Svalbard Photography Expedition

Every ten years, an Australian phenomenon occurs: the Easter holidays line up perfectly with Anzac Day, making it the ultimate opportunity to take a long break without using up a ton of annual leave. Our plan? A 9-day Svalbard photography expedition in search of Arctic wildlife in a country we’d never visited before — Norway.

To be safe (and give ourselves a buffer in case of flight delays or lost luggage), we arrived in Svalbard three days early. This gave us time to explore Longyearbyen, settle in, and adjust before boarding our expedition ship, the MV Freya, for the real adventure.

Where (and what) is Svalbard?

Never heard of Svalbard? Honestly, you’re not alone — unless you’re a hardcore wildlife photographer, a polar expedition enthusiast, or into visa-free places in Scandinavia with special tax rules.

Svalbard is a remote archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Norway and the North Pole. It is officially part of Norway, which is part of the European Economic Area, which lets them stay connected to Europe without giving up too much independence.

Geographically, Svalbard is closer to Greenland and Russia than it is to mainland Europe. The archipelago is called Svalbard, the biggest island is Spitsbergen, and if you’re lucky enough to visit, you’ll probably land in Longyearbyen, the main settlement and the world’s northernmost town, with around 1,200 hardy residents.

Longyearbyen literally means “Longyear Town” in Norwegian. The “Longyear” part isn’t about seasons or time (though winters here do feel long); it’s actually named after John Munro Longyear, an American who founded the Arctic Coal Company and set up a mining settlement here back in 1906. The word “byen” just means “the town” in Norwegian. So, yes—this chilly little place way up in the Arctic is quite literally Mr. Longyear’s town.

Next up — How to Get to Svalbard (and what to do once you are there)