Classic Svalbard Expedition

Your Svalbard expedition cruise starts in Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world. In this tiny Arctic city the streets have no names and it’s not unlikely you’ll encounter reindeer crossing the road. But also polar bears are never far away. For this reason you are not allowed to leave Longyearbyen without a guide that’s carrying a rifle. While in Longyearbyen, we recommend you visit the Svalbard Museum which has an interesting collection on the history of Svalbard, the mining industry and polar exploration.

In the afternoon of the first day, you will embark the ship for your expedition cruise along the coast of Svalbard. Leaving Svalbard, the ship will sail through Isfjorden, where you are immediately surrounded by the breathtaking Arctic landscape. The whole area is alive with migratory seabirds, and polar bears, along with other iconic Arctic wildlife, can be spotted at anytime, anywhere in Svalbard.

The expedition team will aim for several excursions each day, either shore landings or zodiac cruises. For example, you might spend time ashore walking amongst the flowering tundra while on the lookout for reindeer and arctic foxes. Zodiac cruises offer a good chance to see puffins and guillemots, nesting in between the cracks on the cliffs along the coast. On any excursion, the guides are available to answer your questions about the Svalbard flora and fauna.

On the southwestern coast of Svalbard we will find Bellsund, a large fjord system consisting of two branches, the Van Mijenfjord and Van Keulenfjord. The landscape here is fascinating. In the middle of Van Mijenfjord you’ll see a long narrow island called Akseløya that almost completely blocks the entrance of the fjord. There are also several glaciers in the area. The Recherchebreen glacier ends at a lagoon which is frozen most of the year, with many icebergs floating around. In Fridtjofhamna you might witness the calving glacier Fridtjofbreen, which is surrounded by steep mountains. In the past we have seen Beluga whales here, and also polar bears are likely to be present anywhere in the Bellsund area.

One of the pristine natural areas which you might visit on this itinerary is South Spitsbergen National Park. The centerpiece of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless mighty glaciers cascade into icy inlets. During your exploration of the area you might encounter fast ice, offering an excellent chance of observing polar bears on the hunt for seals.

On your way north, the ship will likely sail into Kongsfjorden, where you will find Ny Ålesund on the southern coast and the Kronebreen glacier at the end of the inlet. Ny Ålesund is one of Svalbard’s four permanent settlements. This former mining town was also the starting point for several Arctic expeditions by the famous polar explorer Roald Amundsen. There are many cultural and historical remains for you to explore, as well as a museum, post office and gift shop.

Another location situated along the west coast of Svalbard, is Poolepynten, a 1.5 kilometer long headland on the eastern coast of the island Prins Karls Forland. It’s famous for the large number walruses that often come ashore here, making it easy to admire them from relatively close range. It’s a spectacular sight to see these huge animals in their natural environment.

Off the northwestern coast of Svalbard, there’s an uninhabitat island with some remnants of Dutch history. In 1614, the island was occupied by a Dutch group of whalers on a mission to explore the whaling potential around Spitsbergen. They named it Amsterdam Island and founded the settlement Smeerenburg (Blubber Town) where they built ovens to turn blubber into whale oil which was then shipped back to Europe. In its heyday the town consisted of 17 houses and had approximately 200 inhabitants during the summer seasons. Today, pieces of wooden structures and the bases of the blubber pots are all that remains.

You may sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5 kilometer long face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of Kittiwake. As well, polar bears have been seen on the glacier, providing wonderful opportunities for photography.

If the weather and ice conditions are favourable, the ship might make it as far as 80 degrees north!

After breakfast on the last day, you will say goodbeye to the crew and guides and disembark the vessel in Longyearbyen. We advise booking your flights home departing in the afternoon or evening at the earliest.