Timeline
19:20
Check the route to Esmarkbreen Glacier. This is a 2-3 hour boat trip across the Isfjorden, so plan your departure carefully to arrive before the light changes.
20:15
Find your spot at Esmarkbreen Glacier. The blue ice will be striking against the darkening sky as the day approaches.
20:20
Watch the golden light begin at 20:20. The sun is still technically below the horizon, but the sky fills with color as the light starts.
21:20
Enjoy the view as the sun sets toward the NNW at 23:37. The light will fade slowly into the twilight of the Arctic spring.
Local tip
Since there are no food or drink shops listed for this specific excursion to the glacier, bring your own snacks and a thermos. The journey is the main event.
Check before you go
- The sun does not rise on 15 January, so this plan is only valid for dates after the polar night ends. For April 15, sunrise is at 02:48, but the golden light starts much earlier at 20:20 the previous evening.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Longyearbyen (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).