Spitsbergen Circumnavigation

Your expedition will begin as you board your ship in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s largest settlement, and settle in to your comfortable surroundings. As we set sail you will get fantastic views of the mountainous background and dramatic landscapes of this remote seaside town. Your experienced expedition crew will brief you on what’s ahead as you embark on your Arctic adventure.

For the next 11 days you will immerse yourself in the beauty of Spitsbergen, on a constant search for wildlife as we cruise around this spectacular remote island. Embracing the very nature of expedition cruising there will be no particular fixed itinerary for your time in Spitsbergen. We plan to circumnavigate the island, but if conditions are favourable, we will also attempt a circumnavigation of the whole Svalbard archipelago. The routes taken will be dependent on weather and ice, but some of the areas you can expect to visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Ny London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and the seldom-visited Kvitøya. You will enjoy Zodiac excursions throughout, bringing you up-close to the spectacular landscapes of the island.

Each day will bring something new and exciting and your experienced expedition team will choose the best course for optimum wildlife viewing and the best places from which to get an insight into the history and geology of Spitsbergen.

The 14th of July Glacier will be of particular interest to birding enthusiasts as it is home to a multitude of species including purple sandpipers, common eiders, barnacle geese and arctic terns, whilst the famous Alkefjellet cliffs are teeming with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots. This is also a great area from which to spot Polar bears as they join Arctic foxes on their hunt for free bird egg meals. Searching for polar bears, the largest land carnivores in the world, will be a constant activity throughout your expedition. Phippsøya, Isbukta & Hornsund are areas which almost guarantee a polar bear sighting, with these being their favoured places for hunting. We will also be on the lookout for reindeer, visiting sites like Ny London, Sundneset and Alkhornet where you will want to have your camera ready for shots of these beautiful animals grazing on the lands. Walrus haul-outs are also very common round Spitsbergen and you will feel an air of excitement as you come across the noisy spectacle of these lumbering giants vying for a choice spot on the coastline.

There is no shortage of natural beauty in Spitsbergen and one of the very best ways to experience this is to join an optional kayaking excursion through the more isolated pockets of the area. If weather conditions permit there may also be a chance to visit Smeerenburg where you can visit a memorial erected in 1906. This historical site honours the whalers who lost their lives in the 17th and 18th centuries while working in extreme Arctic conditions. This is an excellent opportunity to understand the culture of Spitsbergen - not just how people live today, but also how this land was first explored.

Whichever course your expedition team choose for your thrilling Spitsbergen adventure you can be assured of remarkable scenic sights, from polar flora to immense glaciers, exceptional wildlife viewing and a sense of true wilderness in these beautiful lands at the top of the world.

Our arrival back into Longyearbyen signals the end of our exciting Spitsbergen adventure. A group transfer will be provided to the airport for onward travel or to a Longyearbyen hotel if you are extending your stay.