You board the vessel at midday in Vlissingen and head north. Crossing the North Sea, you stand an excellent chance of spotting minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Cruising around Spitsbergen gives you a great chance to see whales, foxes, reindeer, seals, and polar bears. Make a landing on the island of Kvitøya, a site of historical significance, and home of a large walrus population.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Tromsø, nicknamed the “Paris of the North,” located in an area rich with Norse and Sámi history. Enjoy exploring this sub-Arctic Norwegian town, said to have been inhabited since the last ice age.
Crossing the North Sea, you stand an excellent chance of spotting minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Several other cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales), are also native to these seas.
Bear Island is an isolated island between northern Norway and Svalbard. Some of possible landing sites are:
Sørhamna, which features the remains of a whaling station active between 1905—8, and Tunnheim, where coal mining was attempted between 1916—25 before the settlement was destroyed in WWII. Alternately, you may explore the west coast for a scenic landing opportunity.
At the southern reaches of Edgeøya, you enter the realm of the historic whalers and trappers. Tusindøyane, meaning “the thousand islands,” consists of numerous small islands all under special protection for the summer. You arrive after August 15, when the protection is lifted, so you can enjoy landings that are rare these days. On Ækongen, among rocks covered in fantastic lichen, you find remains of the 17th-century whalers and early 20th-century trappers. Bölscheøya is another option, with walking opportunities on the relatively flat islands. Red-throated divers may be seen on the lakes in this area, with chicks ready to fledge.
The aim is to next explore the rarely seen glacier fronts of eastern Edgeøya, with a visit to Ryke Yseøyane. This area has terrain not too dissimilar to Tusindøyane and yields a good chance of spotting polar bears.
You then sail by the fully protected islands of Kong Karls Land, reaching the immense front of the Austfonna ice cap. At Bråsvellbreen you’ll be able to see meltwater waterfalls flowing into the sea. In the afternoon, you may attempt a Zodiac cruise at Isisøyane. This will take you near the ice front, with spectacular views and a chance to see polar bears.
Today you attempt to reach the rarely visited Kvitøya, far to the east and close to Russian territory. The enormous ice cap covering this island leaves only a small area bare. You land at the western tip of Andréeneset, where the Swedish explorer S. A. Andrée and his companions perished in 1897. (Your voyage will end far better.) Another objective for the day is Kræmerpynten, where a sizable group of walruses reside.
The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. You may also land on one of the Seven Islands, Sjuøyane, in a high Arctic environment where walruses may be encountered.
Sailing to Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen, you take in an expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline of this fjord also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears.
Reaching the western coast of Spitsbergen, the search is on for walruses in Forlandsundet. Fuglehuken, on the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland, is home to the northernmost population of harbor seals in the world. The goal is a decent walk to see wildlife, 17th-century whaler graves, and the remains of the trapping era.
Day 12: Longyearbyen | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
4 quadruple cabins with bunk beds and private facilities (these can also be used as triple or twin cabins). Spacious outside cabins with a minimum of two portholes or windows per cabin
1 suite with 2 windows (minimum), 1 double bed, 1 single (sofa) bed, Private shower & toilet, Desk & chair, Flatscreen TV, Telephone & WiFi (supplemented), Refrigerator, Coffee & tea maker, Hairdryer, ample storage space.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy.
- Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the double occupancy rate.
- Children between the ages of 3-15 will be discounted 40% in triple or quad cabins, one child per cabin.
- Due to the extreme nature of itinerary destinations, travel insurance is mandatory for all cruises aboard the Ortelius - including medical, accident and repatriation/evacuation insurance.
Initial deposit is 20%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.