North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Hike & Sail

You land in Longyearbyen, the main town on Spitsbergen, the biggest island in Svalbard. Check out this old mining town, where you can visit the parish church and Svalbard Museum. The landscape might look bare, but there are over a hundred types of plants here. In the early evening, the ship heads out of Isfjorden, and you might catch a glimpse of your first minke whale.

Later, you sail to Trygghamna, where you’ll find the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and an 18th-century Pomor hunting station. You can explore these sites the next morning.

Walk from Trygghamna to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where birds search for breeding spots. Arctic foxes are often seen below the cliffs, and reindeer may be grazing on the vegetation if snow isn't too heavy.

You head north for Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden. The landscape is likely to show signs of winter; the crags and slopes are still blanketed with snow.

Here there are rich opportunities for snowshoeing (snowshoes are provided) and visiting places of historic interest: Ny London, where you can see the remains of early 20th-century marble mining, and Ny Ålesund, the northernmost community in the world.

There are also research stations and the famous anchor mast of the dirigible Norge, which took the first flight across the North Pole to Nome, Alaska, in 1926. Krossfjorden offers views of colossal glaciers and lofty mountain peaks, but ultimately, the extent of fjord ice dictates the itinerary here.

Cutting south between the main island of Spitsbergen and Prins Karls Forland, you may encounter walruses at Poolepynten, a common haul-out site.

You also have views of St. Johnsfjorden, near Gaffelbreen. The winter ice may not have loosened its grip on the water here, and seals (ringed and bearded) could be numerous in the area.

You now double back into Isfjorden and venture to Ymerbukta, possibly embarking on a walk in this mountainous area. Here you find an expansive tundra with its own avifauna, depending on when spring arrives, as well as spectacular geological formations along the coast.

Further northeast, near Ekmanfjorden, you have the chance for another hike. Common to this area are numerous glaciers that terminate near or in the sea. In Gipsvika, you can go on shore near the cliff of Templet, a mountainous location of eroded sedimentary rock from the Upper Carboniferous period, around 290 million years ago.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, comes to an end. The journey concludes in Longyearbyen, with memories in tow to carry into your next adventure.