Svalbard Through the Lens – Photo Cruise

Your adventure will begin in Oslo, the vibrant capital of Norway, where upon arriving independently you will transfer to the hotel for your included overnight stay. Your hotel will be located close to the airport, and time allowing you may wish to take the 20 minute airport train service to the centre of Oslo to enjoy some city exploration.

The following morning you will join your included flight to Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Svalbard archipelago. You will then be transferred to the port to board the luxury polar vessel M/v Sea Spirit. Make yourself comfortable in your new surroundings as your ship sails into the wilderness through Isfjorden. Spectacular scenery abounds and with virtually 24 hour daylight at this time of year, we can already be on the lookout for marine mammals.

The spectacular fjords, coasts, and islands that form Spitsbergen, Svalbard's largest island, are a haven for wildlife, offering up incredible wildlife photography opportunities, 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. Ice conditions dependent, on this in-depth exploration we will attempt a complete circumnavigation around the entirety of Spitsbergen, as well as an attempt to make land on all four of Svalbard’s main islands. This, however, cannot be guaranteed.

Whichever route is taken, 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, creating stunning backdrops for photography. Various species of seal keep a vigilant watch on the ice floes for the predatory polar bears, reindeers and Arctic foxes roam along the flowering tundra, the waters are often filled with bountiful walruses and a wide variety of whales, and the whole area is simply teeming with migratory birds. Yet it’s the polar bears that are often the bucket-list item, and with a bit of luck you won’t be disappointed in your search for photos of the “King of The Arctic”. We will visit some of the best places in the world to observe polar bears and sail the ship as close to the Polar Ice Cap as possible to see them stalk the frozen sea in search of seals and other prey. A truly unforgettable experience.

Your days will be filled with photo workshops, 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.

Areas we hope to visit and photograph include Hornsund and Bellsund in South Spitsbergen National Park, the wildlife-rich Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve including the islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya, Nordaustlandet which is the second largest island in Svalbard and is home to the huge Austfonna ice cap, the spectacular sea cliffs of Alkefjellet and the Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, the crown jewel of Svalbard’s scenic wonders.

Upon return back into Longyearbyen, you will disembark and transfer to a nearby hotel for an included overnight stay and the chance to explore more of this charming, incredibly isolated Arctic settlement. You will have the chance to join an included guided sightseeing tour which includes visits to the Svalbard Museum and the Art Gallery.

The following morning, a transfer to the airport for your included flight back to Oslo will be provided.