Spitsbergen to Iceland in Luxury

Embark in the afternoon and set sail.

Close to 9 kilometres of cliffs are home to some of the largest bird colonies of the Northern Hemisphere. common and Brünnich’s guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, and glaucous gulls are all found along the cliff. Other species have been observed, including Atlantic puffins and northern gannets.

Leaving Bear Island head out on deck to watch for whales - white-beaked dolphins and minke whales are known to frequent the area.

Our flexible itinerary is dependant on ice and weather conditions. We will travel to see walrus haul-outs, might see polar bears, reindeer, Arctic fox, whales or a bearded seal. Also myriad birds. We will go ice cruising by ship and Zodiac and devote at least one day to exploring the pack ice north of Spitsbergen. Conditions permitting, our Expedition Leader may choose to take us out in the Zodiacs for an even closer look.

Here are a few of the places we hope to visit:

Magdalenefjorden - where the remains of blubber ovens and a cemetery can still be seen.

Liefdefjorden - where we may encounter polar bears looking for bird’s eggs.

Monacobreen - for Zodiac cruise along the front of two different glaciers: Monacobreen and Seligerbreen. Monacobreen has a 5 kilometre long front and is a good place to look for seals, Black-legged Kittiwakes and Ivory Gulls.

Fjortende Julibreen – The 14th of July Bay is located at the entrance of Krossfjorden. Here we will go ashore for a hike up to the 14th of July Glacier.

Hornsund – This is the southernmost fjord on the rugged west coast of Spitsbergen Island. Jagged mountain peaks tower above glacier-filled bays. Amidst floating icebergs, we will watch for bearded seals, the beluga whale and the king of the Arctic – the polar bear. Sightings are fairly common as the polar bear’s favourite food, the ringed seal, breeds in the fjord. The surrounding bird cliffs are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks. We may visit the remains of whaling stations and trappers’ huts.

Watch for birds and sea mammals from deck or just relax and enjoy onboard facilities.

During the morning we intend to go ashore close to the Norwegian Meteorological Station. Apart from a nature walk leading up to the long black sandy beach on the eastern shore, we will enter the station in small groups and will hear about the work this remote outpost is conducting.

In the afternoon we continue sailing south. As we make our way toward Iceland, head out on deck to watch for seabirds and whales. When not attending an informative lecture, take some time to peruse the well-stocked Library, enjoy a fine cognac in the Connoisseur’s Corner or indulge in any of the other special amenities offered aboard ship.

Just off the north coast of Iceland –and slightly above the Arctic Circle- is Iceland’s northernmost inhabited island. The island is small enough (only 5.3 km²) to be explored on foot and you are bound to meet one of the seventy hardy souls that make this island their home. The island’s sheer cliffs are home to huge seabird colonies, mainly Atlantic puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, razorbills, and common and Brünnich’s guillemots. Still today the islanders abseil down the cliffs to collect bird eggs. You will have the opportunity to visit with islanders to get a first-hand impression of life on Grimsey.

As we reach the mainland, we will get the choice of three different glimpses of Iceland: you can either focus on coastal culture, the beautiful seaside surroundings and visiting small fishing villages and the award-winning Siglufjordur Herring Museum, Iceland’s largest maritime museum, or you could instead look at the countryside culture, visiting small countryside churches, an Icelandic farm and seeing how life is when it is largely based on traditional livestock raising. The third choice would be to taste local delicacies on the mainland and on the small island of Hrisey. You will taste fresh and salted cod and get to see Iceland’s first micro-brewery –and of course can taste the local beer.

Isafjordur has a well-preserved town centre from the 19th century and you can accompany a local guide dressed in 19th century clothing to see and hear what makes this place so special. You could also drive to Sudavik and the largest fjord of the Westfjords. The Arctic Fox Centre, a research centre, museum and coffee shop in one, is located there and you will have Icelandic live music at Sudavik’s beautiful and history-charged church. For those interested in horse-back riding, a small number of Icelandic ponies will be there to take you through the Sandar Valley, a 40-minute drive from Isafjordur. If you would like to taste some local food, choose the Sudureyri Food Trail –you will visit the eco-conscious fishing village of Sudureyri and while walking the town you will meet the locals and will be offered local produce and delicacies (mainly fish) at various points of your walk -an intercultural experience you are unlikely to forget.

We reposition during lunch to the privately-owned Vigur Island. Here we will offered guided walks around the small island famous for its Eider Ducks and eider down harvesting, as well as the abundant amount of puffins and terns that call the island their home.

Arrive and disembark