Spitsbergen Circumnavigation

Day 1

Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

Your Arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.

Day 2

Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Embark

This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement. As your ship sets sail, enjoy your first view of the island’s rugged, glacier-topped mountains rising majestically from frigid waters.

Day 3 to 13

Exploring Spitsbergen

Expect a new adventure every day as we begin our journey by heading north and around the island of Spitsbergen, exploring smaller, outlying islands. We plan to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, but if conditions are favorable, we will also attempt a larger circumnavigation of the archipelago, including many of the outer islands in the Svalbard archipelago. Every expedition will be different, depending on the weather and ice, but some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Ny-London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya.

These names may seem strange to you, but each site has its own unique appeal. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Spitsbergen, where colorful tundra meadows are complemented by immense glaciers. For birders, 14th of July Bay is home to puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese, and barnacle geese, while Alkefjellet’s cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres).

Always on the lookout for wildlife, be sure to have your camera ready to capture reindeer when we visit sites like Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet. Searching for the iconic polar bear is a constant activity for your Expedition Team. Phippsøya and Isbukta are often home to sea ice, the bears’ preferred habitat for hunting, which translates into great potential for you to view and capture them in action.

A big part of appreciating Spitsbergen comes from understanding the history—not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored. Whaling was a key industry, and you will see remains of outposts from the 16th century, plus other evidence of whaling at landing sites such as Smeerenburg.

Day 14

Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki

Your adventure ends in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the transfer package.

Day 15

Onward Flight Home

After breakfast, you can make your way to the airport for your onward flight home, or stay to explore Finland’s culturally-rich capital on your own if you’ve made prior arrangements.

Day 1

Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

Arrive in the Finnish capital and make your way to the group hotel located right at Helsinki airport. You will have the rest of the day to explore explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District. If you do plan to see Helsinki city center there is convenient rail service. Allow 40 minutes for the transfer.

Day 2

Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and embark

This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement. As your ship sets sail, enjoy your first view of the island’s rugged, glaciertopped mountains rising majestically from frigid waters.

Day 3 to 13

Exploring Svalbard

Expect a new adventure every day as we begin our journey by heading north and around the island of Spitsbergen, exploring smaller, outlying islands. We plan to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, but if conditions are favorable, we will also attempt a larger circumnavigation of the archipelago, including many of the outer islands in Svalbard. Every expedition will be different, depending on the weather and ice, but some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, NyLondon, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya. These names may seem strange to you, but each site has its own unique appeal. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Svalbard, where colorful tundra meadows are complemented by immense glaciers. For birders, 14th of July Bay is home to puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese, and barnacle geese, while Alkefjellet’s cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots (thickbilled murres). Always on the lookout for wildlife, be sure to have your camera ready to capture reindeer when we visit sites like Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet. Phippsøya and Isbukta are often home to sea ice, the polar bear’s preferred habitat for hunting, which translates into great potential for you to view and capture them in action. A big part of appreciating Svalbard comes from understanding the history—not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored. Whaling was a key industry, and you will see remains of outposts from the 16th century, plus other evidence of whaling at landing sites such as Smeerenburg.

Day 14

Disembark in Longyearbyen and fly to Helsinki

Your adventure ends in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the Charter Flight & Hotel Package. Upon arrival in Helsinki, you’ll transfer to your included hotel for the night.

Day 15

Onward flight home

After breakfast, you can make your way to the airport for your onward f light home, or stay to explore Finland’s culturally-rich capital on your own if you’ve made prior arrangements.

Day 1

Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

Arrive in the Finnish capital and make your way to the group hotel located right at Helsinki airport—included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package. You will have the rest of the day to explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District. If you do plan to visit Helsinki city center, take advantage of the convenient 40-minute rail service from the airport.

Day 2

Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and Embark

After breakfast, the group will transfer to the Helsinki airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, as part of the Charter Flight & Hotel Package. Our journey to the High Arctic now truly begins. You will see the coastal and birch forests of southern Scandinavia give way to taiga and tundra environments, the mountains of Norway and northern Sweden, and the convergence of the Norwegian and Barents seas. Approaching Svalbard, you may get your first views of a pure, snow-capped wilderness, complete with ridgelines, glaciers, and perhaps even sea ice in the distance. We land in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s largest settlement, and transfer to the harbor where we will embark on our ship

Day 3 to 13

Exploring Svalbard

Expect a new adventure every day as we begin our journey by heading north and around the island of Spitsbergen, exploring smaller, outlying islands. We plan to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, but if conditions are favorable, we will also attempt a larger circumnavigation of the archipelago, including many of the outer islands in Svalbard. Every expedition will be different, depending on the weather and ice, but some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Ny-London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya. These names may seem strange to you, but each site has its own unique appeal. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Svalbard, where colorful tundra meadows are complemented by immense glaciers. For birders, 14th of July Bay is home to puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese, and barnacle geese, while Alkefjellet’s cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Always on the lookout for wildlife, be sure to have your camera ready to capture reindeer when we visit sites like Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet. Phippsøya and Isbukta are often home to sea ice, the polar bear’s preferred habitat for hunting, which translates into great potential for you to view and capture them in action. A big part of appreciating Svalbard comes from understanding the history—not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored. Whaling was a key industry, and you will see remains of outposts from the 16th century, plus other evidence of whaling at landing sites such as Smeerenburg.

Day 14

Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki

The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your charter flight to Helsinki, and group hotel night. Both are included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package.

Day 15

Depart Helsinki

After breakfast at your included hotel, make your way independently to the Helsinki airport for your onward flight home, or spend more time exploring the Finnish capital as prearranged.

Day 1

Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

Arrive in the Finnish capital and make your way to the group hotel located right at Helsinki airport—included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package. You will have the rest of the day to explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District. If you do plan to visit Helsinki city center, take advantage of the convenient 40-minute rail service from the airport.

Day 2

Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and Embark

After breakfast, the group will transfer to the Helsinki airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, as part of the Charter Flight & Hotel Package. Our journey to the High Arctic now truly begins. You will see the coastal and birch forests of southern Scandinavia give way to taiga and tundra environments, the mountains of Norway and northern Sweden, and the convergence of the Norwegian and Barents seas. Approaching Svalbard, you may get your first views of a pure, snow-capped wilderness, complete with ridgelines, glaciers, and perhaps even sea ice in the distance. We land in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s largest settlement, and transfer to the harbor where we will embark on our ship

Day 3 to 13

Exploring Svalbard

Expect a new adventure every day as we begin our journey by heading north and around the island of Spitsbergen, exploring smaller, outlying islands. We plan to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, but if conditions are favorable, we will also attempt a larger circumnavigation of the archipelago, including many of the outer islands in Svalbard. Every expedition will be different, depending on the weather and ice, but some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Ny-London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya. These names may seem strange to you, but each site has its own unique appeal. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Svalbard, where colorful tundra meadows are complemented by immense glaciers. For birders, 14th of July Bay is home to puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese, and barnacle geese, while Alkefjellet’s cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Always on the lookout for wildlife, be sure to have your camera ready to capture reindeer when we visit sites like Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet. Phippsøya and Isbukta are often home to sea ice, the polar bear’s preferred habitat for hunting, which translates into great potential for you to view and capture them in action. A big part of appreciating Svalbard comes from understanding the history—not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored. Whaling was a key industry, and you will see remains of outposts from the 16th century, plus other evidence of whaling at landing sites such as Smeerenburg.

Day 14

Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki

The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your charter flight to Helsinki, and group hotel night. Both are included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package.

Day 15

Depart Helsinki

After breakfast at your included hotel, make your way independently to the Helsinki airport for your onward flight home, or spend more time exploring the Finnish capital as prearranged.