Norwegian Fjords, Bear Island & Svalbard

The journey begins in the city of Bergen, beautifully surrounded by high mountains and deep fjords. We stay the night at a centrally located hotel.

We embark M/S Stockholm and head towards the beautiful passage of Alversund. During our adventure along the Norwegian coast we hope to visit some of the following places:

Ålesund:
Upon reaching Ålesund we explore this small town, built in a true Art Nouveau style, enjoying its delightfully decorated facades, towers and pinnacles.

Geirangerfjorden:
We get to know the majestic Storfjorden and pay a visit to the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjorden, which is characterised by deep blue water and lush mountain plains with beautiful waterfalls.

Grip:
This deserted fishing village is now popular with summer guests. Its original and colourful wooden buildings are well preserved. We visit the beautiful church and we also pass by the small and very dramatically situated lighthouse.

Torghatten:
On our way north we sail past famous natural attractions like the mountain peaks known as the Seven Sisters, followed by Torghatten – a rock with a big hole, that the ice sheet once created, or according to the legend; the hole a giant created in despair from a broken heart.

Kjerringøy:
Kjerringøy is a real gem on the Norwegian coast. Here we encounter a diverse landscape of mountains, white sandy beaches and small farming communities, but the island is most famous for its old trading post. This is a unique heritage consisting of 15 well-preserved houses, which gives the visitor a great insight into what it was like to live in this northern trading town in the 1800s.

Reine:
We hope to visit the picturesque fishing village of Reine. This charming village, with characteristic wooden houses overlook Kirkefjord with high mountain tops in the background. It is not difficult to see why it was once voted Norway’s most beautiful place.

Nusfjord:
Nusfjord is a well-preserved and authentic fishing community with focus on cod fishing. The village is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list of unique wooden houses with a charming old fashioned shop well worth a visit. We sail further along what is known as the Lofoten wall. In the evening we enter magical Trollfjorden and later set course towards Tromsø.

Tromsø:
In Tromsø we visit the prestigious Polar Museum and learn more about the first polar explorers, who went north to seek fame and fortune. The city is known as Paris of the North, which derives from its vast cultural offerings.

As we leave the spectacular fjords behind we sail across the Barents Sea towards the seldom visited Bear Island

Today we hope to reach this marvellous rocky island, situated in the middle of the Barents Sea. On the 400-meter high cliffs, hundreds of thousands of seabirds are nesting – puffins, guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes among others. As well as a spectacular Zodiac cruise along the impressive bird cliffs we aim to make a landing on this rarely visited island. We then continue our journey and sail over night. Our next destination is Svalbard – one of the world’s most magnificent wildernesses.

It is spring in the Arctic and it is a powerful experience to witness the archipelago spring to life. We enjoy the stunning nature that surrounds us – sparkling ice formations, snow covered mountains and glistering glaciers. We start by exploring parts of Storfjorden and constantly keeping our eyes peeled for the Arctic wildlife. How far in we reach depends on the drift ice that often accumulates here this time of year. We continue towards majestic Hornsund, consisting of several fjords, which glaciers calve out shimmering blue icebergs. It is also a favourite haunt for polar bears. In Bellsund we hope to reach Vårsolbukta, where the little auks nest in tens of thousands.

We arrive in Longyearbyen and begin our journey home.