Circumnavigating Svalbard

Our expedition begins with your arrival to Norway's capital Oslo, often referred to as "the blue, the green and the city in between". Forests, lakes, hills and a fjord surrounds this city. Downtown you will find unique architecture, a thriving cafe and bar culture, top-notch restaurants, endless shopping possibilities, and a large, visible immigrant community who add their own colourful touch to the city. For those that arrive earlier, can explore this vibrant city, before we leave late in the evening to head for the High Arctic - Svalbard via our chartered flights. The Svalbard Islands are located in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Norway and the North Pole. In the midst of this mighty wilderness is the Norwegian settlement of Longyearbyen, still lit from the brightness of the midnight sun, as we arrive at the airport. We transfer you to your respective hotels for an overnight.

After a delicious lunch, you can join an exciting excursion in unique Longyearbyen and the surrounding area. Here, the Arctic environment dominates, but the town maintains a surprisingly cosmopolitan character. Longyearbyen is often called an antidote to modern-day life and today serves as a prime destination for adventure travelers. Enjoy this remarkable place before boarding your ship MS Spitsbergen late in the afternoon.

The North West Corner is scattered with islands, fjords and beaches. The ocean here can be full of drifting ice especially in the early season and the frozen landscape changes constantly. Due to strong winds and currents, the Captain monitors conditions closely before deciding where we can land or sail. This is why all our itineraries are flexible; we work with the elements, not against them, and safety is our first priority. If we are able to land, this area is excellent for exploring Svalbard’s history. You will have the chance to see the remnants of ancient blubber ovens used to render whale oil. We might visit Kongsfjord, considered one of the most beautiful fjord areas in Spitsbergen, with mighty glaciers calving icebergs into the sea, framed by stunning mountain formations. On the shore of Kongsfjord is the former mining settlement of Ny-Ålesund, now an international centre for research, with a picturesque mix of old and new buildings. In the Magdalenafjorden and Gravneset areas, you may have the chance to actually swim and earn a rare arctic swimming certificate. There will also be exciting hiking and scenic kayaking opportunities, featuring the nearby Gully Glacier. We may also get to see the enormous Monaco Glacier in Liefdefjord, and enjoy a chance to cruise in small boats. It would be peak summers in the Svalbard Archipelago, when polar bears would still be trekking along the coast’s drifting ice on the hunt for seals. With a bit of luck, we hope to spot one or more of these top predators in the national park. During these two days of exploration, the expedition leader will coordinate with the captain, and determine what activities are most suitable for the site and day.

Eastern Svalbard boasts the highest population of polar bears on the archipelago – we have high hopes of seeing one on this journey! If conditions allow we will aim to sail across 80º N,all the way to Isflakbukta on Phippsøya, part of Sjuøyane (Seven Islands), which are located at the far north of the Svalbard archipelago. Thousands upon thousands of seabirds mate here, while walrus dive for clams in the bays. On expedition days when the water is calm, and ice conditions are in favour, our expedition team often finds themselves leading the way to hikes, kayaking and more! We also aim to cruise in Sorgfjorden, which borders the North East Spitsbergen Nature Reserve, and was the site of a famous 17th-century battle between whalers, featuring amazing wildlife spotting opportunities for walrus and birdlife. If the weather is favourable here, we can hike in beautiful Eolsneset or enjoy tender boat cruising in the Hinlopen Strait area. Another part of our journey may be a visit to Torellneset, which is an excellent place to spot walruses sunning themselves on the flat beach. We continue on to Edgeøya, the third-largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. On its western shores, the landscape is largely un-glaciated, unlike most other places on the east side of Spitsbergen. Kapp Lee is a wonderful site where you will find cultural heritage from all eras of human exploration of Svalbard, if our captain and expedition leader find favourable opportuninites to land here.

We make our way to the southern cape and the southernmost tip of Spitsbergen, where Hornsund hosts a wonderfully varied landscape and geology. Ice being pushed into the fjord early in the season attracts polar bears that hunt on the floes, so with a bit of luck, we may spot some of these magnificent predators.

We will spend the day exploring the Isfjord, the most prominent fjord system on Svalbard. In the inner parts of Isfjorden, the landscape changes constantly. The immense U-shaped valleys, carved out of the mountains by the giant glaciers that covered the area some ten thousand years ago, are home to large populations of Svalbard Reindeer. If conditions seem favourable, we will attempt to hike in Skansebukta.

Every good explorer's voyage comes to an end. You will probably sense that time has passed faster than expected. Many report a subtle exhilaration due to having taken a journey to the very top of the globe, just a few hundred miles from the Geographical North Pole. The transfer vehicle takes you late in the night to the airport for your flight back to Oslo . You arrive Oslo early in the morning.