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Hiking in Spitsbergen

Svalbard Summer Solstice Micro Cruise

Roundtrip Longyearbyen - Example 10 Day Cruise aboard MV Vikingfjord
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Set sail on a 10-day round-trip cruise from Longyearbyen aboard MV Vikingfjord to explore Svalbard’s west and north coasts. Visit Kongsfjorden, Ny-Ålesund, Hinlopen Strait, and Nordaustlandet. Explore by Zodiac beneath Alkefjellet’s bird cliffs and near Lilliehöökbreen and Bråsvellbreen along the Austfonna ice cap. Watch for walruses, whales, polar bears, Arctic foxes, and seabirds, depending on conditions. Discover polar exploration history at Ny-Ålesund and Virgohamna, and visit the remains of the Dutch whaling station at Smeerenburg. Pass the historic trappers’ hut at Texas Bar and sail through Liefdefjorden and Magdalenefjorden before returning to Longyearbyen under the summer’s continuous daylight.
Visit the colorful town of Longyearbyen in the far northColorful homes in Longyearbyen, SvalbardIncredible ice in SvalbardA polar bear climbs glacial ice in the ArcticHiking in Spitsbergen
Highlights
  • Explore Ny-Ålesund’s research stations and historic polar mast
  • Observe walruses, whales, polar bears, and seabirds across Svalbard’s coast
  • Discover Smeerenburg’s historic Dutch whaling station
  • Explore Austfonna’s ice front by Zodiac
Activities
Places Visited
Activity Level: Variable
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Longyearbyen | Embark

Depart Longyearbyen at 4 p.m. and sail west through Isfjorden, passing Fuglefjella, a plateau mountain. Weather and sea conditions permitting, visit Poolepynten on Prins Karls Forland that evening. This low gravel spit is a summer haul-out site where male walruses rest between feeding dives.

Day 2-3: Kongsfjorden | Ny-Alesund

Sail north along the west coast to Kongsfjorden and Ny-Ålesund, where international research stations stand near the mast used by Roald Amundsen to launch the airship Norge toward the North Pole in 1926. Continue to the glacier fronts of Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden, exploring by Zodiac among ice calved from Lilliehöökbreen. Watch for belugas, minke whales, and humpback whales feeding along the coast during the summer, when daylight lasts around the clock.

Day 4-7: Alkefjellet | Hinlopen Strait | Nordaustlandet | Austfonna

  • 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners
Across the north coast and east into Hinlopen Strait, where the sea ice holds longest. At Alkefjellet, the Zodiacs drift beneath basalt columns packed with Brünnich’s guillemots, while Arctic foxes patrol the shore below.

On Nordaustlandet, a polar desert that sees few visitors, the aim is to land at Kinnvika, the station built for the 1957 International Geophysical Year.

The plan is also to cruise beneath Bråsvellbreen, where meltwater pours in waterfalls from the face of the Austfonna ice cap.

Then search the pack ice for polar bears and walruses. If the ice allows, push east to Kvitøya, where Andrée’s 1897 balloon expedition ended, or north to Sjuøyane, the northernmost islands in Svalbard.

Day 8-9: Liefdefjorden | Smeerenburg | Magdalenefjorden | Alkhornet

Back west through Liefdefjorden, where Monacobreen calves into the fjord and the 1927 trappers’ hut at Texas Bar still keeps spirits on the shelf for whoever passes. Then on into the islands of Spitsbergen’s north-west corner.

At Smeerenburg, the low mounds of a 1619 Dutch whaling station lie beside a walrus haul-out.

Virgohamna holds the remains of Andrée’s launch site. The aim is to sail south through Magdalenefjorden, where little auks crowd the scree slopes.

From there you follow the coast to Alkhornet, where reindeer and their calves graze below the bird cliffs, before the final run into Longyearbyen.

Day 10: Longyearbyen | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Disembark in Longyearbyen at 9 am.

Ship/Hotel

MV Vikingfjord

MV Vikingfjord aerial shot

MV Vikingfjord

Embark on a low-impact expedition to Svalbard aboard the MV Vikingfjord. This 12-passenger vessel is a unique addition to Secret Atlas, featuring modernized, spacious cabins and an open-concept living area with a cozy couch and windows for a nice view.
MV Vikingfjord facade
MV Vikingfjord Bridge
MV Vikingfjord Bridge Lounge

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

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Per person starting at
$19,500 2-3 travelers
MV Vikingfjord Twin CabinMV Vikingfjord Cabin Ensuite
Signature Twin/Double
Cabin size: 15 m² with twin bed, window, desk & chair, wardrobe and an ensuite shower and toilet. Located on decks 1 & 2.
MV Vikingfjord CabinMV Vikingfjord Cabin Ensuite
Signature Suite (Double)
Cabin size: 15 m² with double bed, window, desk & chair, wardrobe and an ensuite shower and toilet. Located on deck 3.
MV Vikingfjord Bunk Bed Cabin
Signature Single
Cabin size: 10 m² with single bed, desk & chair, wardrobe and an ensuite shower and toilet. Located on deck 3.
Included
  • 9 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches, 9 Dinners
  • 9 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Available Starlink Wi-Fi; availability and speed cannot be guaranteed in remote polar regions
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Medical and Evacuation insurance coverage.
  • Any additional expenses such as museum entry

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