Pyramiden on Billefjorden

5 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Pyramiden lies on the west side of Billefjorden, a northeastern arm of Isfjorden, about 110 km north-northeast of Longyearbyen according to Store norske leksikon. The figure describes the position, not a travel route; boats follow the fjords, and snowmobiles cross valleys and glaciers. The settlement takes its name from the pyramid-shaped mountain behind it.

A short history

A Swedish expedition was the first to claim the area, in 1910. After several years of test drilling it was sold to a Soviet mining company in the 1920s; the encyclopaedia gives 1926 and Visit Svalbard 1927. Coal was mined here for decades, and until then around 600 people, Russians and Ukrainians, spent the winter in the town. In 1998 Pyramiden was abandoned at short notice.

Pyramiden and Barentsburg are both run by Trust Arktikugol, a Russian state-owned company. Statistics Norway counts the two places together, with 392 residents on 1 January 2026.

What you see in Pyramiden

The buildings were left as they were. Visit Svalbard lists the petrol station, the greenhouse, the school, the kindergarten, a hotel and a restaurant, and in the centre the bust of Lenin still stands. From the settlement you look across the water to Nordenskiöldbreen, the glacier at the head of Billefjorden. Arctic foxes and seabirds are common, and polar bears can appear here as anywhere in Svalbard.

The former Hotel Tulipan reopened in 2013 and now trades as Pyramiden Hotell. According to Store norske leksikon it opens from March to October.

Visiting today

An extraordinary general meeting of Visit Svalbard decided to remove from its own platforms all products with a connection to the Russian state-owned companies in Svalbard. Visit Svalbard currently does not market trips to Pyramiden or Barentsburg, and says it is uncertain how long this will last. Visit Svalbard points instead to boat trips to Nordenskiöldbreen that sail past Pyramiden, so you see the settlement from the water.

The tours on this page include time ashore; the boat day and the snowmobile tour add a guided walk through the settlement. Some reviews say the booking did not make clear who runs the trip, so read the operator details in the tour description before you book.

By boat in summer

The summer day trip is listed at nine hours, with pickup from your accommodation in Longyearbyen. You get a dry suit and safety gear and travel in an open RIB, first to Skansbukta for a short landing, then to Pyramiden around midday with lunch in the restaurant and a long walk through the settlement, and finally to the Nordenskiöld glacier before the ride back. Search and rescue insurance is included.

Reviews are mostly positive, with recurring points to weigh. Several guests found about three hours in Pyramiden too long and the glacier stop too short, and at least one trip skipped the glacier. One reviewer reports close to twelve hours in total. The ride back can be hard on knees and backs, and the tour is not suitable for children under 12, people over 75 or anyone with back problems. Reviews date from June to September.

A longer option is the eight-day expedition yacht. It sails from Isfjorden into Sassen- and Tempelfjorden, Billefjorden with a landing in Pyramiden, Nordenskiöldbreen, Skansbukta, Nordfjorden, Borebukta for walruses, Esmarkbreen and Trygghamna, without a fixed itinerary. Guests sleep in two- or three-person cabins. Full board and the transfer to the marina are not included, and check-in starts at 16:00. Since 2025, landings for tourist activities in most protected areas may only take place at mapped sites and together with a guide.

By snowmobile in winter

In winter Pyramiden is reached only on a three-day snowmobile tour. Day one runs through Adventdalen and Sassendalen and over Nordenskiöldbreen to Pyramiden, with a field lunch on the way. Day two brings a guided walk and a ride in the surroundings, and on day three you return over Lomonosovfonna. Snowmobile, fuel, winter overalls, boots, gloves and helmet are provided, along with search and rescue insurance. Rooms in the Pyramiden hotel and restaurant meals are paid separately on site by card.

The tour has no reviews yet. You need a driving licence, and the operator excludes under-18s, pregnant women and people with back problems or motion sickness. Shorter rides are described on the page about snowmobile tours from Longyearbyen.

Pyramiden or Barentsburg

Barentsburg is closer to Longyearbyen, still has an active coal mine and a resident population, and can be reached by boat in summer or on a one-day snowmobile tour in winter. Pyramiden is the empty town, further into the fjords and close to a large glacier. The Barentsburg page covers the other settlement, and boat trips from Longyearbyen lists the summer routes on Isfjorden.