unfortunately, everyone who desires to visit Svalbard must come to Longyearbyen to board a cruise or other adventure and there is limited activity in this town of 1800 people.Industry here is comprised of summer tourists and coal mining which accounts for the population.
No, this is a real gene bank preserving plant material from the Nordic countries inside Mine No. 3, sealed and locked in a special shaft. This is the bank of gene samples/seeds of all cultivated crops, stored in the stable -3 degree permafrost climate. Mine No. 3 trips take you to the door of this very important but unpretentious bank.... There is nothing to inform you about this outside the mine entrance.Update:A 3 million USD Svalbard International Seed Vault is being built next to Mine 3. It will hold the seeds of up to 3 million different crops as part of a plan to protect food supplies across the world. A bit like Noah's Ark? The underground Noah's Ark will be be situated 70 meters inside the permafrost. For more info on this check the Global Crop Diveristy Trust.
At many places you may watch seals or birds and most of them will not even go away, when cruiseships will pass by them. Maybe they will glide from their icebergs into the water in the very last moment, when the ship has approached them already with a distance of 10 meters or less.
Watch out for animals - maybe you are lucky and may see some polar-bears - but most probably NOT - as I never saw a single polar-bear during all of my 10 cruises to Svalbard / Spitzbergen.Mostly they stay away from the villages during summer, just in winter they will be searching for food also at the villages.
Spitsbergen Hotel Longyearbyen
33 Opinions
Radisson Sas Polar Spitsbergen Longyearbyen
2 Reviews and 69 Opinions The SAS hotel has a very central location only 100 m from the main shopping area. It has 95 rooms...
Spitsbergen Guesthouse Longyearbyen
16 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Svalbard attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Svalbard sightseeing.
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Q: Me and my husband are planning our anniversary trip in Spitsbergen. We're from Mexico and want this to be the trip of a lifetime....
A: Hi - welcome to VT! I'd recommend staying at the Radisson. It's really nice and the restaurant is excellent. Spitsbergen Travel (www.spitsbergentravel.no/eng/) booked...
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