Central Spitsbergen & Aurora by Sailing Ship

Your unique Arctic sailing trip will begin in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Svalbard archipelago, where after having arrived independently you can enjoy a stroll around this former mining town before making your way to the port to embark your ship in the afternoon. After settling in to your historic schooner ship and meeting your new shipmates we will set sail through Isfjorden in the early evening towards Trygghamna. As we sail you may spot the first minke whale of your voyage, and upon arrival in Trygghamna we will stop here for the evening and enjoy our first night on board.

Various flight and land package options are available for transport to and from Longyearbyen, please enquire for full details.

Early this morning we will transfer to shore via Zodiac boat to explore Trygghamna and see the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and 18th-century Pomor hunting station. After a brief exploration of the area we will sail on to the north side of Bellsund to spend 4 days exploring this expansive fjord system which is made up of two major branches: Van Mijenfjord and Van Keulenfjord – and one smaller side bay, Recherchefjord. As with all polar sailing expeditions, itinerary flexibility is the key, and each day your captain and experienced crew will determine the best course to travel in order to provide you with the very best scenic and wildlife observation opportunities. As such, you itinerary over the next few days may be changeable, but there are a number of particular areas we expect to visit.

At the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden we plan to land at Ahlstrandhalvøya to enjoy a walk to see the lush vegetation that is found here owing to the ocean currents which make this area relatively warmer than other areas in the archipelago. Here we will see the piles of beluga skeletons that remain as a haunting reminder of the whale slaughtering that happened here in the 19th century. Thankfully, these magnificent marine animals were not hunted to extinction and we have good chances of coming across a pod here. Recherchefjord is another area of great historical significance and we will visit here to see the highest concentration of historical sites in all of Spitsbergen, ranging from 17th century whaling culture to the mining period of the early 20th century.

As well as visiting areas of historical interest, our sights will be firmly set on observing some of the many polar bears that are commonly sighted here, along with good numbers of beluga whales. Bellsund is also an exceptionally important area in terms of geology and spectacular scenery, and we will have ample opportunity to see some of the region’s most fascinating landscapes including the long and narrow island of Akseløya, which blocks Van Mijenfjord almost completely, and the calving glacier Fridtjovbreen in Fridtjovhamna which is surrounded by picturesque mountains.

After our in-depth exploration of the Bellsund area your ship will begin its return north to Longyearbyen and we will spend 2 days discovering around the fascinating Isfjord system. On our way we hope to make a visit to Barentsburg, the only inhabited Russian settlement in Spitsbergen, to learn all about life so far north, or Colesbukta, an abandoned Russian coal mining settlement. As we sail around the inner reaches of the Isfjord it will soon become apparent that the long winter is setting in. This special sailing is the last Spitsbergen sailing of the season and the reasons for that will soon become clear as the temperatures start to drop dramatically and may reach figures of -10° C depending on how clear the sky is. Sailing at this time of the year you will be able to appreciate the harsh elements’ effect on this vast wilderness as new ice forms constantly at the heads of the fjords and winter slowly takes its hold.

Our arrival back into Longyearbyen signals the end of our exciting Spitsbergen sailing voyage, and after breakfast you will disembark and bid a fond farewell to your expedition team and new-found friends. You may wish to spend some further time here exploring this unique Arctic town or enjoying some of the many extra excursions and activities that are on offer here. Please enquire for details of the land-based activities that we would be happy to arrange for you. Otherwise, it’s sadly time to make your way to the airport for your onward or homeward flights, filled with memories of the adventure of a lifetime.