Svalbard - In the Realm of the Polar Bear

Your trip starts with a flight from Oslo in the evening. Before your flight, enjoy the museums, parks and cafés of the Norwegian capital. On arrival in Longyearbyen, you will set foot in an entirely different world; a tiny town perched on the edge of the Arctic wilderness. Transfer to your hotel and overnight.

NOTE: We recommend you arrive Oslo at least 1 day prior to departure. Flight times to Longyearbyen are not confirmed until closer to travel.

Overnight in a Hotel in Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen adventures
Explore colourful Longyearbyen

After breakfast, it’s time to explore the world's northernmost town, a colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles.

Longyearbyen is perfect for exploring on foot. Stroll down the main street and you might see Svalbard reindeer saunter by. Although wild, they're curious and tame. Admire the polar bear–inspired art or visit the North Pole Expedition Museum.

Before boarding your ship in the afternoon and continuing your Arctic discovery, join an included excursion after lunch, or try an optional electric bike, dogsledding or hiking tour.

Expedition days
Experience pristine Arctic wilderness

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 hunting on the ice. In stunning Kongsfjord, you may see glaciers calving into the sea.

Be ready for adventure; we'll seize any opportunity to launch our kayaks or use our small expedition boats and go ashore to hike or participate in a beach clean up.

Exploring the east
Scouting for polar bears, seabirds and walruses

The frozen seascape of Eastern Svalbard is home to the archipelago’s largest population of polar bears. We have high hopes you’ll see this elusive animal over the next two days. We'll also scout for walrus and colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots and other seabirds in the Hinlopen strait. We may head south to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya.

The daily itinerary will be set by your Expedition Team. They’ll monitor local ice and weather conditions to take you on exhilarating landings, hikes and kayaking tours.

Beautiful Hornsund
Majestic glaciers, rich vegetation and seabirds

As we sail towards the southernmost tip of Spitsbergen, we'll enter 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.

The green patches of land you’ll see here are fertilised by Little Auk colonies. This in turn attracts Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes, so keep your eyes peeled. In the evening, we’ll journey north, past beautiful Bellsund towards Isfjord.

Astonishing Isfjord
Witness living history and ecology

Our Svalbard circumnavigation continues into Isfjord's lush fjord system, where you'll see immense, glacier-carved valleys rich in wildlife, vegetation and human history.

To the north, Alkehornet is home to guillemots, kittiwakes, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. The clear traces of the area’s whaling and hunting past are visible on beaches and in bays. Farther south, we’ll pass the former Isfjord Radio satellite communication station, now one of the world's most beautifully situated hotels.

Our activities today will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Isfjord. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day.

Return to Longyearbyen
A final day on top of the world

Your Arctic adventure comes to an end back in Longyearbyen. You'll return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice and climate change than you arrived with – and memories of an incredible experience.

Before your flight back to Oslo, you'll have time to discover more of Longyearbyen and do a spot of shopping – perhaps a warm Svalbard sweater.

We recommend at least 1-night post-cruise in Oslo. Flight times are not confirmed until closer to travel.

Our unique expedition cruises to some of the most remote and pristine waters of the world. As with all expeditions; nature prevails. Weather, and ice and sea conditions, sets the final framework for all operations. Safety and unparalleled guest experiences are at all times our top priorities. All our indicative itineraries are continuously evaluated for adaptions, whether this is due to constraints the elements unexpectedly presents – or exciting possibilities nature and wildlife offer. That is why we call it an expedition.