Northern Svalbard Explorer

Your Arctic adventure begins in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of Svalbard. Arrive independently and join the included group sightseeing tour of this unique Arctic town, before heading to the port to board your ship. Embarkation will begin in the late afternoon and you can take the time to settle into your new surroundings as the ship sails out of Isfjorden.

As you awake along the coast of the Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park the sight that will greet you will be the dramatic landscapes of alpine peaks and glacier valleys. Exploring the area by Zodiac you will cruise past spectacular sea-cliffs on a constant look out for reindeer, walrus, Arctic fox and a plethora of seabirds. You will have time to explore some of the region’s calving glaciers such as Smeerenburg on Amsterdam Island and discover the remains of ancient whaling stations at Ytre Norskøya.

The next stop on your northern Svalbard adventure will be northern coast of Nordaustlandet, Svalbard’s second largest island. Nordaustlandet is a rarely visited polar desert which is rich in geological wonders and is home to many roaming polar bears and large colonies of walruses. Exploring by Zodiac we hope to enjoy landings at Sjuøyane (The Seven Isles), the most northerly point of Norway, and the magnificent 40 kilometre fjord at Rijpfjord. As well as exploring by Zodiac you can enjoy relaxing walks across the tundra in search of wildlife like reindeer and even more walruses.

These days will be spent exploring the eastern coast of Nordauslandet and attempting to reach Kvitøya and Storøya, Svalbard’s most easterly islands, with an exciting Zodiac cruise around Karl XII Island on the way. Your time here will be mostly dictated by weather conditions and ice and your captain will choose the best route each day to make the most of all opportunities. The thickening pack-ice as we sail north will often bring sightings of polar bears and walrus as they hunt and haul-out on the ice, and we will keep an eye out for the elusive ivory gulls which are known to frequent the area.

Rounding down the east and south sides of Nordaustlandet your ship will complete its circumnavigation of the island by cruising north through the Hinlopen Strait. As we spend more time exploring around this area you can enjoy a Zodiac cruise under Alkfjellet, where thousands of nesting birds fill the sheer cliffs, and Austfonna, an impressively large ice cap with one of the longest glacier fronts in the northern hemisphere. There will also be time to make landings at Isisøya and Murchisonfjorden, impressively scenic lands steeped in a rich Arctic history.

Returning back along the stunning north-western Spitsbergen coast, we keep an eye on ice and weather conditions and make as many landings as possible. All landings will be dictated by weather conditions but we can expect the opportunity to visit areas such as Woodfjord, Liefdefjord, Krossfjord and Kongsfjord.

A midnight cruise of beautiful Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen, and signals the end of our spectacular voyage. After disembarkation a transfer to the airport for your onward flight will be provided. Or should you wish to spend more time in this unique Arctic town there are many opportunities for extra excursions and adventures.