Circumnavigating Svalbard: The Ultimate Expedition

Your expedition starts in Oslo, Norway’s scenic capital along the Oslofjord. If time permits, consider exploring the city independently.

Known for its rich history and modern cultural scene, Oslo features world-class museums, striking architecture, and vibrant public spaces. Highlights include the waterfront Opera House and the new Munch Museum.

Wander through Ekebergparken Sculpture Park, tour the historic Akershus Fortress, or unwind in a floating sauna. Discover the urban beach at Sørenga or sample New Nordic cuisine before an overnight stay at your airport hotel.

Following a morning flight from Oslo, your adventure continues with two nights in Longyearbyen—the world’s northernmost town. This colorful Arctic outpost, where snowmobiles outnumber residents, offers a remarkable introduction to life on the fringe of the polar wilderness.

Spend the next two and a half days exploring the town and its surroundings. Longyearbyen is compact and ideal for walking—stroll along the main street and you may encounter Svalbard reindeer, known for their gentle nature despite being wild.

To gain a deeper perspective, join local guides on an e-bike tour through the area. Learn about the town’s unique position at the top of the world and its rich mining history.

From the expedition center, travel along an unpaved road to Hotellneset, home to a lake and remnants of Svalbard’s early industrial era. It was here that Hurtigruten founder Richard With built the region’s first hotel, predating the development of modern Longyearbyen.

Return via the historic “Burma Road,” once used to haul coal to the harbor. Along the way, take in sweeping views and pass landmarks such as an old funicular, Svalbard Church, and the ruins of the original settlement destroyed during World War II.

Continue beneath the cliffs of Plateau Mountain, past the cemetery and iconic Huset—a building that has served as a theater, bar, school, and church. Conclude the tour at the Coal Miners’ Cabins, the town’s original worker housing, where you can enjoy a relaxed lunch before returning to your hotel.

On Day 4, You can have the morning to finish looking around Longyearbyen before boarding the ship in the afternoon and beginning your expedition cruise.

Today, discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighboring fjords, such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions, as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station requires you to switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 

One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship “Norge.” Now, the town is a hub for global science and climate research, and you can still see remnants of its history. 

Immersed in rugged, glacial scenery as you explore the fjords around Ny-Ålesund. Be ready for adventure; the team will seize any opportunity to launch the small expedition boats, go ashore to hike or cruise by majestic glaciers.

Over the next three days, explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. In this wilderness of steep mountains, stark glaciers and beautiful offshore islands, scan for animals of the Arctic: whales, seals, walruses, and reindeer. If you are really lucky, you may even see the elusive polar bear from the observation deck of the ship. In stunning Kongsfjord, you may see impressive glaciers calving into the sea. 

Be ready for adventure; the team will seize any opportunity to launch the kayaks or use the small expedition boats and go ashore to hike or participate in a beach clean-up.

If conditions allow, sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities here for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge photogenically on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, the team will lower the expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable close-up experience amid the floating ice.

The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. As summer progresses from May to August, it retreats further toward the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for you. If this is the case, then instead you explore the equally impressive deep fjords, mighty glaciers and enchanting scenery of the Svalbard coast. In late July and into August, this is a time when the wildflowers appear, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and color.

Be ready for anything, as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If the sea ice permits, continue east and explore the pristine wilderness of northeast Svalbard before heading south in your attempt to fully circumnavigate the archipelago. 

You may head to the immense Bråsvellbreen glacier to see waterfalls tumbling into the icy depths, or you may lower the small boats near Kvitøya. Every day in the east will be a new opportunity to look for polar bears roaming the ice. Continuing south, you may head to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take the small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya. 

In true expedition style, your exact route will depend on that day’s conditions. Channel your inner explorer on exhilarating landings, hikes, and kayak trips, and look out for wildlife like polar bears, walruses, guillemots, and gulls.

And if the ice doesn’t allow you to pass to the east, experience just as much adventure: delve deeper into the wonders of western Svalbard or attempt to circumnavigate Spitsbergen through the Hinlopen Strait. Take a flexible route through deep fjords and by soaring mountains where you seek out remarkable Arctic wildlife.

Your expedition cruise continues south toward Hornsund—one of Svalbards most beautiful fjords. Rich, colorful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, admire Mount Hornsundtind, and watch glaciers calving into the sea. 

Then, head to Bellsund, whose cliffs are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots, and northern fulmars, while Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer can be found below. Look out for the early mining settlements here and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper. 

Your activities for the day will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day.

Your Arctic adventure comes to an end back in Longyearbyen. A transfer will take you to the airport for your flight to Oslo. Return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice, and climate change than you arrived with—and with memories of an incredible experience.