- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
What was formerly forbidden territory has kept the treasures of Franz Josef Land undiscovered for many years. Even today, traveling to the archipelago requires a special permit. For the next ten days, enjoy the stark beauty of the archipelago wilderness following in the wake of famous Arctic explorers of the Heroic Era.
Visit the most fascinating southern and central islands of Franz Josef Land. Among the places the crews plan to explore there are:
Bell Island is named after the bell-shaped mountain, which dominates the island and is a symbol of the whole archipelago. The name was given by the British Leigh Smith Expedition. Visit the well-preserved house built by the members of the Expedition in 1880.
Near the Bell there is Maybell Island. Here, climb a mountain top to enjoy a breathtaking view to the “Bell” of the nearby island.
Continue discovering the history of Arctic Exploration at Cape Flora, Northbrook Island. Here, Leigh Smith and his crew had to spend 10 months after their steam yacht Eira had been crushed by ice and sunk near the coast. For 3 years – from 1894 to 1897 – the base of Frederick George Jackson British Expedition was placed at the area. The members of this expedition had made a great contribution to the exploration of the archipelago. Cape Flora is also the place where the memorable encounter of Jackson and Nansen took place. Several monuments and crosses bear witness of these historical events.
Apart from the historic sites Cape Flora is famous for its thick carpets of mosses of deep red, green and yellow. The towering cliffs at the southern part of Cape Flora are home for the huge sea birds colony. Arctic foxes are also frequent guests here.
Next, visit an abandoned polar station at Tikhaya Bay on Hooker Island. The station was in function from 1929 to 1959. It was the first soviet research base and the northernmost one in the world. The site is well preserved.
Tikhaya Bay is also famous for its huge cliff Rubini Rock, a shelter for thousands of sea birds.
At Alger Island, plan to visit a wintering place of the American Arctic Expedition. If weather permits, take a zodiac cruise around drifting icebergs. Here, there are good chances to see polar bears.
On this voyage, take the opportunity to visit on of the most beautiful island of the archipelago, Champ. The landscape of Champ is incredible: on the ice-capped cliffs, which are the highest on Franz Josef Land, thousands of birds find their shelter. Red, yellow and green mosses contrast dramatically with white and blue of the nearby glaciers.
At Cape Heller on Wilczek Land watch the remains of the Wellman Expedition’s supply base. As everywhere on Franz Josef Land, you are very likely to witness polar bears and sea mammals during the landing.
Cape Tegetthoff at Hall Island is a favorite site for photographers: huge cliffs resembling a shark’s dorsal fins submerge in the sea. Plan a landing at the cape to watch the remains of the wooden structures built by the American Wellman Expedition of 1898-1899 aimed to reach the North Pole. There is a good chance to meet polar bears in this area.