Four Arctic Islands

Your Arctic expedition will begin in the Norwegian capital city of Oslo where after arriving independently you can make your way to your hotel close to the airport for your included overnight stay. You may wish to arrive a couple of days early to allow time to sample some of this vibrant city’s many delights.

On the morning of day 2 you will join the transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of Svalbard. Upon arrival there will be some time to explore this unique Arctic town before you board your ship and settle in to your comfortable surroundings. As we set sail you will get fantastic views of the mountainous background and dramatic landscapes of this remote settlement. Your experienced expedition crew will brief you on what’s ahead as you embark on your Arctic adventure.

Please note: A Transfer package including flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen is required for this itinerary and is priced at £500.

Spitsbergen is the largest of the islands in the Svalbard archipelago, teeming with abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery. You will cruise along the glaciers and fjords in search of sightings of polar bear, walrus, reindeer and various whales. Birding here is fantastic with likely sightings of Arctic terns, skuas, long-tailed ducks, kittiwakes, little auks and the rare ivory gull. If conditions are favourable in this northern Arctic wilderness we may be able to sail within 10 degrees of the North Pole!

Over the course of the next four days we will be sailing south through the historic Greenland Sea towards your next stop on this exciting itinerary. Take the time to relax and enjoy the comforts of your expedition ship, watch a movie, sip on a cocktail from the bar or take advantage of the free time and collate the many pictures you will no doubt have taken in Spitsbergen. You can join interesting presentations and talks about the wildlife and history of Greenland, whilst on deck the nature experts onboard can help you to identify the seabirds that follow the ship.

On day 9 we will have reached the location of our next adventure…the wild, mysterious and remote volcanic island of Jan Mayen. This impressive nature reserve deep in the North Atlantic Ocean is in fact so remote that very few people have ever been lucky enough to enjoy an exploration here. Weather permitting, we hope to spend two days here enjoying exciting Zodiac cruises for close-up views of the breathtaking Beerenberg volcano and shore visits in search of the island’s abundant birdlife. The birding enthusiasts among us will be on the lookout for the glaucous gulls, Brünnich’s guillemots, kittiwakes, northern fulmars and little auks that are found in great numbers on this BirdLife International designated Important Bird Area.

Sailing into spectacular Scoresby Sund, the birthplace of many icebergs and the longest fjord system in the world, you will experience the unique beauty of this remarkable area. Enjoying daily Zodiac excursions you will visit several locations on Greenland’s remote eastern coast. Explore the remains of ancient Thule settlements and keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen - 40% of the world’s muskoxen population lives here! We hope to enjoy a visit to the remote community of Ittoqqortoormiit to learn all about the traditional way of life here and will keep our eyes peeled for more polar bear observation opportunities.

Time at sea on the Denmark Strait towards Iceland, the final stop on your journey. Spend these days spotting marine mammals and birds from the observation deck or join interesting presentations and lectures about the history of exploration in the Arctic.

Arrival into Reykjavik will signal the end of our Arctic expedition. You may wish to extend your trip with a stay in this unique city and a transfer can be provided to a central downtown location or to the airport for your onward or homeward flights.