Arctic Odyssey

Welcome to Reykjavík, the world's northernmost capital city! We’ve arranged a hotel accommodation where you can rest after your flight and get ready for our upcoming Arctic adventures. Still have some energy left? Then use this opportunity to explore the city, which offers various points of interest and attractions for visitors. Enjoy the panoramic city view from the Perlan observation deck, the futuristic Hallgrímskirkja church towering over the city, cozy houses with colorful tin roofs, narrow streets, historic relics of the Viking era and breathtaking landscapes surrounding Reykjavik. We bet you’ll fall in love at first sight! Walk along Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, or visit the Whales of Iceland exhibition and the National Museum. For dinner Reykjavík offers countless options to enjoy an authentic Icelandic meal.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

After breakfast at your hotel, the morning is yours to explore the city. Our expedition starts in the afternoon. You’ll be transferred to the pier where our expedition team will offer a warm welcome aboard our comfortable vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled into your spacious cabins and explore the ship — It’ll be your home away from home during the extraordinary adventure to come. After departure, we’ll kick off our adventure with a full schedule of info briefings and introductions from the expedition staff. After a sumptuous dinner, step out onto the open decks to admire the spectacular views as we sail through Faxaflói. And keep your eyes open for whale encounters!

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

From Iceland we head toward East Greenland, crossing the Arctic Circle on the way. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff, as well as our range of onboard recreation facilities, ensure that this day at sea is not idly spent. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks as well as exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

This is expedition cruising at its most authentic. Our itinerary and exploration opportunities in East Greenland are dependent on weather and sea ice conditions. Again you can be sure that our experienced captain and expedition leader will take advantage of every opportunity to experience excellent wildlife viewing, to discover incredible scenery, and to go ashore wherever possible. The Franz Josef Fjord and Kong Oscar Fjord systems are part of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. Scoresby Sund is the largest and longest fjord system in the world. We anticipate exploring these fjord systems to the extent made possible by ever-changing ice conditions. Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by ice-clad peaks up to 2000 meters high, reach far into the mountainous heart of Greenland. On shore, fields of multicolored tundra are home to musk oxen and Arctic hare. The landscape—vast, open, and seemingly untouched since the beginning of time—is a hikers’ paradise. Throughout this area we also find ancient Thule archeological sites, historical trappers’ huts, and modern Inuit hunters’ cabins. The Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit is the only permanent settlement in the region. The community boasts an excellent museum, a gift shop, a post office, an abundance of Greenlandic sled dogs, and of course the opportunity to meet Inuit people. And in late August, there’s a chance to witness the breathtaking Northern Lights! As summer fades, the skies come alive with vibrant colors, offering a magical experience you won’t want to miss.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

East Greenland is one of the world’s most remote and dramatic Arctic regions, defined by towering mountains, vast fjords, and colossal icebergs sculpted by glaciers. Its sparse human population maintains a strong Inuit culture rooted in traditional hunting, art, and legend, offering a unique glimpse into life on the edge of the Arctic world. The wild coastal waters and rugged tundra are rich with Arctic wildlife, from whales and seals to musk oxen and occasional polar bears, against a backdrop of pristine wilderness. Here, the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, and the nearby Northeast Greenland National Park showcase staggering scale and raw natural beauty. Access is limited, making East Greenland a truly remote destination for adventurous explorers and nature lovers.

In Svalbard, the High Arctic wilderness comes alive, offering an authentic expedition experience. Our route and exploration opportunities depend on the ever-changing weather and sea ice conditions. With our skilled captain and expedition leader, we adapt the itinerary to seize the best opportunities presented by Nature in this remote and untamed corner of the Arctic. We anticipate exploring in the northwestern part of the island of Spitsbergen. This area contains the archipelago’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters. Fields of flowering tundra are home to grazing reindeer and playful Arctic fox. Bountiful inshore and offshore waters are home to a wide variety of marine mammals. Polar Bears can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Svalbard. Also in this area is Ny Ålesund, a former mining town that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers, complete with museum, gift shop, and post office. This was also a staging area for historic attempts to discover the North Pole.

A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favorable ice and weather conditions to travel through the northern stretches of Svalbard to points visited by famous polar explorers such as Andrée, Amundsen and Nobile. Destinations might include the narrow waterways and striking mountains of Krossfjord and Raudfjord. The ship may visit the historic settings of Ny Alesund, Ny London or Amsterdamoya. And of course, we hope to see distinctly Arctic wildlife from walrus hauled out in noisy groups on remote shorelines, to reindeer grazing alpine slopes, and from ptarmigan in their camouflaged hiding places, to mighty polar bears striding the shores in search of their next meal.

A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favorable ice and weather conditions to travel through the northern stretches of Svalbard to points visited by famous polar explorers such as Andrée, Amundsen and Nobile. Destinations might include the narrow waterways and striking mountains of Krossfjord and Raudfjord. The ship may visit the historic settings of Ny Alesund, Ny London or Amsterdamoya. And of course, we hope to see distinctly Arctic wildlife from walrus hauled out in noisy groups on remote shorelines, to reindeer grazing alpine slopes, and from ptarmigan in their camouflaged hiding places, to mighty polar bears striding the shores in search of their next meal.

After enjoying one final breakfast buffet on board, we bid you farewell in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard and final destination of our expedition. After disembarkation, a captivating sightseeing tour awaits you, showcasing some of the most interesting locations in the world's northernmost city. We provide transfers to the airport or to the town center in case you plan to stay longer in Svalbard.

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.