Tromso, Arctic Circle & Svalbard

Begin your journey in Tromso, 300 kilometers above the Arctic Circle and nicknamed the 'Paris of the North.' Board Aqua Lares and settle into your comfortable cabin as the expedition heads into the Arctic wilderness.

Start the day exploring Gjesvaer, traveling by tender to Gjesvaerstappan, home to puffins, gannets, and kittiwakes in one of Europe’s largest seabird colonies. In the afternoon, proceed to Skarsvag, among Europe’s northernmost villages, where wild reindeer roam past brightly colored houses.

Step ashore on Reinoya, a secluded island once used by Sami herders for reindeer grazing. Join your expert naturalist guides on walks across raised beaches to witness remarkable geological formations.

Today, head out on excursions along the remote cliffs of Bear Island, home to vast colonies of puffins, guillemots, and fulmars. Enjoy close encounters with the destination's remarkable population of seabirds while out on a tender exploration. Learn more about the island’s unique ecology from your naturalist guides.

Begin the day exploring Samarinvagen, where a calving glacier fills the bay with ice floes that serve as haul-out sites for bearded seals. Watch seabirds such as little auks, Brunnich’s guillemots, and king eiders, and with luck, glimpse a beluga.

Return to Longyearbyen as the ship replenishes itself for the next leg of the journey. Take the day to unwind on board Aqua Lares. Enjoy the social spaces at your leisure, whether it be sipping cocktails in the lounge, a workout in the open air, or a soothing spa treatment. In the afternoon, head to Alkehornet, a dramatic bird cliff where thousands of guillemots and kittiwakes nest. The tundra below often attracts grazing reindeer and, with luck, Arctic foxes on the prowl.

Begin the day at Gravneset, a headland surrounded by glaciers and mountains, where a historic whaling cemetery tells tales of early Arctic explorers. In the afternoon, your adventure continues to Smeerenburg Fjord and Sorgattet, once the center of 17th-century Dutch whaling. Step ashore at the historic site, surrounded by Arctic terns, geese, and the stark beauty of the high Arctic coast.

After an overnight voyage from Smeerenburg, venture into the drifting pack ice, a silent expanse stretching toward the horizon. Head out on a tender excursion in search of polar bears, bearded seals, and ivory gulls in their natural habitat — some of the rarest wildlife encounters on the planet. In the afternoon, take part in a polar plunge and immerse yourself in the frigid Arctic waters.

Start the day exploring one of Svalbard’s most famous bird cliffs. Its basalt walls rise steeply from the sea and are home to over 60,000 pairs of Brünnich’s guillemots during the summer breeding season. The cliffs provide nesting ledges for the birds, while Arctic foxes and glaucous gulls are often seen below, preying on eggs or chicks. Later in the day, sail along the Brasvellbreen glacier front, an outlet of the Austfonna ice cap. Stretching nearly 180 kilometers, this is one of the longest glacier fronts of the northern hemisphere. During summer, meltwater streams pour down its face in striking seasonal waterfalls, a distinctive feature of this vast ice wall.

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Sail into Liefdefjorden, a fjord framed by jagged peaks and glaciers that tumble directly into the sea. At the rustic Texas Bar hunter’s hut and join a guided walk across the surrounding tundra, following reindeer trails and taking in glacier-streaked vistas. In the afternoon, continue to Raudfjord, where towering cliffs and blue-tinged glaciers dominate the landscape. Explore the shoreline alive with seabirds, and then venture inland to admire the silent grandeur of this remote Arctic wilderness.

In the morning, navigate Hinlopenstretet, the strait separating Spitsbergen from Nordaustlandet. The passage is bordered by steep cliffs and several tidewater glaciers, an important summer habitat for Brünnich’s guillemots, which nest on the cliffs, and the waters may hold bearded seals and drifting pack ice. Polar bears are often sighted in this region, particularly along the ice edge. In the afternoon, land at Torellneset, this gravel spit is a well-known walrus haul-out site, where groups of Atlantic walrus rest on the beach between feeding bouts in the surrounding shallow waters.

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In the morning, explore Krossfjorden, where the immense Lilliehookbreen Glacier stretches for more than 12 kilometers. Seals often haul out on the drifting ice, and flocks of kittiwakes soar above. Later in the day, head onwards to Kongsfjorden, one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks and sweeping glaciers, the fjord has long drawn explorers and scientists, its dramatic landscapes offering some of the most striking scenery in the archipelago.

Arrive at Sorgfjorden, located at the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen. The fjord is famous for its dramatic historical events, most notably the naval battle of 1693, when French warships clashed with Dutch whalers. Along its shores, traces of the whaling era remain visible, including graves and blubber ovens from the 17th century. Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes are sometimes spotted along the shoreline, while walrus may gather at haul-outs near the fjord entrance. In summer, Arctic terns, geese, and other migratory birds add to the seasonal life of the high Arctic coast.

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Arrive in Bellsund to explore Calypsobyen, once a center of mining and beluga hunting. After lunch on board, head to Van Keulenfjorden, which features steep mountains rising from the sea and landing sites accessible only by small ships such as Aqua Lares. The fjord’s rich history and raw natural beauty combine to
create one of Svalbard’s most memorable anchorages.

In the morning, explore Krossfjorden, where the immense Lilliehookbreen Glacier stretches for more than 12 kilometers. Seals often haul out on the drifting ice, and flocks of kittiwakes soar above. Later in the day, head onwards to Kongsfjorden, one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks and sweeping glaciers, the fjord has long drawn explorers and scientists, its dramatic landscapes offering some of the most striking scenery in the archipelago.

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In the morning, land at Gnalodden, home to one of the best-known trapper’s cabins in Svalbard, set beneath towering cliffs alive with seabirds. The site offers a vivid glimpse into the lives of those who endured the harsh Arctic seasons in this remote wilderness. In the afternoon, sail into Burgerbukta, where massive tidewater glaciers calve into the sea.

Savor a final breakfast on board before bidding farewell to Aqua Lares and the crew in Longyearbyen.