Iceland, Jan Mayen & Spitsbergen

Having arrived independently to Reykjavik, the vibrant capital of Iceland, you can make your way to the hotel for your included overnight stay. This hotel stay has been included to allow you some time to soak up the sights and sounds of Reykjavik and its nearby geysers, waterfalls and glaciers.

After breakfast at the hotel on day 2 you will have further time to explore before joining your included transfer to the port to board the M/V Sea Spirit. After settling in to your comfortable accommodation and familiarising yourself with the ship, you may wish to make your way out to deck to spot minke and humpback whales as your ship sails out of the picturesque bay. This evening you can enjoy a welcome cocktail and your first dinner on board.

Our first adventure will see us enjoy an expedition day in the beautiful Westfjords area on Iceland’s Northwest coast. This remote area is largely untouched by tourism and holds rare sights that authentically showcase Iceland’s dramatic scenery and culture. Your experienced captain and crew will take advantage of every favourable weather condition to chart a course for discovering the area’s breathtaking coastal fjords, tiny fishing villages and jagged cliffs filled with birdlife.

The following day will bring us to Grimsey, a tiny island which lies exactly on the Arctic Circle. The island plays host to large colonies of Atlantic puffins which make their home among the majestic basalt rocks. After an exploration of the area your ship will cross the Arctic Circle and make its way towards Jan Mayen Island.

This morning the breathtaking landscapes of Jan Mayen Island will come in to view. Home to the Beerenberg, the northernmost subaerial active volcano on the planet, Jan Mayen is wild and uninhabited (apart from some Norwegian weather station employees). During your time here you may be able to take a visit to the weather station or enjoy a spot of birdwatching in search of the Northern fulmars, Kittiwakes, and Brünich’s guillemots that breed on the steep cliffs and slopes of the island.

Today will spent at sea relaxing before your next adventure. Your team of experts and speakers will continue their program of fascinating talks and discussions based around Arctic wildlife, history, and geology and prepare you for the sights that lie ahead in Spitsbergen.

As the awe-inspiring landscapes of Spitsbergen come into view this is where your true High Arctic wilderness experience gets even more exciting. The spectacular fjords, coasts, and islands in the western part of Svalbard are a haven for wildlife and your ship will traverse through these lands in search of the polar bears, Arctic fox, reindeer, walrus, a variety of whales and an abundance of birds that call these lands their home.

This is a true expedition style cruise and as such the route taken will be heavily dependent on ice and weather conditions. Your experienced captain and expedition leaders will decide the itinerary and continually adjust plans as conditions and opportunities warrant. You can be assured that the best possible advantage will be taken to explore as much of this wild and remote corner of the Arctic as possible.

Throughout your time here you will experience the archipelago’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Deep fjords and narrow channels are flanked by jagged snowy mountain peaks and immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters.

Your days will be filled with exciting Zodiac excursions and land visits, and as well as the scenery and wildlife there will also be time to discover the rich history and geological features of the area including the historical remnants of whaling camps, coal mining operations, trappers’ cabins, staging areas for historic attempts to discover the North Pole, and even an abandoned polar research station. We also hope to visit Ny Ålesund which is one of the world’s northernmost settlements and is home to the world’s northernmost post office.

After breakfast you will bid farewell to your shipmates in the town of Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard. A transfer to the airport or to the town center will be provided. You may wish to spend some further time here and if so, be sure to see the excellent Svalbard Museum and take advantage of the quality cultural and dining opportunities in this fascinating Arctic settlement.