Around Spitsbergen, Realm of Polar Bears & Ice

From Longyearbyen to Longyearbyen
  • All Arctic Cruises
  • Spitsbergen
  • Wildlife and Nature
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Tour Description

A full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, home to whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.

Over 10 days experience some of the highlights of this amazing archipelago in the icy waters of the North Atlantic as we attempt to do a full circumnavigation. 

Spectacular highlights along the way include the huge Fourteenth of July Glacier, as well as Monaco Glacier, and Ny Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth. Other iconic sights include Hinlopen Strait, where reindeer, walruses, ringed seals, and bearded seals all call home. Cruise Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard, explore by zodiac, make shore landing to walk, hike and photograph. Learn about the early history of the area as you visit old trappers huts and former whaling sites. The towering bird cliffs of Alkefjellet will amaze, and their make be the excitement of spotting a beluga whale! 

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole...this area is known for its polar bears and pack ice! 

Viva's Best Bits...

Visit to Alkefjellet, the most well-known bird cliff, where around 60,000 breeding pairs of BrĂĽnnich's guillemots can be found.

The islands of Svalbard are among the top regions in the world for polar bear sightings...along the way encounter other arctic wildlife including walrus, arctic fox, whales, reindeer and more!

Hornsund is one of, if not the, most beautiful fjords to be found in all of Spitsbergen due to the impressive glacier and cliff walls.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Longyearbyen

You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

Day 2
Krossfjorden Ny Alesund

Heading north along the west coast, you arrive by morning in Krossfjorden. Here you might board the Zodiacs for a cruise near the towering blue-white face of the Fourteenth of July Glacier. On the green slopes near the glacier, colorful flowers bloom while flocks of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nest on the cliffs. You have a good chance of spotting an Arctic fox scouting for fallen chicks, or a bearded seal paddling through the fjord.

In the afternoon you sail to Ny Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth. Once a mining village served by the world’s most northerly railway – you can still see its tracks – Ny Ålesund is now a research center. Close to the community is a breeding ground for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese, and Arctic terns. And if you’re interested in the history of Arctic exploration, visit the anchoring mast used by polar explorers Amundsen and Nobile in their airships, Norge (1926) and Italia (1928)

Day 3
Monaco Glacier

Depending on the weather, you could sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of the precipitous Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent sailing here early in the season, an alternate route along the west coast of Spitsbergen can be implemented.

Day 4-5
Seven Islands

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may park for several hours among the pack ice before wheeling around west again.

When the edge of this sea ice is tens of miles north of the Seven Islands (mostly in August), you can spend a second day in this area. Alternatively (mostly in July) you may turn to Sorgfjord, where you have the chance to find a herd of walruses not far from the graves of 17th-century whalers. A nature walk here can bring you close to families of ptarmigans, and the opposite side of the fjord is also a beautiful area for an excursion.

Day 6
Hinlopen

Today you sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded and ringed seals as well as polar bears. At the entrance there is even the possibility to spot blue whales. As with Liefdefjorden, you can take an alternate west Spitsbergen route if ice prevents entry into Hinlopen. After cruising among the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in the Zodiacs, you then view the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with their thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopen Strait, you may attempt a landing where reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses are likely sights. Near Torrelneset you can also visit the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world’s third-largest ice cap. Here you may encounter walruses during a coastline hike over the area’s raised beaches.

Day 7
Barentsøya

The plan is to make landings in Freemansundet, though polar bears sometimes make this impossible. Potential stops on Barentsøya include Sundneset (for an old trapper’s hut), Kapp Waldburg (for its kittiwake colony), and Rindedalen (for a walk across the tundra). You might also cruise south to Diskobukta, though Kapp Lee is more likely your destination. On Kapp Lee is a walrus haul-out, Pomor ruins, and the chance for hikes along Edgeøya.

Day 8
Hornsund

You start the day by cruising the side fjords of the Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, taking in the spire-like peaks: Hornsundtind rises 1,431 meters (4,695 feet), and Bautaen is a perfect illustration of why early Dutch explorers named this island Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains.” There are 14 sizable glaciers in this area as well as opportunities for spotting seals, beluga whales, and polar bears.

Day 9
Bellsund

Today you find yourself in Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation. Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife. A possibility is Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th-century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of rampant exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction, and you have a good chance of coming across a pod. Alternately, while cruising the side fjords of Bellsund, you can explore tundra where reindeer like to feed as well as rock slopes where little auks are breeding.

Day 10
Longyearbyen

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

N.B. The chances that we can complete a full Spitsbergen circumnavigation (based on our experiences from 1992 – 2019) are about 30% in the first half of July, 70% in the second half, 90% in the first half of August, and 95% in the second half. In case we cannot complete a full circumnavigation, we may devise a program in northeast or southeast Spitsbergen. All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.

What’s Included

Accommodation
  • Included Copy 20 9 night aboard the vessel
  • Included Copy 31 Cabin upgrades available
Food
  • Included Copy 20 All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
Fees & Services
  • Included Copy 20 Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
  • Included Copy 20 All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
  • Included Copy 20 Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
  • Included Copy 20 Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
  • Included Copy 20 Transfers and baggage handling between the airport, hotels and ship only for those passengers on the
  • Included Copy 20 All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
  • Included Copy 20 AECO fees and governmental taxes.
  • Included Copy 20 Comprehensive pre-departure material.
  • Included Copy 7 Gratuities, International flights, visa expenses, transfers to & from the vessel outside Spitsbergen
Transportation

MV Plancius

108 Passengers

MV Ortelius

108 Passengers

MV Hondius

176 Passengers

Activities

  • Included Shore excursions & cruising by Zodiac
  • Included Wildlife observation: Arctic fox, walrus, reindeer and polar bears
  • Included Walk and hike in Spitsbergen, discover historic sites and dramatic landscapes
  • Included Attempt a full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen
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Duration

10 days

Price from

$5,400 USD

Per person, twin share

based on a quad cabin

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