Overview - Introduction to Spitsbergen From $2,690

An Arctic Getaway

Quick vacations to the Arctic are almost impossible. This 8-day Arctic adventure delivers all the thrills of Spitsbergen, Svalbard in the shortest amount of time. See glaciers, wildlife, tundra hikes and historic sites. Watch for polar bears, walrus and reindeer. Marvel at tiny wildflowers and cruise by vast cliffs of seabirds. We have not confirmed our dates and rates for 2011. Please call and let us know you are interested. As soon as the dates and rates are released we will call you.

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Introduction to Spitsbergen Images

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A crumbling trapper's camp recalls days of old.
A crumbling trapper's camp recalls days of old.
Murres Nesting - Spitsbergen is a wildlife refuge.
Longyearbyen
Majestic, magnificent and many-splendoured.

Introduction to Spitsbergen Itinerary

Expedition Summary

Day 1
Longyearbyen - Embarkation Day
Day 2
Alkhornet and Poolepynten
Day 3
Smeerenburg
Day 4
Alkefjellet
Day 5
Monacobreen
Day 6
Raudfjorden Hamiltonbreen
Day 7
14th of July Glacier
Day 8
Longyearbyen - Disembarkation

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Essential Extras

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Introduction to Spitsbergen Route Map

Introduction to Spitsbergen Interactive Map
Phippsoya - Named for English explorer Constantine John Phipps, who commanded bomb vessels on a 1773 expedition.
Ny Alesund - One of the four permanent settlements on the island of Spitsbergen, and home to a research village.
Nordaustlandet - Oft-translated as North East Land, areas not covered by ice cap are home to reindeer and walrus.
Moffen Island - First labeled on a map by Hendrick Doncker in 1655, it is an important haul-out area for walrus.
Longyearbyen - Though tourism is its bread and butter, mining still plays a role in Svalbard’s largest community.
Kvitoya - Home to monument commemorating the three men who died during the Arctic balloon expedition of 1897.
Isfjordin - In the Battle of Kringen, Scottish ships landed here in 1612 after sea routes blocked by the Danish.
Hornsund - Named for a reindeer antler, the English held a monopoly on whaling in the bay until the late 1650s.
Greenland Sea - Northernmost part of the Atlantic, densely inhabited by organisms at base of the oceanic food chain.
Edgeoya - Seldom visited, the third largest island in Svalbard is named after English whaler Thomas Edge.
Barentsoya - Home to many polar bears and named for Dutch explorer Willem Barents (who never saw the island).
Alkhornet - A striking landscape, where birds nest on the bedrock cliff and reindeer graze the lush vegetation.
Alkefjellet - Basalt pillars dwarf cliffs where Thick-billed Murres/Brunnich’s Guillemots nest in the thousands.
Smeerenburg - Served as the center of operations during first intensive phase of the Spitsbergen whale fishery.
Phippsoya Ny Alesund Nordaustlandet Moffen Island Longyearbyen Kvitoya Isfjordin Hornsund Greenland Sea Edgeoya Barentsoya Alkhornet Alkefjellet Smeerenburg

Introduction to Spitsbergen Reviews

Reviews for this expedition

Introduction to Spitsbergen

We were very fortunate to see so much wildlife up close. I say "fortunate" knowing that a big part of the "fortune" was not just luck, but excellent groundwork by the Expedition Team in finding and capturing the opportunities as they arose.

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