Your expedition begins with an evening departure from one of Europe’s fastest-growing and vibrant cities, Oslo.  Prior to your flight, you can spend time enjoying this beautiful green capital, exploring the array of vibrant cafés, bars, chic restaurants, museums, art galleries and shops on offer.  You fly to Longyearbyen in the evening, arriving in a completely different world… Welcome to the Arctic!   You will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay in Longyearbyen.

Today you will get to explore the capital of the Svalbard archipelago, joining an inspiring excursion to see the sights of Longyearbyen.  As the world’s northernmost town, you will get a fascinating insight into the culture of the locals who have been drawn to live here in pursuit of an adventurous Arctic lifestyle.  Featuring an art gallery, museum, lots of pubs, restaurants and shops, Longyearbyen offers a cosmopolitan charm.  After enjoying the town, later in the day, you will join your expedition ship ready for a deeper exploration of Spitsbergen.

Today you’ll discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighbouring fjords such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station means we must switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship ‘Norge’. Now a hub for global science and climate research, you can still see remnants of the town’s history.

Over the next three days, you'll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. In this wilderness of steep mountains, stark glaciers and beautiful offshore islands, we’ll scan for animals of the Arctic – whales, seals, walruses and reindeer. If we’re really lucky, we might even see the elusive polar bear from the Observation Deck of the ship. In stunning Kongsfjord, you may see impressive glaciers calving into the sea. 

If conditions allow, we’ll sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship there are great opportunities here for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge photogenically on the sparkling ice.

Be ready for anything as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If sea ice permits, we’ll continue east, exploring the pristine wilderness of northeast Svalbard before heading south in our attempt to fully circumnavigate the archipelago. 

Perhaps we’ll head to the immense Bråsvellbreen glacier to see waterfalls tumbling into the icy depths, or lower our small boats around Kvitøy. Every day in the east will be a new opportunity to look for polar bears roaming the ice. Continuing south, we may head to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya.

Your expedition cruise continues south towards Hornsund – one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords. Rich, colourful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, Mount Hornsundtind, and glaciers calving into the sea. 

Then we head to Bellsund, whose cliffs are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars, along with Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer below. Look out for the early mining settlements here and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper. 

You bid farewell to your newfound friends and expedition family, departing the ship in the morning where you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Oslo.

Secure your space today by calling one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 196 1000