Overview - Spitsbergen Explorer

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Wildlife Capital of the Arctic

Choose from two departure dates for this 11-day Arctic adventure, on which you'll cruise halfway round Spitsbergen, largest island in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago. Sometimes called the "wildlife capital of the Arctic," Spitsbergen is home to thousands of rare seabirds, and offers some of the best polar bear and beluga whale sightings in the world. This Spitsbergen Explorer adventure includes frequent shore landings plus an optional kayaking adventure.

Interested in travelling earlier?
Check out Spitsbergen Snowshoeing - June 9 - 19, 2012 starting at $4,590

Book today and receive a $750 Air Credit.

Spitsbergen Explorer Images

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Essential Extras

Add flights and extra nights of adventure to your expedition. Download a free information package.

Extend Your Stay

Spitsbergen Explorer Route Map

Spitsbergen Explorer Interactive Map
Phippsoya - Named for English explorer Constantine John Phipps, who commanded bomb vessels on a 1773 expedition.
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.
Smeerenburg - Served as the center of operations during first intensive phase of the Spitsbergen whale fishery.
Alkefjellet - Basalt pillars dwarf cliffs where Thick-billed Murres/Brunnich’s Guillemots nest in the thousands.
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.
Edgeoya - Seldom visited, the third largest island in Svalbard is named after English whaler Thomas Edge.
Greenland Sea - Northernmost part of the Atlantic, densely inhabited by organisms at base of the oceanic food chain.
Hornsund - Named for a reindeer antler, the English held a monopoly on whaling in the bay until the late 1650s.
Ny Alesund - One of the four permanent settlements on the island of Spitsbergen, and home to a research village.
Phippsoya Nordaustlandet Moffen Island Longyearbyen Kvitoya Isfjordin Smeerenburg Alkefjellet Barentsoya Alkhornet Edgeoya Greenland Sea Hornsund Ny Alesund

Spitsbergen Explorer Reviews