Spitsbergen: Realm of the Ice Bear

Upon arrival in Oslo, a representative from Aurora Expeditions will meet you and arrange your transfer to the designated group hotel. Once at the hotel, please stop by the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and connect with the ground operations team. They can provide updates on pre-embarkation details and offer local recommendations for dining options, ATM access, pharmacies, or nearby shops for any last-minute needs.

The rest of your day is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

This morning, ensure your cabin luggage is clearly tagged with your name and cabin number. After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Longyearbyen. Please keep all valuables and personal items with you throughout the day. Upon arrival, take part in a guided tour of Longyearbyen to gain insight into this remote Arctic town.

Following the tour, transfer directly to the pier for late afternoon embarkation. Once on board, settle into your cabin, attend mandatory safety briefings, and experience the excitement as you ‘throw the lines’ and begin your voyage.

Note: The excursion is contingent on the arrival time of your charter flight to Longyearbyen. 

The island of Spitsbergen is the largest in the Svalbard Archipelago and offers Arctic wilderness at its best. The members of your experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor your day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife. 

Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils, set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, stretch your legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly colored wildflowers. Visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies.  

If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you can have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you can hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory you can savor for years to come. 

During the early morning, cruise back into Longyearbyen. Farewell your Expedition Team upon disembarkation and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for your return charter flight to Oslo to continue your journey.

Note: The arrival time in Oslo is contingent on the approved allocated slot for your charter flight to and from Longyearbyen.