East Spitsbergen with Kerry Newell

Your special East Spitsbergen Summer Solstice cruise 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 into your cabin and exploring your new surroundings, the ship will depart in the early evening. As we sail out of Isfjorden we recommend spending some time on deck where you may spot the first minke whale of your voyage following the ship in the waters below.

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

We now start our adventure in earnest as we begin our sail southwards. As with all Arctic expeditions, flexibility in our route will be key, with weather and sea conditions often dictating plans. Each day your highly experienced expedition crew and captain will determine the optimum route for adventures and wildlife observations, with each day bringing new opportunities for exciting Zodiac cruises, shore landings and hikes to magnificent viewpoints.

Our first stop is likely to take us to the magnificent Hornsund area where we will cruise along the side fjords enjoying the scenery of towering spire-like mountain peaks of up to 4,695 feet. This area perfectly demonstrates why the early Dutch explorers that we will have already learned so much about named this island Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains”. Enjoy some time on deck with your cameras in hand as we sail by 14 sizeable glaciers, and we will have a fair chance of encountering seals and polar bears here. The nearby cliffs of Sofiakammen are also home to thousands of pairs of nesting kittiwakes and little auks, and in the evening, we might see thousands of harp seals rutting on ice floes at Sørkapp.

Next up we will navigate through the drift ice of Storfjorden on a lookout for the harp seals that are often spotted here, before landing at the northern bank of Rosenberdalriver on the northwest of Edgeøya Island. Having landed on the raised beach, you will have the opportunity to take a walk to Rosenbergdalen to see the large numbers of reindeer that are often found grazing here.

We then plan to walk to Stretehamna to see a large haul-out of walruses that reside here near a trapper’s cabin built in 1905, passing by a cliff filled with nesting black guillemots on our way. You will also be able to see the remains of a 19th-century Pomor house and the bones of walruses hunted in previous centuries.

We now move on to Freemansundet and the island of Barentsøya where we plan to land at Sundneset to enjoy a walk across the tundra in search of Barnacle Goose and Spitsbergen Reindeer as well as visiting an old trapper's hut. Another highlight today will be a Zodiac cruise to the Freeman glacier where a large Kittiwake colony is found.

Our next stop will take us to Agardhfjellet on the eastern side of West Spitsbergen where some extended walks up to heights of 400m will take us to the breeding places of Ivory gulls and reward with excellent views over the valley which is littered with fossils of Belemnites and Ammonites.

As we make our way back along the south coast of Spitsbergen, our aim will be to land at the mountain of Stellingfjellet, near the largest colony of Brünnich’s guillemots in the archipelago. We will then make our way to the rarely visited bay of Isbukta to make a landing to discover this fascinating and remote area of South Spitsbergen.

The last region on our thrilling Spitsbergen cruise will be Bellsund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. We plan to land at Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden 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. We also hope to take a Zodiac cruise along the side fjords of Bellsund to explore the tundra and search for sightings of reindeer and little auks.

Returning to Longyearbyen marks the conclusion of your thrilling Arctic cruise. Following breakfast, you'll disembark, saying goodbye to your expedition team and newfound friends. You might opt to extend your stay, exploring this distinctive Arctic town or partaking in the additional excursions and activities available. Feel free to inquire about the details of our land-based activities, which we'd be delighted to organise for you. Alternatively, it's time to head to the airport for your onward or homeward flights, carrying cherished memories from this unforgettable adventure.