Snowmobile Safari to the East Coast
with Svalbard Adventures
About the tour
Visit the kingdom of the polar bear and experience the Arctic nature up close on a snowmobile safari away from civilisation and into the endless wilderness.
Due to low temperatures and the amount of sea ice, the east coast of Spitsbergen is one of the hunting grounds of the polar bear. To get there, we drive past large glaciers, through wide valleys and coastal landscapes and across frozen rivers.
Read the full description
— I have travelled to a lot of incredible places around the world but my day out to the East Coast of Svalbard was one of the most humbling, memorable and awe-inspiring experiences I have ever had.
Shane and Sally (Tripadvisor)
Mohnbukta
We head east to the glacier plateaus. After a short break and another safety briefing, we cross a moraine landscape of blue ice formations before driving over the snow-covered glaciers that lead to the bay of Mohnbukta on the east coast. We are greeted by a whole new world with ice as far as the eye can see. Far to the east, we can catch a glimpse of Edgeøya, the third largest island in the Svalbard archipelago.
The kingdom of polar bears
We drive out onto the sea ice if the conditions allow us to do so. The snow- and ice-covered sea also consists of huge ice formations from the extensive glacier in front of us. This is the perfect place for a lunch break. We stop to stretch our legs, gather impressions and try to spot the wildlife that inhabits this area. In the kingdom of the polar bear, in a landscape so mighty, we quickly understand why we are only visiting. If we are fortunate enough to meet the “King of the Arctic”, we need to watch from a distance. Afterall, we are guests in its territory.
When it’s time, we pack up, get back on our snowmobiles and return to Longyearbyen to reflect on a long, adventurous and memorable trip..
Physical Requirements/Difficulty Grading System
Previous snowmobile experience recommended, long day trip.
Practical information
Included in the trip
Dress in layers – it’s the best way to stay warm. Remember: it is better to be too warm than to be too cold. And also – there is no bad weather, just bad clothing!
- Transport to and from the accommodation
- Winter suit, boots, mittens, helmet, goggles and balaclava
- Guide with safety equipment
- Search and rescue insurance
- Warm lunch, hot drinks and biscuits
Important Information
- We do not recommend this tour if you are pregnant or have back problems
- We recommend warm clothing to wear under the winter suit such as wool underwear, wool socks, thick sweater and extra mittens
- A small backpack for extra clothing and other items
- Please state any food allergies or other preferences
- For participants driving on this excursion, it is required that you speak and understand English or a Scandinavian language
- For safety reasons, the route may change due to weather, wind and snow conditions
- Non-Norwegian digital driver licenses are not valid for driving in Norway
Driver’s License
- To drive a snowmobile or ATV in Svalbard, you must have a driver’s license for passenger car/class B.
- For snowmobiles, driving entitlement for categories A, A1, A2 and S (snowmobile) may also be accepted.
- The driver’s license must have been issued in a country that is a party to the Geneva Convention of 1949 or the Vienna Convention of 1968 on road traffic. Digital certificate is only valid if it is issued in Norway.
- You do not need additional documentation if your driving licence meets the model requirement under one of the conventions. All driving licences from EU/EEA countries meet this requirement.
- If your driving licence is from a country outside the EU/EEA, you should check if it meets the model requirement under one of the conventions.
- If your driving licence does NOT meet the model requirement, you will need the following in addition to your driving licence:
- An authorised Norwegian translation of your driving licence, or
- An international driving licence that meets the model requirements
- Driving licences from countries that are not party to the Geneva or Vienna Conventions
- You may use your driving licence for three months if it meets both of the following criteria:
- It meets the model requirement under one of the conventions.
- It is in a Scandinavian language, English, French or German.
- If your driving licence does not meet both requirements, when driving you need to carry with you both your regular driving licence and an international driving licence that meets the model requirements.
- The following countries have not signed one or both conventions:
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Chad
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- French Guiana
- Gabon
- Grenada
- Guinea Western Sahara
- Guinea-Bissau
- Hong Kong
- Libya
- Macao
- Mauritania
- Mayotte
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Panama
- Réunion
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sao Tome & Principe
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Timor-Leste
- Yemen
- *Please note that this list is advisory and not necessarily exhaustive. It’s your responsibility to ensure your driver’s license is valid for use in Svalbard when joining our guided snowmobile or ATV safaris.
- ** The information on this page is based on information provided by The Norwegian Public Roads Administration at the time of the last update to this page. (03.04.2025, 13:00)
- This info is based on the following sources:
- The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Driving Licenses in Svalbard
- United Nations Treaty Collection, 1949 Geneva Convention
- United Nations Treaty Collection, 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic
Cancellation Policy
22 days prior to arrival gives a 95% refund
8-21 days prior to arrival gives a 50% refund
0-7 days prior to departure gives no refund
If you need to adjust your booking, let us know. If available, we gladly guide you on another day of your preference, only if we have availability and possibility to do so and only 3 days before or after the original date. However, if you need to cancel, please notify us in writing.
We are not able to offer a refund due to route changes, sickness, cancelled or delayed flights or any other circumstance outside our control.