Spitsbergen & Polar Bears

Arrive and transfer to accommodation. Overnight including breakfast.

Enjoy a sightseeing trip in Longyearbyen, ending at the pier where you will join the MS Nordstjernen. Our first stop is the Russian settlement Barentsburg, where there will be opportunities to visit the Pomor Museum (optional) and enjoy a lively folklore show. In the afternoon we continue out the Isfjord and head north along the Prins Karls Forland.

The day will be spent cruising towards the Monaco Glacier, passing a number of small islets where eider ducks nest during the summer. If we are lucky, we may spot a polar bear searching for eggs. If the ice conditions are favourable we will sail past 80° North and towards Moffen, an island often host to walrus.

 This is the largest fjord on the North West coast. We might also visit a large adjacent fjord called Krossfjorden. The landscape varies from large tundra plains to alpine peaks with dramatic glaciers tumbling into the ocean. At the end of the fjord you’ll see the majestic Kongsbreen. Later we call on Ny-Ålesund. Previously a coal-mining community, it now houses an advanced High Arctic research station.

Located in central Spitsbergen, the Isfjord is the most prominent fjord system on Svalbard. We will spend the morning sailing towards Longyearbyen. As we sail into the outer parts of the Isfjord, the landscape changes. Marvel at the large U-shaped valleys, carved out of the mountains by the giant glaciers that covered the area some ten thousand years ago. On arrival in Longyearbyen you have the rest of the day at your disposal. A farewell dinner will be served at the hotel.

Transfer to airport for return flight