Chance to see real polar bears

Have you ever wanted to see or photograph the Arctic's King, the Polar Bear, in its natural habitat? The Svalbard archipelago (commonly known as Spitsbergen) off the coast of Norway is a fantastic location for an arctic summer adventure. The Svalbard Archipelago, located in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Norway, is one of the few sites in the world where polar bears can be seen in their natural habitat. The polar bear population in the Svalbard area is around 270 within the limits of Svalbard, with an extra population of 700+ on the sea ice north of Svalbard. A substantial number of polar bears live in the islands east of Spitsbergen, Svalbard's sole permanently inhabited island, however polar bears can be found elsewhere in the area.

From June through September is the greatest time to visit Norway and Svalbard to observe polar bears. When the sun does not fall below the horizon at midnight, the arctic begins to melt, making it possible to travel the archipelago. Polar bears tend to congregate in more concentrated regions during the summer since there is less packed ice than during the winter. Many Arctic Cruises depart around this time, including an 8-day family-friendly Polar Bear Special to North Spitsbergen. Polar bears, on the other hand, tend to be far out on the sea foraging for seals when the archipelago freezes over in the winter. It is nearly hard to access or observe them due to the darkness of the arctic night.