Spitsbergen and Polar Bears: An Arctic Adventure (Monday - Saturday)

Upon arrival you are taken to the Spitsbergen Hotel or Coal Miners’ Cabins, where you stay for the night.

Enjoy a sightseeing trip in Longyearbyen, ending at the pier where you join the MS Nordstjernen. Your first stop is the Russian settlement of Barentsburg, where there are opportunities to visit the Pomor Museum (optional) and enjoy a lively folklore show. In the afternoon, continue out the Isfjord and head north along the Prins Karls Forland.

The day is spent cruising towards the Monaco Glacier, passing a number of small islets where eider ducks nest during the summer. If you are lucky, you may spot a polar bear searching for eggs. If the ice conditions are favorable, sail past 80° North and toward Moffen, an island that often hosts walrus.

This is the largest fjord on the northwest coast. You might also visit a large adjacent fjord called Krossfjorden. The landscape varies from large tundra plains to alpine peaks with dramatic glaciers tumbling into the ocean. At the end of the fjord you can see the majestic Kongsbreen. Later on call on Ny-Ålesund. Previously a coal-mining community, it now houses an advanced High Arctic research station.

Located in central Spitsbergen, the Isfjord is the most prominent fjord system on Svalbard. Spend the morning sailing towards Longyearbyen. As you sail into the outer parts of the Isfjord, the landscape changes. Marvel at the large U-shaped valleys, carved out of the mountains by the giant glaciers that covered the area some ten thousand years ago. Upon arrival in Longyearbyen you have the rest of the day at your disposal. A farewell dinner is served at the hotel.

The Spitsbergen adventure is over. Transfer to the airport for the flight back home.