Svalbard Ships
In the absence of hotels and infrastructure once you depart Longyearbyen, an expedition ship offers the best means to explore Svalbard's ragged coastline, while acting as both your…
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5 Reasons to visit Svalbard in Late Summer
- It’s a great time for spotting polar bears, typically found at this time along coastal areas and fjords patrolling the shorelines or hunting seals on drifting ice
- As summer wanes and the sun hangs lower in the sky, the warm golden light and rich sunsets are a photographer's paradise
- The Svalbard landscape is now at its most snow-free, providing outstanding hiking opportunities and for exploring the tundra. The wildflowers are a surprising delight
- By early September, the scenery starts to come ablaze with a glowing riot of red, orange and gold as mosses and shrubs start to take on their autumn colours
- By August, many of the ships start to reposition to Greenland, which lends a more peaceful hush after the busy summer season for Late Summer Svalbard visitors
Swoop says
Late summer is a particular favourite time of mine as Svalbard basks in golden light, the autumnal colours creep across the tundra, and there’s a magical moment of calm before winter rushes in.
Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Arctic
Late Summer in Svalbard
Polar bears explore Svalbard
Svalbard's sun in August
A walrus makes eye contact
A prowling Arctic fox
Zodiac cruising in Kraemerpynten
A reindeer on the tundra
Zodiac cruising in Alkefjellet
See wild reindeers
Our best Late Summer cruises to Svalbard
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Scouting Svalbard’s ice floes for wildlife by zodiac and on foot, cruising the magnificent 14th of July glacier and reaching the world’s most northerly settlement at Ny Ålesund are just some of this 10-day voyage’s many highlights. There's also the…
- 10 Days
- $6,673
Circumnavigate Spitsbergen on board a choice of three small ships and in the company of specialist guides. Travelling in such small groups allows you more time to explore, and some late-season departures benefit from stunning autumn light. Ask about special…
- 12 Days
- $8,790
Beginning deep inside the High Arctic and finishing in subarctic Iceland, we like this voyage for its diversity, sense of journey and extended time exploring East Greenland. Zodiac cruising among towering icebergs, glimpsing the Northern Lights and tracking musk oxen…
- 14 Days
- $11,929
Swoop says
Late Summer in Svalbard feels like a never-ending golden hour full of rich sunsets, glowing tundra and patrolling polar bears. To make the most of this shifting season, we can steer you toward the trips that capitalise on the light, the landscapes and those final bursts of Arctic life before autumn arrives.
Planning your Late Summer Svalbard expedition
What are conditions like in Svalbard in late summer?
Temperatures begin to cool again in Late Summer, though they remain mild by Arctic standards at an average of 6°C (42.8°F) in August. Ice conditions vary from year to year, but most fjords remain open, giving ships good access along the coast and into the archipelago's more remote reaches.
By late August and into early September, the midnight sun begins to fade. While the days are still long, the sun dips below the horizon once more, and with it comes a shift in the atmosphere. The light softens, casting golden and reddish diffused hues across glaciers and mountain peaks; perfect conditions for photography.
Svalbard's sun in August
What wildlife might I see in Svalbard in Late Summer?
August and early September is a rewarding time for wildlife spotters. Many species are still active, and there's a quiet urgency in the air as animals prepare for the coming freeze. Seabird colonies are bustling, with many species of chicks fledging from the cliffs and taking to the water for the first time. Arctic foxes and reindeer are easily spotted feeding before colder weather sets in.
Marine life is still abundant, with continued chances of spotting beluga, minke and even the occasional humpback whale. Walrus are commonly seen hauled out on shorelines or drifting near the coast. Polar bears may be seen swimming in search of seals, but the best chance of spotting the King of the Arctic is up in the northern pack ice.
A walrus makes eye contact
Our most popular Svalbard cruises in August 2026
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Travelling in luxury aboard an outstanding expedition ship, we love this trip for its unusual combination of Svalbard and Norway’s northern tip, plus its focus on top-notch service and cuisine. After a hassle-free charter flight from Oslo to Svalbard, spend…
- 11 Days
- $17,600
Beginning in Svalbard before sailing west across the Greenland Sea and exploring Greenland’s long eastern coastline to finish in Iceland, this is an audacious Arctic journey of startling diversity and contrast. Spectacular landscapes, towering glaciers and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters all…
- 13 or 15 Days
- $24,295
This comprehensive Arctic triumvirate encompassing Svalbard, East Greenland and Iceland offers the best of the Arctic: some of the best wildlife viewing with spectacular scenery, unspoiled fjords, gigantic icebergs and Inuit communities. You may also be lucky enough to see…
- 14 Days
- $11,495
Scouting Svalbard’s ice floes for wildlife by zodiac and on foot, cruising the magnificent 14th of July glacier and reaching the world’s most northerly settlement at Ny Ålesund are just some of this 10-day voyage’s many highlights. There's also the…
- 10 Days
- $6,673
Beginning deep inside the High Arctic and finishing in subarctic Iceland, we like this voyage for its diversity, sense of journey and extended time exploring East Greenland. Zodiac cruising among towering icebergs, glimpsing the Northern Lights and tracking musk oxen…
- 14 Days
- $11,929
Circumnavigate Spitsbergen on board a choice of three small ships and in the company of specialist guides. Travelling in such small groups allows you more time to explore, and some late-season departures benefit from stunning autumn light. Ask about special…
- 12 Days
- $8,790
Explore Svalbard in other seasons
Discover more about Svalbard
Svalbard Landing Sites
Expedition cruising is all about active exploration - trekking the arctic tundra, watching for wildlife, studying Svalbard’s history or sailing through sea ice, and accompanied …
Discover MoreSvalbard Wildlife
At the height of summer when wildlife populations and activity are peaking on Svalbard, there are few other parts of the Arctic which offer the same combination of easy access and …
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