HIGHLIGHTS
- During
the short summer, wildlife such as reindeer is busy amassing energy for
the icy polar winter
- The
cliffs shimmer with life as every surface is populated with countless
birds - in a few months, the new generation of arctic sea birds is
ready to leave their nests
- The
prolific bird life can be further witnessed in the form of arctic
guillemots, black guillemots and razorbills fishing in the wake of our
ship
- On
several shores, the huge walruses enjoy the short Arctic summer as well
as many whales and seals foraging along the edge of the pack ice and
the coasts
- In
the fleet of Zodiac dinghy boats, we are able to view wildlife at close
proximity
- The
Zodiacs allow us to have frequent shore landings and embark on
exploratory mini cruises in the fjords and glacial landscapes
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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ITINERARY
DAY
1: LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. EMBARKATION
Arrival
to Longyearbyen, Capital of Svalbard – possibly the
northernmost ‘real’ town in the world.
Our
vessel is docked close to the town center. After boarding and a welcome
drink, the Expedition Leader will provide information about the voyage,
the ship's daily routines and the various security and safety
procedures. Before sailing, there will be a mandatory safety drill. The
Captain then takes the ship out of Advent Fjord and our Arctic
adventure commences.
DAY
2: REGNARDNESET AND LILLIEHÖÖK GLACIER
During
the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never
sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the
magnificent Krossfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the middle of the
arctic summer and at this time of year the migrating birds are very
active. The months of June and July offers the best chances of spotting
exotic and fantastic birds. We plan on making a landing during the
morning at Möllerhamna or in another suitable location. The
majestic landscape around Regnardneset in the innermost area of
Krossfjorden give us our first taste of what has enticed the early
explorers of these lands in the far north.
In
the afternoon, we continue further north into the fjord system, and
depending on the ice situation, we may do a Zodiac cruise along the
Lilliehöök Glacier front… or enjoy a
lecture.
With
some arctic luck we will be able to navigate past the magnificent
scenery in the bay of Fjortende Juli, where the glacier Fjortende
Juli-breen calves into the fjord. A fitting end to a day full of scenic
views and arctic wildlife.
DAY
3: FORMER WHALING STATION AT SMEERENBURG AND YTRE NORSKØYA
We
have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a national
park in 1973. The day could begin with a cruise in Danskergattet,
looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from
Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at
Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men
were living – and quite often dying – here in the
heyday of blubber production.
There
are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of
Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on Ytre
Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.
DAY
4: AMAZING BIRDLIFE AT ALKEFJELLET, POLAR DESERT LANDSCAPE AT
TORRELNESSET
In
the morning we arrive and cruise slowly by the famous Alkefjellet. If
the weather is on “our side” we will have a good
view of the steep cliffs. The whole area is home to a dense
congregation of Brünichs guillemots. There is so many of the
birds, that hardly an inch is free. During the summer the breeding
pairs offer a wild view of frantic activity, both along the cliffs and
in the sea in front.
More
wildlife awaits us as we land at the polar desert landscapes of
Torrelnesset. The beach here is home to a host of walruses that lay
amongst each other. They feed on the clams and any other molluscs that
they can find in the shallows of Svalbard’s waters.
DAY
5: CRUISING TOWARDS THE PACK ICE AND SJUØYANE, POLAR BEAR
COUNTRY AT 80 DEGREES AROUND EASTERN SVALBARD
During
the night the ship will steer far north towards the edge of the polar
pack ice. How far north only time and weather will tell, but the main
target for us is just the ‘edge’, possibly at 80
degrees north! This is the kingdom of the polar bear! As the pack ice
retreats during summer, polar bears ride the floes north, as this is
where their prey - the seals - resides. Bears who for unfortunate
reasons do not ‘catch’ the ice moving north, are
stranded on Svalbard all summer, and will have to sustain on berries,
eggs and whatever whale cadavers they can find. A hard life indeed!
During
the day, lectures on polar mammals, environment and/or culture can be
enjoyed on board in the Viking Theater. Should we get into the pack ice
where the sea usually is calm, our captain will cruise slowly between
the floes and look for wildlife.
A
part goal of the day is to also reach the island Nordaustlandet and
hopefully its 7 (or 9, depending on how you count) smaller islands
Sjuøyane in the far north of Svalbard. The almost
vegetation-free, rocky islands are located around 1000 km more
northernly than mainland Norway’s famous Nordkapp.
Weather
permitting, we will land and walk these most northern landmasses. The
high Arctic islands are quite barren, only with moss and lichens
covering the stones. The birdlife is rich in this area and some of the
rarer gulls frequent these islands. So bring your binoculars.
At
the end of the day, we will start cruising towards the Liefdefjord and
its landscapes which we will see tomorrow.
DAY
6: LIEFDE FJORD WITH MONACO GLACIER AND TEXAS BAR
During
the night we head to Wood Fjord and its branch, the Liefde
Fjord. Our plan is to slow cruise along the broad glacier
front of Monacobreen. This gives a unique insight of the glacial forces
and the unlimited forms of icebergs. The ice front is named after
Albert I of Monaco, who was a major sponsor of Svalbard research.
Many
trappers historically hunted and trapped in these areas. Some of them
stayed over the winter and built cabins. The cabin known as Texas Bar
is said to be named after the US state of Texas. This cabin was built
in 1927. We plan to visit the area around the cabin and enjoy the
scenery that surrounds us.
DAY
7: NY ÅLESUND AND NY LONDON
Today
we enter the beautiful Kongs Fjord known for the former mining
settlement and simply being one of the most amazing fjord areas in all
of Svalbard. Our first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This
settlement is in fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE
northernmost town. But… is a group of scientific stations, a
post office and a single shop open for a few hours a real town? You
will have to judge for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific
projects are very interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain
will try to get alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the
area.
On
the opposite side of the fjord we find the abandoned marble mining
settlement Ny London. Its history is short but hectic, as the marble
deposits allowed for an almost Klondike like rush to mine the
resources. Wars and failing financial viability ended the adventure
only 9 years after it started. We take a walk amongst the ruins of
workshops, locomotives and cranes, testament to the great but failed
investments.
After
the visit, we are southbound towards the entrance to the Isfjord. On
our way towards Longyearbyen, we hope to get our last glimpses of
wildlife as well as the truly unique landscapes of Svalbard.
DAY
8: LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. DISEMBARKATION
Early
in the morning the ship has returned to our starting point in
Longyearbyen. After breakfast and farewell greetings to the expedition
team and crew, disembarkation will take place. Transfer is arranged to
the airport.
Please
note that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and ice
conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas, as
for the zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions,
ensuring the safety of all our passengers and staff.
For
this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the entire
trip, our ships have excellent public areas, such as wellness/sauna,
restaurant, bar and a library for our passengers to spend their spare
time. Our ships are staffed by experts in the field who will
also share great lectures along the way, ranging from exploration
history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Charter
flight Oslo-Longyearbyen-Oslo
- 8-day/7-night
cruise in a shared outside/inside double stateroom with private
bathroom/toilet in the category chosen
- English-speaking
expedition team
- Nature
hikes and Zodiac cruises per itinerary
- Guided
walk in Ny Ålesund
- Information
briefings and lectures by expedition team
- Full
board on ship
- Free
coffee, tea and afternoon snacks on the ship
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Taxes,
tariffs and AECO fees
- Special
photo workshop
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Digital
visual journal link after voyage, including voyage log, gallery,
species list and more!
Exclusions
- Hotel
accommodation in Oslo
- Travel
insurance
- Cancellation
insurance
- Extra
excursions and activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Single
room supplement
- Meals
not on board the ship.
- Beverages
(other than coffee and tea).
- Tips
for the crew (we recommend USD 14 per person per day).
- Personal
expenses.
- Anything
not mentioned under 'Price includes'.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Glacier
Trip
- Hiking
- Zodiac
Cruises
