After the Spitsbergen Marathon: Pyramiden

The Route: Longyearbyen → Pyramiden → Longyearbyen Logistics: A guided summer boat trip. The excursion typically takes 8 to 12 hours including travel. Guided tours are required for safety and for access to buildings. Marathon Month: June Duration: Day trip

Longyearbyen ──(boat in summer)──> Pyramiden ──(boat)──> Longyearbyen

Pyramiden is a former Soviet mining town that Visit Svalbard describes as a ghost town. Milehacker says it is reachable by boat in summer and by snowmobile in winter, and that guided tours are required for safety and for access to buildings. Do not try to reach it independently. The trip is a long day, so it suits someone whose legs have recovered. Book a boat that you can cancel if you wake feeling the race.

June at 78° north: polar summer runs from 17 May to 30 September, and the sun does not set. The sea can be rough and cold even when the shore looks calm, so pack a windproof shell, a hat and gloves for the deck. Check the operator for the sailing, the price and the cancellation terms.

What to expect

The excursion is typically 8 to 12 hours including the boat. The travel site lists an abandoned hotel and cultural centre, the northernmost Lenin statue and preserved Soviet-era architecture. The settlement is empty of residents and the guide controls how far you can walk, which suits tired legs.

Practicalities

Take food and water, because no information was found about supplies in Pyramiden. Boat tours may also pass glaciers and wildlife, although no sighting is guaranteed. Dress for a long day outside and keep a spare dry top.

Back in Longyearbyen

The boat returns to the settlement. Hotel restaurants make the simplest dinner, and tables should be booked in advance.