Central Spitsbergen by Sailing Ship

Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Svalbard archipelago. Before embarking, take the opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting.  In the afternoon we sail, setting course for Alkhornet, a high cliff. Below the cliffs we often see Arctic fox and reindeer. We continue to Trygghamna to visit the remains of a 17th century English whaling station and an 18th century Russian Pomor station.

We leave Tryghamna early in the morning and sail to north to Forlandsundet. We plan to land at either Steinpynyvika or Tordenskjoldbukta to walk on the tundra. Eiders, waders and geese nest in this area, providing a source of food for prowling Arctic fox. later, sail to Krossfjorden and anchor in the 14th July bukta.

There is a small cliff here with breeding puffins and Brunnich's guillemots. We also look out for barnacle and pink-footed geese and bearded seals hauled out on the ice floes calved off the glacier. Later, visit Ny London, an abandoned marble mining site from the beginning of the last century. Reindeer in this area along with long-tailed skua and some amazing views along Kongsfjorden.

Ny Alesund is the world's most northerly settlement, which, when it was a mining village, was served by the world's most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Alesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Goose, Pink-footed Goose and Arctic Tern. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration can walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile, in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928, before their flights to the North Pole.  

Today we visit a number of locations looking for walrus hauled out on the icy shore.

We sail into the inner reaches of the Isfjord system, where our progress will depend on sea ice conditions. True expedition sailing.  

Departure by scheduled flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo.