National park · Norway
Forlandet National ParkForlandet nasjonalpark
There is no fee and no trail network: Forlandet is a boat-and-zodiac park off Svalbard's west coast, worth a landing only on a licensed expedition in Jun–Aug; skip it as a do-it-yourself day trip.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
616 km² (238 sq mi)238 sq mi (616 km²)
approximate
Established
1973
Best months
Jun–Aug
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Nordic countries ↗Decide light or dark before anything else: summer trips (June–August) and aurora trips (September–March in the Arctic) need different countries, clothes and bases.
- Nordic countries ↗Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroes sell stronger alcohol only in state shops with short hours; buy before evening and before Sundays and holidays.
- Norway ↗Norway is not in the EU but is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources.
- Norway ↗Wine and spirits are sold only at the state Vinmonopolet shops; supermarkets sell beer, and not in the evenings or on Sundays.
- Norway ↗The right to roam (allemannsretten) lets you hike and camp on most uncultivated land, keeping a distance from homes and leaving no trace.
- Svalbard ↗Outside settlements you must carry a rifle and know how to use it; most visitors join guided groups instead.
- Svalbard ↗Svalbard has no border controls, but all scheduled flights leave from mainland Norway, so you pass Norwegian immigration first.
- Svalbard ↗All man-made objects older than 1946 are protected; do not move or take artefacts.
At a glance
- Country
- Norway
- Area
- 616 km² (238 sq mi)238 sq mi (616 km²)
- Land plus sea; figures vary by source and boundary revision (check).
- Established
- 1973
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Longyearbyen
Forlandet National Park protects Prins Karls Forland, a long, narrow island west of Spitsbergen, plus the sea and skerries around it. The island is split by Forlandssletta, a flat beach plain, with pointed alpine peaks and glaciers on either side. It holds the world's northernmost harbour seal population and the northernmost breeding guillemots, and two bird sanctuaries sit inside the boundary. There are no roads, no trails, no lodging and no designated campsites. Access is by expedition ship or chartered boat from Longyearbyen, and landings are regulated. Treat it as a wildlife-and-landscape stop on a Svalbard voyage, not a park you walk into.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- Ramsar wetlandForlandsøyane bird sanctuary is a Ramsar wetland (check).
Size and age
616 km² (238 sq mi)238 sq mi (616 km²) · national park since 1973
Land plus sea; figures vary by source and boundary revision (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Longyearbyen.
Why go
- The world's northernmost harbour seal population, hauled out on the skerries.
- Bird cliffs with guillemots, eider ducks and geese, including the Forlandsøyane and Plankeholmane sanctuaries.
- A beach plain, Forlandssletta, between alpine peaks and steep glaciers that reach the sea.
- Calm west-coast water on days when the exposed crossings further north are closed.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarAvoid
- AprAvoid
- MayCaution
- JunBest
- JulBest
- AugBest
- SepCaution
- OctAvoid
- NovAvoid
- DecAvoid
- JanPolar night; no landings
- FebDark, frozen; ships not running
- MarIce and dark; no landings
- AprStill winter conditions at this latitude
- MaySeason starts; ice and weather can block landings
- JunMidnight sun; birds nesting; landings possible
- JulWarmest and clearest; peak expedition season
- AugGood light; some birds already leaving
- SepSeason winding down; storms more likely
- OctDark returning; no scheduled boats
- NovPolar night approaching
- DecPolar night; no access
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour sealsJun–Aug · World's northernmost population; pupping and haul-out areas are sensitive. | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| Guillemots on the bird cliffsJun–Jul · World's northernmost breeding population. | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no |
| Eider ducks and geeseJun–Aug · Nesting on Forlandsøyane and Plankeholmane; landing closed in the season (check). | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| Polar bearsAll year · Possible anywhere on Svalbard at any time; landings are armed-guide territory. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Longyearbyen
Expedition ship or chartered boat north along the west coast; no road or scheduled ferry reaches the island.
1–2 days by ship
Open the page →
From Svalbard planning
Where to sleep, when to come and how the seasons work.
Open the page →
From Norway
Flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo or Tromsø, then a ship.
3 h flight from Oslo
Open the page →
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Prins Karls Forland | The long island itself: alpine peaks, glaciers and the Forlandssletta beach plain. | Landings only with a permitted operator; no trails. |
| Forlandsøyane bird sanctuary | Three small islands off the coast with nesting eider ducks and geese. | Closed to landing in the nesting season (check). |
| Plankeholmane bird sanctuary | Skerries with large nesting bird populations. | No landing; viewed from the water. |
| Marine zone | The sea and skerries inside the boundary, used by harbour seals and seabirds. | Boat traffic only; keep distance from haul-outs. |
Sketch map
- 1Prins Karls Forland (island centre) · Summit≈78.550, 11.117Approximate; the island runs roughly north–south.Map ↗
- 2Forlandsletta beach plain · Beach≈78.600, 11.200Approximate.Map ↗
- 3Forlandsøyane bird sanctuary · Beach≈78.336, 11.580Approximate; three small islands off the coast.Map ↗
- 4Longyearbyen · Town≈78.223, 15.647Approximate; the nearest base and airport.Map ↗
Take the points offline
4 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions for orientation only; the island is long and narrow and there are no marked points on the ground.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry | Free | person | No entrance fee; the park has no gate or ticket. |
| Expedition cruise from Longyearbyen (multi-day, per person) | NOK 20,000–60,000 (≈ US$2,000–6,000) | person | 2026 estimate; varies widely by ship, cabin and trip length. |
| Chartered boat day trip from Longyearbyen | NOK 15,000–30,000 (≈ US$1,500–3,000) | person | 2026 estimate; weather-dependent and not always offered (check). |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Landing permission permit or guide
Independent travel to the park permit or guide
Forlandsøyane bird sanctuary permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- NOK 20,000–60,000≈ US$2,000–6,000
- NOK 15,000–30,000≈ US$1,500–3,000
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on Norwegian Environment Agency — Forlandet National Park before you go.
Park rules
- No entrance fee, no gate
- The park has no ticket, no visitor centre and no staffed entrance; costs are the ship or charter that gets you there.
- Landings are regulated
- Protected-area landings need permission; on expedition ships the operator holds it and controls where you go ashore.
- Bird sanctuaries
- Forlandsøyane and Plankeholmane are closed to landing in the nesting season; view from the water (check).check
- Wildlife distance
- Do not approach seals, birds or polar bears; keep to the distance your guide sets and stay in the group.
- No camping or lodging
- There are no designated campsites and no buildings for visitors in the park.
- Leave no trace
- Carry everything back to the ship; nothing is collected on shore.
Where to stay
Near the park
Longyearbyen
Hotels, guesthouses and hostels; the only practical base before and after a voyage.
Near the park
Expedition ship cabin
Most visitors sleep on board; there is no accommodation in the park.
Safety
Polar bears high
Cold water and hypothermia high
Weather and ice medium
No rescue nearby high
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- Zodiac landings require stepping down into a moving boat and walking on uneven gravel; not suitable for limited mobility.
- Passengers who stay on board still get the cliff and glacier views from the ship.
Visiting lightly
- Book operators that hold Svalbard landing permits and follow the Governor's wildlife distances.
- Keep well clear of seal haul-outs and nesting colonies; a flushed colony can lose its eggs to gulls.
- Do not collect eggs, plants or rocks; everything here is protected.
- Offset or accept the flight to Longyearbyen as the main carbon cost of the trip.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Forlandet National Park?
Nothing. There is no entrance fee, gate or ticket. Your cost is the expedition ship or chartered boat from Longyearbyen, roughly 20,000–60,000 NOK per person for a multi-day voyage in 2026.
What are the best hikes in Forlandet National Park?
There are no maintained trails. Walks are short shore landings with a guide, usually on the Forlandssletta beach plain or a gravel shore, and they depend on weather, ice and permits. The best walking on Svalbard is around Longyearbyen and in the other national parks.
When is the best time to visit Forlandet National Park?
June to August, when the midnight sun is up, the sea is open and expedition ships run. July is usually the clearest. Outside that window there is no practical access, and from late October to February it is polar night.
Can I visit Forlandet on my own?
Not realistically. There is no road, ferry or airstrip. Independent travel needs your own vessel, a permit for protected-area landings and search-and-rescue insurance; almost everyone arrives on a licensed expedition ship.
What will I see?
Harbour seals, guillemots, eider ducks and geese, steep glaciers reaching the sea and pointed alpine peaks. Polar bears can appear anywhere on Svalbard, which is why landings are guided.
Is there anywhere to stay or camp?
No. There is no lodging and no designated camping area in the park. Sleep on the ship or in Longyearbyen.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go