Important Information
Note: This trip is not suitable for persons suffering from back pains. Pregnant women cannot participate on any snowmobile, dog sledding or boat safaris. Basecamp takes no responsibility to any health issues, due to neglecting this advice.
In general there is no phone or internet coverage outside Longyearbyen. On some places, like on top of glaciers or mountains, you might catch a signal, but in regular bases there is no use for phones on longer trips. All our guides have satellite telephones with them for emergency purposes.
SUMMER IN THE ARCTIC:
Summer season starts from the beginning of June, and continues until the end of August. From late May until mid June there can still be quite a lot of snow in the valleys and mountains around Longyearbyen. Further north, on the other side of Isfjorden, the winter season for skiing and dog sledding can extend to June.
Meltwater from the mountains and glaciers keeps the terrain quite wet thoughout the summer. Towards the autumn both the tundra and the rivers are starting to dry, and this is normally the best season for longer hiking trips. September is usually a very good autumn month in which you can still do all the summer activities. Normally the first snowfall comes sometime in October. Midnight sun shines thoughout the whole summer season until 23rd of August, and especially for photographers the first sunsets in August are something marvelous to shoot.
July is the warmest month of the year, with average temperature of a balmy +6° Celsius. During the summer months, temperatures stay above zero around the fjords and near the coastline. Days above +10 degrees are somewhat rare, as are days below +2 degrees. Days suitable for wearing T-shirts and shorts in Spitsbergen are about as rare as snowfall in Dubai. Therefore, you should bring with you a variety of warm clothes and leave the lightest summer layers back home. Indoor temperatures in Longyearbyen, on the other hand, are pretty high in all buildings, so you might find good use for a T-shirt or light long-sleeved top while in town.