Norway & Svalbard Svalbard
Norway’s high-Arctic archipelago, halfway between the mainland and the North Pole: glaciers, polar bears, walrus and the world’s northernmost town.
The independent Arctic Ocean travel guide
The Arctic Ocean, within reach
Twelve gateways to the top of the world — from the fjords of Arctic Norway to the ice of Svalbard, Greenland and the Beaufort Sea — with honest advice on what you can book, when to go and what it takes to get there.
✓ 12 destination guides✓ Real GetYourGuide tours, checked October 2026✓ Honest notes where nothing is bookable
Why the Arctic Ocean
The smallest ocean, the biggest silence
The Arctic Ocean covers about 14 million square kilometres around the North Pole, ringed by Norway, Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Much of it is roofed with drifting sea ice; its marginal seas — the Barents, Greenland, Beaufort, Chukchi and others — are where the ice edge, the whales, the seabird cliffs and almost all of the people are. For half the year the sun never sets, and for the other half it barely rises, if at all.
You cannot simply ‘go to’ an ocean. What travellers actually do is choose a gateway: a town such as Tromsø or Longyearbyen with flights, hotels and day tours; a remote coast such as Disko Bay reached by small plane and boat; or an expedition ship that carries its own hotel into the ice. This site is organised around those gateways, and it is frank about the differences between them in cost, comfort and how much you can arrange yourself.
14 million km²of ocean — the smallest and shallowest of the five
66°34′ Nthe Arctic Circle; nearly every hub here lies beyond it
24 hoursof daylight in summer, and of darkness in midwinter
12destination guides, each with six detailed pages
Where to go
Twelve gateways to the Arctic Ocean
Each guide has its own tours and tickets, things to see, how to get there, travel advice and best time to visit.
Norway & Svalbard 
Norway & Svalbard Tromsø
The lively capital of Arctic Norway: northern lights and whales in winter, midnight sun and fjords in summer, and flights onward to Svalbard.
Norway & Svalbard North Cape
A 307-metre cliff at 71° north where Europe’s road network ends and the Barents Sea begins — reached from the fishing port of Honningsvåg.
Norway & Svalbard Alta & Hammerfest
Finnmark’s two western towns: Alta for stable aurora weather, rock art and an ice hotel; Hammerfest for a harbour on the edge of the Barents Sea.
Norway & Svalbard Kirkenes
The end of the Norwegian coastal route, a few kilometres from Russia and Finland: king crab, a year-round snow hotel, border history and the bird cliffs of Varanger.
Iceland & Greenland North Iceland
Iceland’s Arctic coast: whale watching from Húsavík and Akureyri, Lake Mývatn’s volcanic landscapes, Dettifoss, and Grímsey, the island the Arctic Circle runs through.
Iceland & Greenland West Greenland
Ilulissat and Disko Bay: a fjord choked with icebergs the size of city blocks, whales among the ice, sled dogs and the midnight sun — with Nuuk as the gateway.
Iceland & Greenland East Greenland
The empty side of Greenland: Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord system on Earth, and the mountain-ringed settlements of Tasiilaq and Kulusuk — expedition country.
Arctic North America Arctic Canada
Nunavut, the Northwest Passage and the road to Tuktoyaktuk on the Beaufort Sea: Inuit homelands, narwhals and polar bears across a third of the Arctic coastline.
Arctic North America Arctic Alaska
America’s Arctic shore: Utqiaġvik, the northernmost town in the United States, and the long gravel Dalton Highway over the Brooks Range to Prudhoe Bay.
The Pole & Russia North Pole
90° north: a point on drifting sea ice above four kilometres of ocean, reached only by icebreaker or by ski-plane and helicopter — the most exclusive journey in the Arctic.
The Pole & Russia Russian Arctic
Half of the Arctic Ocean’s coastline, from Murmansk to Wrangel Island — described here for understanding, not as a recommendation: most Western governments currently advise against travel to Russia.
Top experiences
What the Arctic does best
Tromsø
Chase the northern lights
Drive out from Tromsø on a clear winter night to wherever the sky is darkest, and wait by a fire for the aurora.
SvalbardSail to a glacier front
Cross Isfjorden from Longyearbyen to a wall of blue ice, with walrus, seals and seabirds on the way.
North CapeSee the midnight sun from Europe’s edge
Stand on a 307-metre cliff above the Barents Sea while the sun circles the northern horizon.
North IcelandWatch humpbacks breach
Join a whale boat from Húsavík or Akureyri — among the most reliable sightings in the North Atlantic.
West GreenlandDrift among giant icebergs
Cruise the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord at midnight, when the low sun turns the ice gold.
KirkenesHaul up king crab
Pull a crab pot through the fjord ice near the Russian border, then eat the catch minutes later.
Arctic CanadaDrive to the Arctic Ocean
Follow the Dempster Highway across the tundra to Tuktoyaktuk and wade into the Beaufort Sea.
North PoleStand at 90° north
Join an icebreaker through the pack to the one place on Earth where every direction is south.
Regions at a glance
Which part of the Arctic suits you?
A quick comparison of access, cost and what each region is best for.
| Region | Best for | Getting there | Cost and effort | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic Norway (Tromsø, Alta, North Cape, Kirkenes) | Northern lights, whales, fjords, midnight sun, first Arctic trips | Direct flights from Oslo; daily coastal ship | Moderate by Arctic standards; hundreds of day tours | November–March and June–August |
| Svalbard | Glaciers, polar bears, walrus, snowmobile and boat expeditions | Flights from Oslo and Tromsø | High; guided only outside town | March–April and June–August |
| North Iceland | Whale watching, puffins, volcanic landscapes, self-drive | 45-minute flight or 5-hour drive from Reykjavík | Moderate; easy to arrange | June–August; winter for aurora |
| Greenland (west and east) | Icebergs, ice sheet, Inuit culture, expedition cruising | Flights from Copenhagen and Iceland; then small plane, boat or ship | Very high; few tours online, buffer days essential | June–September; March–April for sledding |
| Arctic Canada and Alaska | Road trips to the ocean, Inuit and Iñupiat communities, polar bears at Churchill | Flights to northern hubs; two gravel highways | Very high and time-consuming | June–September; October–November for bears |
| North Pole | The ultimate objective, by icebreaker | Expedition ship from Svalbard | Extreme; tens of thousands of dollars | June–September |
Book ahead
Popular tours across the Arctic
A hand-picked selection from the gateways where GetYourGuide has real depth. The live list below shows Tromsø, the busiest of them.
Tromsø from $139 Small-group northern lights chase with photos
A minibus chase to wherever the sky is clear, with tripods, a campfire, snacks and portraits under the aurora.
Svalbard from $173 Arctic wildlife scouting by van
A guided drive along Longyearbyen’s short road network looking for Svalbard reindeer, Arctic foxes, seabirds and, on the shore, the occasional walrus or beluga.
North Cape from $162 North Cape guided tour with entry ticket
A guided excursion with admission to the North Cape Hall included, so there is nothing more to pay on arrival.
North Iceland from $97 Húsavík: whale watching tour with guide
The standard Skjálfandi Bay trip from Iceland’s whale-watching capital, with a naturalist guide and warm overalls.
Kirkenes from $275 Summer king crab safari by RIB with crab meal
Speed out on the fjord in a RIB, help haul the pots and sit down to as much freshly steamed king crab as you can eat.
Alta & Hammerfest from $209 Altafjord whale watching in a heated boat
An early-winter cruise in search of orcas and humpbacks, with a warm cabin to retreat to between sightings. Top-rated; season limited.
When to go
The Arctic by season
Polar night (November–January)
Darkness, blue twilight and the longest aurora nights. Whales in the fjords of northern Norway. Much of the high Arctic is closed to visitors.
Light winter (February–April)
The sun returns over deep snow and solid ice: the best time for dog sledding, snowmobiling, skiing and aurora with usable daylight.
Midnight sun (May–July)
Twenty-four-hour daylight, seabird cliffs in full cry, the first boats and expedition cruises. No northern lights — it never gets dark.
Late summer and autumn (August–October)
The least sea ice and the most open water for ships, tundra in autumn colour, and the return of dark nights and aurora.
Sample routes
How much can you see?
Three realistic trips that we expand day by day on the itineraries page.
7 days: Arctic Norway by coast
Tromsø, Alta or Hammerfest, North Cape and Kirkenes, linked by the coastal ship and short flights.
10 days: Tromsø and Svalbard
Northern Norway’s capital, then four or five nights in Longyearbyen for glaciers, wildlife and the high Arctic.
12 days: Iceland and Greenland
Whales and volcanoes in North Iceland, then icebergs at Ilulissat — with buffer days built in.
Where to stay
Hotels in every gateway
Beds are scarce north of the Arctic Circle and the best are booked months ahead. We list a short, well-located selection for each destination, with live rates on Trip.com.
Where to stay in the ArcticArctic trip planning: FAQs
Where is the easiest place to see the Arctic Ocean?
Northern Norway. Tromsø has direct flights, a wide choice of hotels and tours, and fjords opening to the sea; North Cape lets you look straight out over the Barents Sea. For sea ice and glaciers, Svalbard is the simplest high-Arctic destination.
Can I see the northern lights and the midnight sun on the same trip?
No. The midnight sun means it never gets dark, and aurora needs darkness. Go between September and March for northern lights, and between mid-May and late July for the midnight sun. See when to go.
Where can I see polar bears?
The best chances are on an expedition cruise around Svalbard in summer, or at Churchill on Hudson Bay in October and November. Sightings are never guaranteed, and strict distance rules apply. Read our wildlife guide.
Do I need an expedition cruise?
Not for a first visit. Tromsø, Svalbard, North Iceland and Ilulissat can all be done as land-based trips with day tours. A ship becomes necessary for remote coasts such as East Greenland, the Northwest Passage and the North Pole. We compare the two on the itineraries page.
How expensive is Arctic travel?
More than most places. Northern Norway and Iceland cost about what Scandinavia does generally; Svalbard is higher; Greenland, Arctic Canada and anything by expedition ship are higher still. Our travel guide gives rough budgets and ways to save.
Is it responsible to travel there?
It can be, with care: choose small groups and local operators, keep your distance from wildlife, respect Indigenous communities and their rules, and think about how you travel. We set out the main guidelines in the travel guide and the wildlife guide.
Plan your trip
Ice, whales, midnight sun and aurora — book the limited-seat days first
Boats, sleds and small-group minibuses in the Arctic carry few people, and the best weeks are short. Compare the best tours from Tromsø, Svalbard, North Cape, Iceland and beyond, and reserve in a couple of taps.