Svalbard Expedition

Depending on your arrival time in Longyearbyen, you will be able to  enjoy some free time in town or be invited to board  the ship upon arrival.. Navigate through Isfjorden, close to the Russian enclave of Barentsburg, the second-largest settlement in the archipelago.
 

Journey along Dei Sju Isfjella—once named The Coast of the Seven Icebergs by whalers—where a breathtaking glacier front extends over seven kilometers. Magdalenefjorden unveils an impressive setting of majestic mountains and glaciers, with scree slopes that are home to thousands of birds. The extended graveyard and remains of blubber ovens set in the Gravneset Peninsula bear testimony to the many whalers who used to find shelter in the fjord. Nowadays, the land welcomes a growing number of walruses.

Navigate among the well-preserved ice floes in search of polar bears on the north coast. Monacobreen is a glacier reaching down into Liefdefjorden, whose landscapes and icebergs provide some of the most spectacular views in the whole archipelago. Tonight, we'll travel towards the island of Moffen where whales, walruses, and bears like to dwell, before proceeding beyond the 80th parallel north, ice permitting.
 

Reach Murchisonfjorden, as famous for its buildings from the 1958 International Geophysical Year research expedition as it is for its walrus colonies. One of the largest and most remarkable bird colonies on the archipelago is nestled among the steep cliffs made up of dark basaltic rock and bright limestone. Ice permitting, we’ll resume our search for polar bears as we continue northeast.
 

Once home to a busy whaling station and a starting point for major Arctic expeditions, this legendary fjord—where glaciers form a spectacular ice front against the sea—has now been claimed by wildlife. Walruses and seals are a likely sight, as bears wander about the slopes of steep, rugged mountains with beautiful ice-sculpted tops. Discover rarely explored bays and impressive little auk colonies, the most populous bird species in Svalbard.
 

The pyramidal peaks of the majestic Tre Kroner mountains overlook Kongsfjorden, an inlet comprising several cultural-heritage sites. Norwegian explorer and key figure of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration Roald Amundsen made an attempt to reach the North Pole by flying boats from this area in the early 20th century. From gigantic icebergs calving from the edge of glaciers to bird colonies, nature reserves, and research stations, Kongsfjorden offers a unique array of riches. To top it off, you’ll likely cross paths with a few reindeer and arctic foxes!
 

Today visit Recherchefjorden. Amidst remnants of white whale hunts and evidence of retreating glaciers, we’ll observe the large bird colonies that make the archipelago famous. Take a walk through moraines and tundras, in close contact with the ice.
 

The south of Spitsbergen is known for its incredible landscapes and the 11 glaciers peaking in Hornsund, with its highest mountain culminating at 1,431 meters.  All through history, the snow-covered fjord has welcomed whalers, early Russian explorers, Pomors, trappers, miners, and scientists, and is still home to a Polish research station that has been operating since 1957. Hornsund brims with impressive sights, including Brepollen—almost surrounded by glaciers extending over 20 kilometers—the strongly glaciated, vertical-rock wall area around Burgerbukta, the bird colonies in Gnålodden, and the polar bears who populate the area.
 

Disembark in Longyearbyen. This is the end of your adventure and we wish you a pleasant journey home.