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Kongsfjorden

A northwestern fjord with a research settlement and three peaks known as the Three Crowns.

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Typefjord
WhereSpitsbergen
Nearest cityNy-Ålesund
Best seasonJune to September
Time to allowTwo days
Getting thereFlight or boat to Ny-Ålesund from Longyearbyen; access to the settlement is controlled
EntryControlled; expedition ships call

Kongsfjorden runs into the northwest of Spitsbergen with glaciers calving into its head and the three pointed peaks known as Tre Kroner, the Three Crowns, standing above them. Ny-Ålesund on its southern shore is the world's northernmost year-round research settlement, a former mining town now shared by institutes from a dozen countries, and the mast Amundsen and Nobile moored their airships to still stands outside it.

What you actually see

  • The Three Crowns - the three pointed peaks above the fjord head.
  • The calving glaciers - the ice fronts at the inner end of the fjord.
  • Ny-Ålesund - the northernmost year-round research settlement.
  • The airship mast - the mooring tower used by Amundsen and Nobile in the 1920s.

When to go

June to September is the open-water season when ships call. Winter access is by scheduled flight for station personnel only. Midnight sun runs late April to late August.

Honest expectations

Ny-Ålesund is a working research base, not a destination: casual visits are not possible and cruise landings are tightly controlled. Radio silence rules mean phones and wireless devices must be switched off. Weather governs everything.

Nearby

Ny-London is across the fjord, and Northwest Spitsbergen National Park is north.

What to pack for Kongsfjorden

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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