Svalbard Ice Cave Tours
Winter walks through glacier caves in the Svalbard archipelago
Ice cave tours in Svalbard
Ice-caving is offered by many of the tour companies operating in Svalbard, alongside snowmobile safaris.
The Spitsbergen Travel activity list places ice caving with snowmobile safaris, hiking and boat trips.
Walks through glacier caves are one of the tourist activities on Svalbard, next to hiking, kayaking, snow-scooter and dog-sled trips.
Tourism activities in Svalbard are listed as hiking, kayaking, glacier cave walks, and snowmobile and dog-sled safaris.
When ice caving takes place
Ice-caving runs generally from December to mid-May. The exact dates depend on snow conditions.
Winter snowmobile tours and ice-caving share the same window, which is set by snow conditions. The months in the matrix below are the ones inside that stated window; no other months are listed for these activities.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice-caving | JanRuns | FebRuns | MarRuns | AprRuns | MayRuns | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | DecRuns |
| Snowmobile tours | JanRuns | FebRuns | MarRuns | AprRuns | MayRuns | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | DecRuns |
- Runs
Months within the December to mid-May window.
Other activities in Svalbard tourism
Tourism activities in Svalbard include hiking, kayaking, glacier cave walks, and snowmobile and dog-sled safaris.
| Activity | Named as part of |
|---|---|
| Hiking | Svalbard tourism activities |
| Kayaking | Svalbard tourism activities |
| Glacier cave walks | Svalbard tourism activities |
| Snowmobile safaris | Ice-caving offers and Spitsbergen Travel listing |
| Dog-sled safaris | Svalbard tourism activities |
| Snow-scooter safaris | Spitsbergen tourism |
| Boat trips | Spitsbergen Travel listing |
Tourism on Svalbard, including glacier cave walks, is centred on Longyearbyen.
Guests who book tours in Longyearbyen are collected at their accommodation free of charge. No car is needed to reach a tour, and the same pickup applies to booked guests generally.
Glacier terrain and safety
Crossing glaciers is described as hazardous, and travel with local guides is strongly recommended. This advice applies to glaciers in general and is not specific to ice caves.
Svalbard's landforms were shaped by repeated ice ages, when glaciers cut a former plateau into fjords, valleys and mountains.
Glacial ice covers 36,502 km2, about 60% of the archipelago.
The tallest peak in Svalbard is Newtontoppen at 1,717 metres, and the longest fjord is Wijdefjorden at 108 km.
Svalbard at a glance
Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago where the Arctic Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. It has been part of the Kingdom of Norway since 1925, though it is not part of geographical Norway.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Land area | 61,022 km2 |
| Glacial ice cover | 36,502 km2, about 60% |
| Tallest peak | Newtontoppen, 1,717 m |
| Longest fjord | Wijdefjorden, 108 km |
Svalbard tours
Questions about Svalbard ice cave tours
When is the ice-caving season?
Ice-caving generally runs from December to mid-May, depending on snow conditions.
Are glacier cave walks offered with other activities?
Yes. Walks through glacier caves sit alongside hiking, kayaking, snow-scooter and dog-sled trips.
Where is tourism on Svalbard centred?
Tourism on Svalbard, including glacier cave walks, is centred on Longyearbyen.
Is transport to a tour included?
Guests who book are picked up free of charge at their accommodation. No car is needed to reach a tour.
Do snowmobile tours run in the same months?
Snowmobile tours run in winter, generally from December to mid-May, depending on snow conditions.
What does the glacier advice say?
Crossing glaciers is described as hazardous, and travelling with local guides is strongly recommended. This applies to glaciers in general.
How large is Svalbard?
Svalbard's land area is 61,022 square kilometres.