If you really want an adventurous experience in Norway, head up to Svalbard! This island lies far north of mainland Norway – in fact Svalbard is closer to the North Pole than it is to Oslo.
But actually taking a trip here is a lot easier than you’d think. There are many flights to Svalbard from both Oslo and Tromsø, and often flying to Svalbard will cost the same as a domestic flight to anywhere else in Norway.
There are so many reasons to visit Svalbard, from the Arctic desert landscapes, the interesting mining history here, northern lights, the extreme nights and days of the polar night and the midnight sun, and of course the wildlife. Most people visit Svalbard for the wildlife – you can see polar bears, whales, and even walruses!
I’ve actually only visited Svalbard during the polar night, when it was completely dark 24/7. This isn’t the most popular time to visit Svalbard, because it’s too dark to see much wildlife, but the experience was SO special – I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
You can read my guide to visiting Svalbard in winter here.
Ready my reasons to visit Svalbard during polar night here.
Read my general Svalbard travel guide here.
