Iceland to Jan Mayen & Spitsbergen

Your Arctic cruise will begin in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik where your expedition vessel will be waiting for you. You may wish to arrive a day or 2 early to spend some time exploring this charming and vibrant modern city which offers top restaurants, interesting museums and quirky narrow streets. Embarkation will begin in the afternoon and as you settle in to your cabin and explore your new surroundings we will set sail for Stykkishólmur.

Welcome to West Iceland, otherwise known as “The Sagaland”, where we will find a spectacularly diverse landscape of lava and rock formations, glaciers, volcanic activity and hot and cold springs. We will spend a day exploring here including the town of Stykkishólmur where you can enjoy a gentle stroll through the town or join an optional kayaking, horse riding or hiking excursion to explore more of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. On these excursions you can expect to see the Snæfellsjökull glacier as well as the area’s volcanic craters, black sandy beaches, bird cliffs and spectacular mountains. After an exploration of Stykkishólmur we will take a visit to uninhabited Flatey Island to take a stroll around the scenic village where time appears to stand still, and to see the bountiful colourful puffins that make their home here.

Today we reach the Westfjords, Europe’s westernmost point and one of Iceland’s best-kept secrets. Here we will sail around the tip of the Látrabjarg peninsula to see the Bjargtangar lighthouse and the famous Látrabjarg cliffs. This is an excellent spot for birding with millions of birds of different species creating a hive of activity. From deck we may be able to see razorbills, puffins, northern gannets and guillemots amongst much more.

Today we arrive at the exceptionally scenic natural harbour of Ísafjörður, which is spectacularly flanked on all sides by majestic mountains and is home to the oldest houses in Iceland. Here you can enjoy a wide range of optional excursions including horseback tours and walks through the hills to follow in the footsteps of the trolls. Alternatively you can enjoy a gentle stroll through the area to see the architecture, visit the Maritime Museum or browse the variety of local handicrafts on offer.

This stop will be one for the birders amongst us as we visit the Hornbjarg cliff, one of the greatest sea bird habitats in Iceland. Exploring by small boat we will attempt a landing here to take a hike to get a closer look and see the hundreds of thousands of seabirds that reside here including brünnich and common guillemots, razor bills, fulmars and kittiwakes.

In the afternoon we will cruise to Reykjafjörður to discover this equally stunning area. Here we expect to use the small boats to make a landing for a walk along the pebbly beach to see the shorebirds and beautiful spring flowers.

As we leave mystical Iceland behind we will spend a day at Sea sailing towards Jan Mayen. Whilst at sea you can choose to attend one of the informative and entertaining lectures and talks from your onboard experts covering everything from the wildlife and geology of the area to the history of polar exploration. We also recommend spending some time on deck looking out for seabirds and marine wildlife, or simply relax in the comfort of your ship and recharge for your next adventure.

Today we will reach one of the most isolated places in the world, the unique settlement of Jan Mayen. This volcanic island lies in the middle of the North Atlantic and is home to just 14 people, with visits from tourists exceptionally rare. We will attempt to make a landing here to discover the island’s unique landscape which is dominated by Beerenberg, the northernmost active volcano on earth.

As we sail further north towards Svalbard you will notice a distinct drop in air temperatures as we sail even further into Arctic territory. Your entertaining and informative lecture and presentation programme will continue, along with safety and bio-environmental briefings for your landings in Spitsbergen, and some time on deck should result in multiple seabird sightings.

As we arrive in the pristine wilderness of Svalbard the landscapes will astound and the wildlife will impress as we explore along the beautiful North West corner of Spitsbergen, an exceptionally scenic area scattered with islands, fjords and beaches, and a constantly changing frozen landscape. As with all Arctic expeditions our itinerary will be flexible, with your captain constantly monitoring the weather and ice conditions to establish the best routes to take to make the most of your time here and get the very best wildlife and scenic experiences. Throughout your time here we hope to make multiple landings to bring you up close to what this remarkable area has to offer and one of the highlights will be a visit to Kongsfjorden. Kongsfjorden is considered one of the most beautiful fjord areas in Spitsbergen, with mighty glaciers calving icebergs into the sea, framed by stunning mountain formations, and we hope to go on shore here to visit the former mining settlement of Ny-Ålesund.

We also hope to see the huge Monaco Glacier in Liefdefjord where we will take a Zodiac (small boat) cruise around the area. In the Magdalenafjorden and Gravneset areas we hope to offer the chance for guests to earn their Arctic Swimming Certificate as they take a dip in the frigid Arctic waters. Exciting hiking and kayaking excursions will also be offered as we take advantage of every minute here.

Throughout our time here there will be good chances of observing Polar bears, but like most things in a true wilderness, there are no absolute guarantees. Within the Svalbard archipelago there are over 3000 polar bears, probably the largest concentration on Earth, and they are often spotted on this itinerary, though we will need luck on our side to get a close-range encounter.

Arrival in to the port of Longyearbyen signals the end of our Arctic adventure and sadly it will be time to bid a fond farewell to our expedition team and fellow passengers. After disembarkation you will be transferred to the airport to join your included flight to Oslo. Longyearbyen is the gateway to countless Arctic excursions so should you wish to stay on here for more adventures please feel free to contact us for more details.