Very few people have the opportunity to view the remote wilderness of the Svalbard Islands. In the Svalbard archipelago, polar bears, walruses, Svalbard reindeer and an incredibly rich variety of birds are abundant, as are cathedrals of ice, glaciers and craggy mountain peaks. An amazing amount of diminutive flora surrounds this barren landscape, which comes alive with color under summer’s midnight sun. Your Captain and Expedition Team determine the day’s best sightseeing opportunities, which may include these extraordinary regions:
Magdalenefjoren: A stunning fjord with rugged rock walls, Magdalenefjoren surmounts blue-hued glaciers crisscrossed by crevasses, with birds perched in the high cliffs. This “glacier coast” provides magnificent views of the slow-moving ice masses travelling out to sea as well as beaches frequented by walruses.
Ny Alesund: Once a mining town and launching pad for early Arctic expeditions, Ny Alesund is now home to a polar research station where scientists study meteorology, seismology, atmospheric sciences, and marine biology. Conditions permitting, visit the small community, including a museum, art gallery, and the northernmost post office in the world.
Hinlopen Strait: ‘Le Boreal’ navigates this passageway between the main island of Spitsbergen and the island of Nordaustlandet to deliver you to the Alkefjellet, or “auk cliffs,” towering rock faces that drop directly into the sea and provide a home to colonies of auks.
Wahlbergoya: Located in the center of the southern entrance to Hinlopen Strait, this island, named after Swedish botanist Peter Fredrik Wahlberg, is a favorite summer haul-out for walrus.
Monaco Bay and Glacier: Located in Northwest Spitsbergen, Monaco Bay is frequented by a variety of wildlife populations, including polar bears, walruses, harbor and bearded seals, and a multitude of seabirds.
Liefdefjorden (Loves Bay): In far northern Svalbard, this is an excellent area for spotting polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. Throughout your landings and days of cruising in Spitsbergen, your primary objective is to search for polar bears as they hunt in their true natural habitat — be it on land or among the ice floes. Each landing is under the close supervision of your bear guardians, who have the best knowledge about where to find the white giants.