Catching the light - Aurora Borealis with dinner

Catching the Light is an evening snowmobile tour from Longyearbyen. The route heads away from light pollution through Adventdalen and nearby valleys, through the dark Arctic terrain. Guests ride in the dark, look at the sky for aurora borealis activity, and see wildlife tracks, frozen riverbeds and the texture of the terrain in the beam of the headlight.

Partway through the trip the group stops at a wooden cabin for a home-cooked three course dinner, then continues out under the sky. The tour lasts five hours. Pick up is at the hotels at 19:00. It runs every night from 25 January 2027 to 21 March 2027. The minimum number of participants is two.

The package covers the snowmobile and fuel, a full thermal suit, helmet, gloves and boots, a safety briefing with emergency equipment, a guide, the dinner, warm drinks and insurance. Guests can add optional snowmobile insurance when booking, and a shared machine needs only one policy.

The minimum age is 12 years. Drivers must hold a valid physical driver's licence, because digital or app-based licenses and photos are not accepted. The guide checks every license before departure, and a guest with an invalid license gets no refund. Guests should tell the operator beforehand about food allergies or dietary restrictions. Private or adapted versions of the tour are available on request. The guides keep at least 500 metres from polar bears, as local wildlife protection law requires.