If you are going outside Longyearbyen's immediate city limits, you should join an organised tour. On organised tours, the guide is always responsible for the safety, and will bring all necessary safety equipment. Our dedicated guides know the area well, and are ready to give you the very best of experiences.
Hurtigruten Svalbard’s guides have different backgrounds and experience, but what they all have in common is that they come to work to ensure you will have the best and safest tour. Some have taken the Arctic Nature Guide study, others are certified mountain guides, glacier guides or authorised Svalbard guides who have taken the Svalbard Guide Opplæring (SGO - Svalbard guide training). The SGO study includes fundamental requirements for safe travel on Svalbard, as well as education about tourism, field safety and an understanding of environmental and cultural values.
In addition, our guides take part in internal training and exercises throughout the year.