Poolepynten, Svalbard | Home of the Walrus
Poolepynten stretches 1.5 kilometres along the eastern coast of Prins Karls Forland and is one of Svalbard’s most famous walrus haul-out sites. Named after British whaler Jonas Poole, who explored the area in 1610 aboard the Amity, this headland now represents one of the Arctic’s great wildlife recovery stories.
What draws expedition vessels here today isn't whaling history but rather the spectacular walrus haul-outs that have made this beach famous throughout the Arctic.
Where is Poolepynten
Poolepynten sits on the long island of Prins Karls Forland, just outside Isfjorden within the strait of Forlandsundet. It's accessible on day trips from Longyearbyen, though the boat ride requires commitment. The headland falls within Forlandet National Park's protected boundaries, offering pristine habitat for the marine mammals and seabirds that congregate here during the brief Arctic summer.
Beaches covered in driftwood logs that have travelled across the Arctic Ocean from Siberia line the shore, while a lagoon behind the main beach attracts wading birds including purple sandpipers, red phalaropes, and red-throated loons. Arctic terns nest aggressively throughout the area, dive-bombing anyone who ventures too close to their territories.
Poolepynten's spectacular walruses
The walrus colony at Poolepynten is what sets this location apart. Most individuals here are young males, forming bachelor groups that rest between feeding dives offshore. These massive pinnipeds, reaching lengths up to 4 metres and weights approaching 1,700 kilograms, haul out on the sandy beaches in impressive numbers. Their thick, 3.5-centimetre skin protects them from the cold as they bask between feeding sessions that can consume up to 50 kilograms of clams daily.
For roughly 300 years, walruses were hunted relentlessly on Svalbard for meat and their distinctive tusks, which average 50 centimetres in length.
By 1952, when protection finally arrived, only about 100 individuals remained in these waters. Today, the Svalbard population numbers in the thousands, a remarkable recovery from near-extirpation in the early 20th century.
What makes this haul-out extraordinary is the walruses' tolerance of human presence. They're so accustomed to visitors that individuals swimming along the shore sometimes approach for a closer look at the strange creatures in Zodiacs. Landings are conducted under strict guidelines, with careful approach distances that ensure the walruses remain undisturbed. From a respectful distance, you can observe their interactions, hear their deep bellows, and occasionally catch the unmistakable scent that drifts across the beach.
Don't let their lazy appearance fool you. Beneath those massive bodies lie vigilant warriors ready to defend themselves and their neighbours at a moment's notice. Polar bears occasionally attack these colonies, and the outcome isn't always in the bear's favour. If you cross into their safety zone, the herd leader will make the boundaries very clear.
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour
78°13’N, 15°38’E
Landscape photographers adore Svalbard in the early season, when puzzle-piece sea ice and snow-enrobed shorelines glow under pastel sunrises and sunsets.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Head north with world-renowned photographer and tutor Randy Hanna, capturing the frozen Arctic landscape of Svalbard in the spring.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
A frozen fairytale of iceberg-strewn fjords, snowy peaks, and puzzle-piece sea ice – as animals take their first steps following winter.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 10 days
Svalbard Summer Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set sail in summer, when Svalbard blooms with life, the best time to spot wildlife in Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Solstice Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Our longest photo tour sails when the midnight sun is at its zenith, providing 24-hour photo opportunities in the company of your pro photographer guide.
- 12 guests
- 10 — 12 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north to photograph Svalbard as summer sweeps across the archipelago and the Arctic bursts into life.
- guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Paul Goldstein is a nature-photography heavyweight, a go-hard, all-hours maestro – and the perfect guide to take your wildlife photography up a gear (or 10) in Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Explore summertime Svalbard with nature photographer Randy Hanna, capturing intimate shots of wildlife in their stunning Arctic habitat.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Circumnavigation Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
The big one. As the sea opens up under the midnight sun, take the unique opportunity to circumnavigate Svalbard, Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Svalbard and Greenland Summer Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E & 76°50'N, 23°10'W
The ultimate Arctic experience – a unique two-week adventure into Svalbard and the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park.
- 12 guests
- 14 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Wildlife and landscape photographers rush to catch Svalbard at this unique part of the year, when languorous sunrises and sunsets paint the scenery in autumnal colours and far-flung destinations like Austfonna are still within reach.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 12 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set off on a late-season adventure, when sunsets and sunrises cast spellbinding colours the archipelago, and capture the meltwater waterfalls of the Austfonna ice cap with top polar photographer Virgil Reglioni.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Experience it for yourself on an expedition micro cruise
Poolepynten delivers the kind of intimate wildlife encounter that defines genuine Arctic expedition travel, and our micro cruises to Svalbard are built around these moments. During the ice-free summer months, when walruses haul out in greater numbers, conditions are often ideal for visiting this iconic site.
With a maximum of 12 guests aboard, you'll have space at the rail as we approach the haul-out, time with expert guides who know walrus behaviour intimately, and genuine flexibility to extend your landing when the colony is particularly active.
Your guides will position you safely for photography and observation, respecting the walruses' boundaries while getting you close enough to watch their interactions, hear their bellows and grunts, and witness these magnificent animals in their natural element. This is why you travel to the Arctic, and this is how it should be experienced.
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