Travelling in the wilderness
People travelling on their own outside of the settlements and the area around Nordenskiölds Land – Dickson Land, must notify the Governor of Svalbard of their plans. For safety reasons, we recommend that no matter where or how long you intend to be away, you tell someone about it. The Governor can compel visitors to purchase insurance or provide a bank guarantee to cover expenses in the event there is a need for a rescue operation. Polar Bears Polar bears are completely protected on Svalbard, and it is prohibited to beckon, pursue or in any other active manner attempt to make contact with a polar bear, as this may disturb it and jeopardise the safety of humans or polar bears. Keep a safe distance from any bears you may come across, as they are very quick and are known to attack suddenly without warning. Use caution and avoid all contact. Always set out tripwire warning flares around campsites. Polar bears will quickly overheat if they are being chased, so you must never follow a polar bear on a snowmobile or boat. Never feed a polar bear. At campsites, all food, garbage and toilet waste must be kept at least 100 m from your sleeping tents and in a way so that it can be seen from the tent opening. Weapons Polar bears are essentially everywhere on Svalbard – also during the summer. We therefore recommend that you bring a weapon with you on all trips outside of the settlements. Large-bore rifles are absolutely the best defence against polar bears. If you do not have any weapon training, you should only go on organised tours with local guides. Weapons may be rented locally. Visitors with weapon training and/or a hunter’s licence should bring documentation thereof. In addition, you should bring shocking devices such as signal pistols or signal pens with flash cracks, firecrackers, gunfires or sirenes. If you are to spend the night in a tent or under the open sky, the campsite should be secured with tripwire warning flares. Rivers There are tremendous amounts of water in the rivers from June to August. The rivers grow fast as a result of precipitation and the melting snow. The rivers are often wide, icy cold and difficult to cross on foot. Travelling on pack ice and glaciers involves risks. Watch out for brash of ice, holes and cracks in the glacier. Gather information about the local conditions and conduct thorough measuring and evaluations of the ice before you head out. Do not venture out on a glacier alone without experience. When moving on a glacier, go with a guide or at least go in a group so that all the participants are connected by a safety rope. Remember to bring crampons (ice spurs) and an ice axe. For your own security and for a more enriching experience, we recommend taking tours with guides familiar with the local environment. |
