West Spitsbergen & Bear Island in Luxury

Join your included flight from Paris to Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of Svalbard, where you will transfer to the port to board your luxury expedition vessel. You can settle into your supremely comfortable cabin and familiarise yourself with the ship as we sail out of Longyearbyen surrounded by wonderful scenery and head into the Isfjord as your Arctic adventure begins.

We will spend the day today exploring around the vast Isfjorden, one of the main fjords in Svalbard. Enjoying Zodiac cruises and shore visits, places you may visit include the beautiful Nordenskiöld Glacier, one of the most spectacular glaciers in all of Svalbard. You may also visit the ghost town of Pyramiden for an interesting walk around this abandoned former mining town.

Your next day of adventure will begin with a visit to the former mining town of Ny-Ålesund. Now a scientific base, this small town is home to a museum and what is considered to be the most northernly post office in the world. As you enjoy a walk around, your guides will tell you all about how this area was the departure point for many historical Arctic expeditions, including those of the famous explorer Roald Amundsen.

In nearby Kings Bay in Kongsfjorden, one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard, we will spend some time soaking up the sights of awe-inspiring snow-capped mountains reflecting in the water where superb icebergs try to outdo each other in their beauty. Photo opportunities abound here and we will also be on the lookout for the rich wildlife that is often found here including reindeer, seals, barnacle geese and black guillemots. A visit to the stunning Kongsbreen glacier will be the perfect way to round off your day.

An exciting day of expedition cruising will see your captain sail to the edge of the ice floes that extend towards the North Pole. A Zodiac cruise through these huge floating slabs of ice should make for a memorable experience. With a bit of luck you may spot some Polar bears and seals today as we cruise in style through the Far North.

Continuing our exploration of Spitsbergen’s stunning west coast, we will now spend some time exploring around the Northwest Spitsbergen National Park where the Nunataks, glaciers, islands, large bays, and arctic tundra scattered with moss and lichen in shades of silver and gold provide a spectacular backdrop to Arctic adventures. Enjoying Zodiac cruises and shore visits, you will discover areas of historical importance and discover remnants of historical expeditions and trades of days gone by. We will also be on the lookout for sightings of wildlife including Arctic terns and seals.

Having sailed south along the coast of Spitsbergen, we will now spend three days exploring around the South Spitsbergen National Park area, the largest national park in Europe. During your time here we plan to visit Hornsund, considered “the crown of Arctic Norway”. This stunning area with its impressive glaciers and abundant icebergs will be the perfect introduction to this magical archipelago. You will sail around the fjord between imposing glaciers and carved mountains and may get to enjoy your first Zodiac cruise in the iceberg-strewn waters.

We will also be on the lookout for the Polar bears that are known to frequent this area!

Leaving spectacular Spitsbergen behind, today will be spent at sea sailing south through the western side of the Barents Sea towards Bear Island. This will be the perfect time to relax and enjoy the luxurious facilities on board including the spa, wellness centre, fitness centre, swimming pool and panoramic lounge. You might also choose to spend some time on deck looking for seabirds and whales following the ship.

Today you will enjoy a sail-by of the remote and scenic Bjørnøya (Bear Island), the most southernly island in the Svalbard archipelago. Located around halfway between Norway and Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s largest island, this isolated spot was declared a Nature Reserve in 2002. As we sail as close to the shore as possible you may be able to see why, as huge numbers of seabirds including guillemots, puffins, guls, auks and skuas are likely to be spotted here.

Arrival into Tromsø in Norway, a remote and very picturesque town that is known as the “Gateway to the Arctic”, will signal the end of your Arctic cruise. After breakfast it will be time to disembark and join your included flight back to Paris.