Svalbard Guidelines (Svalbardvettreglene) – Environment and Safety Guidelines

The local tourist business and the Governor have established a set of Svalbard Guidelines. They describe how visitors should behave.

  • Don’t be an Arctic litterbug! Leave no lasting signs of your visit.
  • Birds and other animals are not to be disturbed. Remember, you are the guest.
  • Help take care of the biodiversity. Do not pick flowers.
  • Leave old cultural remains alone. Law protects all traces of humans from before 1946.
  • It is prohibited to lure, pursue or otherwise seek out polar bears in such a way as to disturb them or expose either bears or humans to danger.
  • Don`t leave settlements without a suitable gun, and experience in using it.
  • Be considerate to others.
  • Contact the Governor’s office (Sysselmannen) if planning a longer field excursion. A mandatory registration applies for travel to large parts of Svalbard.
  • Acquaint yourself with the rules and regulations pertaining to travel and other tourist activities in Svalbard.
  • For the sake of both the environment and yourself, we recommend organized tour arrangements.

It is impossible being an invisible tourist, but we do appreciate your trying.

Governor of Svalbard
sysselmannen.no