The Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland cruise sails waters filled with breath-taking scenery. The expedition passes through areas that are home to seals, seabirds, whales, and polar bears. Colossal icebergs and quintessential Arctic scenery accompany you while passing through Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord. Get ready to see the largest fjord system in the world: Scoresbysund. Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end but with memories that will accompany you for years to come.
Highlights
Stroll around Spitsbergen, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum are fascinating attractions
Spot Arctic hare and musk oxen in Blomsterbugt
Hike at the stunning Noah Lake
Encounter colossal icebergs, some over 100 meters high
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the evening you sail for Trygghamna, where you see the remains of a 17th century English whaling station and 18th century Pomor hunting station.
From Trygghamna you walk to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where the birds are scouting out breeding locations. Below the cliffs is a common place to spot Arctic foxes, and you may also see reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation. In Forlandsundet you can visit a walrus haul-out location either at Poolepynten or Sarstangen.
You sail into Fuglefjorden amid views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding places for great skuas as well as likely spots to spy a polar bear. Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen, is a fine area for gazing over the glaciers. It’s also a favorite hangout for ringed and bearded seals, colonies of seabird, and the occasional polar bear and beluga whale.
Sailing across the open sea to your ultimate destination, you eventually see the edge of the East Greenland sea ice flashing into sight ahead. Keep watch for whales and migrating seabirds here.
The goal is to sail into Foster Bay, making your first landing at Myggebugten in the late afternoon or evening. Beyond the old hunters’ hut – in the first half of the 20th century, Norwegian trappers hunted here for polar bear and Arctic fox – there is a sprawling tundra populated by musk oxen, with geese floating the small lakes.
You sail through Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, enjoying its lofty mountains and bright interior icebergs. In the evening you reach Teufelschloss, a prominent mountain that comprises part of the Eleonora Bay Supergroup: sedimentary rock created between 950 – 610 million years ago to a depth of 16 kilometers (10 miles). This rust-red multi-layered unique geology defines the scenery over the coming days.
Landing at Blomsterbugt, you have a good chance of spotting Arctic hare and musk oxen. Noah Lake is home to great northern divers as well as their young, and the hiking opportunities here are numerous. In the afternoon you venture deeper into Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord, finding shelter in Renbugten. Colossal icebergs and quintessential Arctic scenery accompany you while passing through this narrow fjord system.
Today the aim is to land in Renbugten in search of musk oxen and Arctic hares. Around lunch you head east into the inversely named Antarctic Sound, enjoying views of the ancient sedimentary rock. You should arrive at Maria Island before nightfall.
Continuing east, you land in Antarctica Havn. You spend the afternoon in this expansive valley, where you can see groups of musk oxen. At this time of year the sparse vegetation is colored with golden fire. Your guide may be able to tell you about the intriguing geopolitics that played out here in the early 1930s between Norway and Denmark.
Today you reach Scoresbysund, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise along one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. At Danmark Island you find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular stone tent rings indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are well preserved, with easy identifiable entrances, bear-proof meat caches, and grave sites. During the afternoon you sail along the east side of Milne Land amid a number of scattered icebergs.
You land near Sydkap, where Arctic hares are often seen. During lunch, you get a glimpse of the entrance to Nordvestfjord in Scoresby Land. Here you encounter colossal icebergs, some over 100 meters high (328 feet) and more than a kilometer in length (.6 mile). Most of these bergs are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 meters deep (1,312 feet).
Today you make a tundra landing on Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresbysund – about five hundred inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen. In the afternoon you sail south, passing the picturesque landscapes of the Blosseville Coast.
In the morning you stop on the south coast of Jameson Land, at a lagoon near Kap Stewart. Here the waders and geese are collecting for their autumn migration, and musk oxen and collared lemmings survive on the meager vegetation. Further inside Hurry Inlet, you may take a walk near the head of the fjord as well as one of the rivers that terminate here. There’s also the chance of a climb up the mountain of J.P. Koch Fjeld, near Hareelv. In this remarkable area, scientists found fossils that linked fish and amphibians in the lower Cretaceous period. You spend the night at anchor off Constable Pynt.
Day 19: Constable Pynt | Disembark | Reykjavik
1 Breakfast
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You make your final landing at the airfield on Constable Pynt, flying by chartered plane to Reykjavik and onward – but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
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$7,400
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Main deck, upper and lower berths, private bath facilities and porthole.
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Twin Private Inside
Lower deck, upper and lower berths, inside cabins with private bath facilities.
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Twin Private Porthole
Lower deck, upper and lower berths or two lower berths, private bath facilities and porthole.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy.
- Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the double occupancy rate.
- Children between the ages of 3-15 receive a 40% discount in triple cabins, one child per cabin.
- Due to the extreme nature of itinerary destinations, travel insurance is mandatory for all cruises aboard the Rembrandt Van Rijn - including medical, accident and repatriation/evacuation insurance.
Initial deposit is 20%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
KC Chan
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
