Private Boat Charter

Svalbard Photography runs a private full-day boat charter from Longyearbyen into Isfjorden and the fjords around it. The route is not fixed. Before departure the guest group, the captain and the guide talk through interests and compare them with the forecast, sea state, visibility and ice, and the plan can shift during the day. Possible stops include glacier fronts, bird cliffs, isolated bays, former mining settlements and other cultural remains. Seals, whales and seabirds may be seen. Polar bears occur in Svalbard, but sightings are not promised. The focus can be photography, wildlife, scenery or history.

The charter lasts about eight hours, counting the pick-up and the return in Longyearbyen. The group is limited to three guests, who travel with their own captain and guide on a closed boat with a sheltered cabin. The day begins with a pick-up at the guest accommodation and a transfer to the harbour, and it ends with transport back. For safety reasons the captain can alter the destination, cut the trip short or cancel the departure. If strong wind or unsuitable weather forces a cancellation, the full amount is refunded.

Included are the boat with captain and guide, route planning, lunch, warm coffee, tea, hot toddy and biscuits, and the required boat safety equipment. Svalbard Photography's page lists what to bring: warm layers, windproof and water-resistant outerwear, a warm hat and gloves even in summer, suitable footwear, sunglasses, sunscreen, a camera with charged batteries, binoculars if available, personal medication, and motion-sickness medication when needed. Tours run from May to October, depending on conditions. Guiding languages are English, Norwegian, German and Swiss German, with Chinese on request.