Expedition Itinerary - Introduction to Spitsbergen

Day 1 - Embarkation Day - Longyearbyen

Before embarking on your voyage, be sure to spend some time exploring Longyearbyen, which has a frontier-town atmosphere.

Day 2 - 7 - Exploring Spitsbergen

This itinerary focuses on a constant search for wildlife. Your expedition will be highlighted by encounters with colonies of rare seabirds, hauled-out walrus and hunting Polar Bears. You’ll explore a large part of western Spitsbergen, which is also home to huge glaciers and impressive fjords.

Weather and ice conditions are highly changeable and thus dictate the daily itinerary of each expedition . We do however have some favorite destinations that we may visit, including 14th of July Glacier, Smeerenburg and Alkhornet. The destinations visited on your voyage will be selected for optimum wildlife viewing and appreciation of the history and geology of Spitsbergen. Polar Bear viewing is almost guaranteed. Coming across a Walrus haul-out is a moment you won’t forget either, these boisterous beasts can eat as much as 110 pounds (50 kilos) of shellfish every day. The Svalbard Reindeer, unique to these islands, is another animal you’ll likely encounter. We often see them grazing near the rugged Alkhornet coastline.

If you’re itching to get a little closer to the action, then hiking amongst the colorful wildflowers found at the 14th of July Glacier is sure to be a highlight. Or, perhaps, the surreal feeling of standing in the presence of the giant Monaco Glacier will help put the scale of the Arctic into perspective.

At Smeerenburg, you can visit a historical site built more than 100 years ago to commemorate the whalers who lost their lives in the 17th and 18th centuries while working in extreme Arctic conditions. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Spitsbergen. Each day you’ll see something new!

Day 8 - Disembarkation Day in Longyearbyen

Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here we'll transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. When travelling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. The above is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this cruise – please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.