Classic Svalbard

Transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, you can discover the city from the water on a round trip on the Oslofjord (Duration of the excursion: approx. 2 hours). Overnight stay in Oslo.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Longyearbyen. You land in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, located on the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy a stroll through the former mining town. You’ll leave Longyearbyen behind for a dinner and informal lecture in a cozy, authentic cabin. The topic of the evening is polar bears. How much do you know about the King of the Arctic? (Duration of the excursion: approx. 3 hours). Overnight stay in Longyearbyen.

Today you will get to know the surroundings of Longyearbyen on a guided hike. At the head of the valley where Longyearbyen lies, there are two glaciers: Larsbreen and Longyearbreen. Over thousands and thousands of years, Longyearbreen has eroded the mountain beds and pushed out rocks and gravel to create a large moraine. Here one can find 40-60 million year old fossils. (Duration of the excursion: approx. 3 hours). Overnight stay in Longyearbyen.

Many associate dog sledding with winter and freezing temperatures – but the dogs need exercise during the summer months as well! Our custom-built dog sleds on wheels offer a perfect solution for both two and four-legged to get out and enjoy the beautiful Svalbard scenery. (Duration of the excursion: approx. 4 hours). Overnight stay in Longyearbyen.

Enjoy the comfort and efficiency of a guided tour with electric bikes. On this tour, you get to see many of Longyearbyen's attractions while getting close to nature. This is a great tour also for bird enthusiasts, as we will get up close to the summer’s vivid birdlife. Embarkation in the afternoon. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

Heading north along the west coast, you may arrive by morning in Krossfjorden with great views on glacier fronts. 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).

Depending on the weather, you could sail into Liefdefjorden, land at Texas Bar, 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. Another possibility is the mouth of Wijdefjorden with at both sides tundra landscape and a the glacier front of Nordbreen. If ice conditions prevent sailing here early in the season, an alternate route along the west coast of Spitsbergen can be implemented.

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, at Chermsideøya, and Phippsøya 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 at Eolusneset. A nature walk here can bring you close to families of ptarmigans. The opposite side of the fjord at Heclahamna is also a beautiful area for an excursion.

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 Lomfjord 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 in Palanderbukta where reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses are likely sights. Alternatively, at 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.

We will opt to sail against stream through Heleysundet between West Spitsbergen and Barentsøya, when you arrive in a scenery of nearby glaciers like Negribreen. Later in the day we may land at the mouth of the valley Skjolddalen on West Spitsbergen, four kilometers from an Ivory Gull colony. A landing at Diskobukta on Edgeøya, near a canyon with a large Kittiwake colony is also an option. Other landings like at Kvalhovden near mighty glacier fronts are also possible.

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. We may land in Samarinvaagen and Birgerbukta, where we have great opportunities for a long walk.

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, near Vaarsolbukta.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. Disembarkation in Longyearbyen and flight to Oslo. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay in Oslo.

Transfer to the airport.