East Coast Snowmobile Safari

The East Coast Snowmobile Safari is a day trip by snowmobile from Longyearbyen to the east coast of the island of Spitsbergen. The operator describes it as its longest snowmobile tour. The route crosses wide plains and glacier systems and reaches the coast, where glacier fronts meet the sea ice. Guests drive across varied terrain, with several stops on the way. Reindeer, Svalbard grouse and polar fox may be seen, and the page notes that polar bears live in the area because of the sea ice, though a sighting is never guaranteed. Lunch is an expedition meal taken in the coastal area. If conditions permit, the return follows a different route.

The tour lasts 10 hours and covers a total of 190 km. The page rates its difficulty 4 out of 5. Experience with a snowmobile, ATV or motorbike is an advantage. Guests must be at least 14 years old, and the page does not state a group size. Participants need to follow English or a Scandinavian language. Hurtigruten Svalbard's page says the tour is not recommended for pregnant women. It runs from February to May.

The guide collects guests at the hotel and drives them to the expedition centre. There they receive a scooter suit, boots, a balaclava, a helmet and mittens. The guide then demonstrates the controls and the driving technique. Each guest brings an original physical licence valid for cars or motorcycles. Digital copies, photographs and photocopies are not accepted, and the guide checks every licence before departure. The operator suggests warm wool underwear, outer trousers and a thick wool jumper beneath the suit, plus a spare jacket, hat and mittens in a backpack. Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens are also suggested.