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Journey to Franz Josef Land to see the unique, perfectly spherical stones that dot the landscape

Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land

Example 14 Day Cruise aboard Sea Spirit
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Venture on this 14-day expedition to two of the most fascinating Arctic archipelagoes: Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land. Start in Spitsbergen, which is a must for those who want to see the Arctic in all its wildness and splendor, but your main goal is the remote and rarely visited Russian High Arctic island chain of Franz Josef Land. The uninhabited islands were closed to foreigners during the Cold War, but now their "moon craters" and breathtaking vistas beckon adventurous travelers from all over the world.
Cruise by zodiac to get up close and personal with Arctic icebergsA mother polar bear and her young relax on the Arctic landscapeExplore the mysterious and beautiful Arctic seas on your voyageSome Arctic view may make you feel like you are standing on top of the world!Journey to Franz Josef Land to see the unique, perfectly spherical stones that dot the landscape
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Embark in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

Longyearbyen is the main settlement of the Norwegian Spitsbergen archipelago. This Arctic town is located at 78° north, and is one of the world's northernmost communities. It has approximately 2,000 inhabitants and is a modern town with a wide range of facilities such as a supermarket, outdoor shops, several pubs, and hotels.

Day 2: 14th of July Glacier, Krossfjord, Spitsbergen

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Plan to take a Zodiac tour to the sparkling 14th of July Glacier at Krossfjord. Weather permitting, you may land right on the glacier for an unparalleled walking tour.

Day 3: Victoria Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Explore Victoria Island and its large population of walruses. Naturalists are not the only creatures attracted by these Arctic animals - polar bears visit the area frequently for a "walrus dinner." You can hope to meet them both here while cruising nearby on a Zodiac.

Day 4: Bell Island / Cape Flora, Nordbrook Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Expect to reach Franz Josef Land archipelago this morning. A landing is planned for Bell Island to visit the house built by the 1881 Lee Smith Expedition.

Continue to learn about the fascinating history of Arctic discoveries during your landing at Cape Flora on Nordbrook Island, first claimed by the Lee Smith Expedition in 1880. The group was forced to winter on this island after their steam yacht, "Aira," was crushed by ice and sank near the coast. Later, the Jackson expedition (1894-1897) dwelled here longer than any other, and made a major contribution to the exploration of the archipelago. Several memorials have been erected on the island to commemorate such daring Arctic explorers. Finally, birders take note, an enormous seabird colony finds its home on the cliffs towering over the southern side of Cape Flora.

Day 5: Tikhaya Bay, Hooker Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today explore Tikhaya Bay on Hooker Island. There is an imposing cliff in the bay, known as the famous Rubini Rock. The rock is the home to thousands of seabirds, which you can attempt to approach. Caution is key in order to watch kittiwakes and other Arctic birds without disturbing them. Weather permitting, you may go ashore to visit a derelict polar station in the bay.

Day 6: Cape Norway, Hooker Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
During the night, your ship sails to Cape Norway on Jackson Island. Between 1895 and 1896, Nansen and Johansen wintered here for over 7 months after a failed attempt to conquer the North Pole.

Day 7: Stolichky and Appolonov Islands, Franz Josef Land.

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Your expedition activities on the islands of Stolichky and Appolonov are highly dependent on weather and ice conditions. If you are lucky to have favorable conditions, plan to take a Zodiac trip near the islands. The main attraction of the islands are their walrus rookeries. Your Zodiac drivers do their best to get as close as possible.

Day 8: Cape Heller, Wilczek Land Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today plan a landing at Cape Heller on Wilczek Land Island. In 1899, two sailors, members of the Welle expedition, wintered there while waiting for a group attempting to conquer the North Pole. As everywhere on Franz Josef Land, this locale is prime for witnessing polar bears and sea mammals.

Day 9: Champ Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Placed in the very center of the archipelago, like a diamond in a precious tiara, is the magnificent Champ Island. The landscape here is majestic, featuring cliffs and the island chain's tallest ice-capped mountains. Here, you can also see a truly unique natural wonder: perfectly spherical stones up to 3 meters in diameter, found nowhere else in the world.

Day 10: Alger Island / Cape Tegetthoff, Hall Island, Franz Josef Land

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
At Alger Island, plan to land at the wintering place of the American Arctic expedition headed by A. Baldwin. If the weather is calm, join a Zodiac craft and dodge drifting icebergs in order to admire the view and to take pictures of these majestic giants from sea level.

If time permits, your ship might spend the evening at Cape Tegetthoff, Hall Island. The island sites are impressive and include huge cliffs resembling dorsal fins of gigantic sharks. The remains of the wooden structures built by the Wellman expedition of 1898 add colors to the panorama.

Day 11: Kvitoya Island, Spitsbergen

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
If the weather is on your side today, you can try landing on Kvitoya Island. It is almost completely ice-covered and belongs to the Northeast Svalbard Nature Reserve. On the ice-free parts there are moss beds which can add vibrant color to this often white landscape. Arctic terns and other birds breed here. Polar bears and walrus are also frequent visitors in this area.

Day 12: Sjuoyane Islands, Svalbard

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
If the weather and ice conditions allow, your ship may attempt a landing in the region of Sjuoyane Islands. Here you may visit the island of Rossoya, the northernmost point of Norway.

Day 13: Lagoya / Phippsoya, Spitsbergen

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In the morning, plan to visit Lagoya, a flat island off the northwestern coast of Nordaustland in Svalbard that is covered with glacial moraine and rocks of every size and type. An uninhabited island, Lagoya is perfect for walrus to haul out and rest at its shore. At times they look like a field of rocks.

Also plan landing at Phippsoya in the Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here you find yourself at 81 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. The island is named after the English explorer Constantine John Phipps, who commanded two bomb vessels on an expedition to Svalbard in 1773. Polar bear inhabit this region, along with walrus and ivory gull. You may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in your spectacular surroundings.

Day 14: Disembark in Longyearbye, Spitsbergen

  • 1 Breakfast
Your adventure ends in the port of Longyearbyen. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Ship/Hotel

Sea Spirit

Travelers board a Zodiac to get a closer look at the terrain and wildlife
Sea Spirit
Outdoor Bistro at the Jacuzzi area of the Sea Spirit

Dates & Prices

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Triple Classic
Averaging 226 sq ft. Two twin beds (convert to a King) and a sofa bed, picture window, two wardrobes and en suite facilities.
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Main Deck Suite
Averaging 248 sq ft. Two twin beds or a King Size bed, minimum two portholes, and en suite facilities.
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Single Suite
Averaging 21 square meters/226 square feet, these cabins are located on the Oceanus Deck. They feature a picture window (it may be covered during rough sea crossings), two wardrobes, and a king-size bed.
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Classic Suite
Averaging 226 sq ft. Two twin beds or a King Size bed, picture window, two wardrobes, and en suite facilities.
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Superior Suite
Averaging 215 sq ft. Two twin beds or a King Size bed, picture window overlooking outside walkway, and en suite facilities.
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Deluxe Suite
Averaging 258 sq ft. Two twin beds or a King Size bed, private balcony, walk-in closet or wardrobe, and en suite facilities.
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Premium Suite
Averaging 323 sq ft. Two twin beds or a King Size bed, private balcony, lounge area, and en suite facilities.
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Owner's Suite
Averaging 463 sq ft. King size bed and sofa bed, separate living room with game and meeting area, private deck, and en suite facilities with jetted bathtub.

Notes

Solo Travelers:
All rates posted are per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement: 1.7 for Main Deck and Classic, Superior Suite; twice the posted price for Deluxe, Premium and Owner's Suite.
Included
  • 13 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 13 Dinners

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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
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