Around Spitsbergen - Bear Island

Day 1 Longyearbyen

Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Day 2 Krossfjorden / Ny Ålesund

Heading north along the west coast, arrive by morning in Krossfjorden, where you go on the Zodiacs for a cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier. On the green slopes near the glacier, a colorful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting Arctic Foxes, who patrol the base of the cliffs in case a chick falls from its nest, and Bearded Seals, who cruise this fjord.

In the afternoon sail to Ny Ålesund, the world’s most northerly settlemennt. Once a mining village - served by the world’s most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research center. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to 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.

Day 3 Andøya / Liefdefjorden

Near the mouth of Liefdefjorden, go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest here, and the more rare King Eider may also be seen. Sailing into Liefdefjorden, cruise near the face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes and occasionally polar bears are seen on the glacier.

Day 4 Phippsøya

Today reach your northernmost point at Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here you will be at 81 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, along with ivory gulls. Your ship may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in your spectacular surroundings and seeing a Ross gull, before turning south again.

Day 5 Laagøya

Visit Laagøya today, a low island with a big lagoon where a big herd of Walrus tends to congregate. Sabine’s Gulls nest on the island as well. At Sorg Fjord find another herd of walruses not far from the graves of 17th century whalers. On a nature walk, encounter families of ptarmigans.

Day 6 Hinlopen Strait

Sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to Bearded Seals, Ringed Seals, Polar Bears, and Ivory Gulls. Navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in zodiacs and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopenstrait, attempt a landing at Augustabukta on Nordaustlandet, home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls, and Walruses. Near Torrelneset, explore the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world’s third largest ice cap, which meets the sea nearby. Walk along beautiful coastline covered in smooth rocks, sculpted by the surf over thousands of years. You may encounter walruses along the way.

Day 7 Freemansundet

In Freemansundet plan to land at Sundneset on the island of Barentsøya to visit an old trapper's hut and then take a brisk walk across the tundra in search of Spitsbergen Reindeer and Barnacle Geese. Later cruise south to Diskobukta on the west side of Edgeøya. After a Zodiac cruise through the shallow bay, land on a beach littered with whale bones and tree trunks, which have drifted here from Siberia. Cclimb to the rim of a narrow gully which is inhabited by thousands of Kitttiwakes, together with Black Guillemots and piratical Glaucous Gulls. During the breeding season, the base of the cliffs is patrolled by Arctic Foxes and Polar Bears, especially females with young cubs, searching for young birds that have fallen from the nesting ledges.

Day 8 Stellingfjellet

In the early morning cruise quietly along Stellingfjellet the biggest colony with Brunnich´s Guillemots in Spitsbergen. In this time of the year the young birds jump from the ledges to the sea in order to start their autum migration. Make a landing in Hambergbukta at the north side an have a good view on the receding glacier still connecting Sørkap Land with mainland Spitsbergen. Later cruise in Isbukta a phantastic semi-circular glacier front with very good chances for Bearded Seals and Polar Bears.

Day 9 Bear Island

At Bear Island visit the remains of a whaling station active from 1905-1908 in Kvalrossbukta. Arctic Skuas and Great Skuas can be seen during a walk across the desolate hills and tundra. The weather will decide whether you then sail along the west coast, where you can observe one of the largest seabird colonies in the North Atlantic teeming with Little Auks, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Common Guillemots and Kittiwakes. Alternatively sail along the east coast to visit Tunheim, an abandoned mining settlement.

Day 10 At Sea

Sail through a very good area for observing different species of whales.

Day 11 Disembark / Kirkenes, Norway

Kirkenes. Disembarkation in the morning for the flights to Oslo.