Driving Longyearbyen Road through the realm of the polar bear

Longyearbyen Road is the name of a very scenic drive located in a valley on the shores of the idyllic Adventfjord, in Norway's Svalbard archipelago.

Tucked away in Longyeardalen, the largest settlement and the administrative center of Svalbard, on the shore of Adventfjorden, a bay of Isfjorden on the west coast of Spitsbergen, the road is 27.7 km (17.21 miles) long, running west-east from Bjørndalshytta to EISCAT Svalbard Radar, at an elevation of 548m (1,797ft) above the sea level. The drive offers rich wildlife, arctic nature, and old mining towns. Surrounded by steep mountains and several glaciers, extreme caution is required with the weather. The climate is harsh and unpredictable.

The scenic drive is mostly unpaved, being paved around Longyearbyen, an Arctic town. Known as Longyear City until 1926, it is said to be the world’s northernmost city. The drive is the perfect way to get an overview of the area, known as ‘The realm of the polar bear’. The chances of meeting a polar wolf or a polar bear are far greater than meeting another human being. The polar bears are never far away, so it’s a necessity to carry weapons when you venture outside the settlement. Do not go out the vehicle without being armed against polar bears.
Pic: Jorge Cornish