Svalbard glaciers are among the most distinctive features of the archipelago’s landscape. Huge tongues of ice descend from the mountains into the fjords, creating monumental ice walls, crevasses, moraines and blue seracs.
During our expeditions, glaciers are not just a backdrop.
We approach their fronts by yacht, observe glacier calving, look for wildlife appearing nearby, and organize treks leading to the glaciers. On selected expeditions, we can also step directly onto their surface.
It is one of those moments when you can truly feel the scale of the Arctic.
Svalbard Glaciers – a Land of Ice
Svalbard is one of the most heavily glaciated regions in Europe. Glaciers cover a significant part of the archipelago and have a huge influence on its landscape.
Some end high in the mountains. Others descend directly into the sea. It is these tidewater glaciers that make the strongest impression during a voyage.
From the deck of the yacht, we can observe enormous glacier fronts. Sometimes they rise tens of metres above the water and stretch across a large part of the bay.
On a sunny day, the ice can appear intensely white, turquoise and blue. Under cloudy skies, however, the landscape becomes raw and almost monochrome.
Every time, it looks different.
Approaching the Glacier Front
One of the greatest advantages of travelling by yacht is the possibility of observing glaciers from the sea.
If conditions allow, we approach the safe area near the glacier front. However, we always take into account drifting ice, wind, waves and the possibility of a sudden calving event.
The closer we get, the more clearly we can see the glacier’s structure.
Crevasses, vertical walls, overhangs, blue sections of old ice and streams of meltwater flowing from the surface all become visible.
At the same time, we begin to hear the glacier.
Cracks, deep booms and powerful sounds coming from inside the ice remind us that a glacier is not a motionless mountain.
It is constantly moving and changing.
Glacier Calving – One of the Most Spectacular Arctic Phenomena
One of the most dramatic moments is glacier calving.
This happens when fragments of ice break away from the glacier front. Sometimes it is only a small block. At other times, a huge section of the ice wall collapses with a powerful roar and crashes into the sea.
A few moments later, waves spread across the fjord.
That is why we always observe calving from a safe distance.
You never know exactly when it will happen. Sometimes nothing changes for a long time. Then, within a few seconds, a massive piece of ice disappears into the water.
It is one of those Arctic phenomena that is difficult to describe properly.
You have to see it and hear it.
Wildlife Near Glaciers
The areas around glaciers are also very interesting places for wildlife observation.
In the waters near glacier fronts, we may see beluga whales, seals and seabirds. Sometimes we also observe other whales passing through the fjord.
Water flowing from beneath the glacier can carry nutrients and influence local feeding conditions.
That is why we do not look only at the ice.
We also watch the water, the shoreline and the sky.
Sometimes the most extraordinary wildlife encounter happens with a monumental glacier in the background.
Trekking to the Glacier Front
We do not observe every glacier only from the yacht.
During some of our expeditions, we also organize treks to the area near the glacier front.
We go ashore and walk through Arctic tundra, glacial valleys and moraines.
With every kilometre, the glacier seems to grow larger.
Only when standing in front of it can you truly understand its scale.
The enormous wall of ice, the wide valley and the mountains surrounding the glacier create a landscape that remains in your memory for a long time.
Glacier Trekking
An even more special experience is glacier trekking.
When conditions are suitable, we can step directly onto the glacier and enter a world that cannot be seen from the yacht or from the shore.
On the glacier, we may encounter crevasses, blue ice, streams, small rivers, depressions and fantastic formations shaped by melting.
Every glacier looks different.
We choose glaciers where trekking does not involve excessive risk. We also use appropriate safety equipment, including crampons and ropes
What Is It Like to Walk on a Glacier?
At the beginning, we often move across moraines and rocky terrain. Then we step onto the ice. The first steps feel completely different from an ordinary trek. There is no ground beneath your feet.
There is ice that has formed over decades, centuries and, in some places, much longer. You can see small cracks, layers of ice, stones transported by the glacier and water flowing across its surface. At the same time, mountain and fjord panoramas stretch out all around you.
This is a place that quickly makes you realize how small a person is compared with the Arctic landscape.
Is Glacier Trekking Safe?
Glacier trekking requires experience and proper assessment of current conditions. We never treat a glacier like a normal hiking trail.
Some crevasses are visible, while others may be hidden beneath snow. In addition, conditions change with temperature, precipitation and the time of the season.
That is why we always adapt the route to the current situation. If conditions are not suitable, we change the plan.
In the Arctic, safety is always more important than completing a specific point on the itinerary.
Why Are Svalbard Glaciers So Impressive?
A photograph of a glacier can be beautiful. However, a photograph does not show its true scale.
Only when the yacht is in front of a huge glacier front, when we hear the ice cracking or when we stand directly on its surface do we begin to understand what a glacier really is.
It is not a dead block of ice. It is a constantly changing part of the Arctic landscape. It moves. It melts. It cracks. It creates rivers. It calves into the sea.
At the same time, it forms an environment around which part of Arctic life is concentrated.
Glaciers as Part of Men of Sea Expeditions
During our expeditions to Svalbard, we want to show glaciers from different perspectives. From the deck of the yacht. From the shore. During a trek. And, if conditions allow, while standing directly on the ice.
Svalbard glaciers are among the greatest symbols of the Arctic.
The opportunity to approach their fronts by yacht, hear the ice breaking away, observe wildlife nearby and walk across the surface of a glacier is one of the most extraordinary experiences of the entire expedition.
It is in moments like these that Svalbard reveals its true scale. And that is exactly why it is so difficult to forget.
Expeditions on Svalbard
