Visit Svalbard during the second half of the season on this Arctic expedition cruise. The ice is slowly starting to loosen its grip, which offers good opportunities to explore the seldom-visited eastern parts. During this expedition explore the Arctic archipelago, searching for wildlife such as polar bears, walrus, and whales. If lucky, you can circumnavigate Spitsbergen or explore the spectacular Nordaustlandet on this unforgettable Arctic exploration. With ten nights on board you have plenty of time for grand nature experiences and wildlife encounters.
Highlights
Explore the seldom-visited eastern region of Svalbard
Search for wildlife such as polar bears, walrus, reindeer, foxes, & whales
Find remnants from the17th-century whaling period in Northwest Svalbard
Cruise spectacular fjords, breathtaking landscapes, and melt-waterfalls
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 are now in a part of the world where you are totally dependent on ice and weather conditions. The exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife encountered. The goal is to make daily landings with Zodiac craft – here are some examples of places you may visit:
Northwest Spitsbergen
In the scientific village of Ny Alesund, arctic terns nest by the main street. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. On the islands of Danskoya, Amsterdamoya, and Ytre Norskoya find remnants from the bustling activity during the 17th-century whaling period. Two of the most courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on Danskøya. Swedish balloonist Andree made an attempt with hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started out with airship. The site is still littered with interesting remnants from these expeditions.
Fantastic fjords
Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During your journey explore a few of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “the fjord of love”, is lined with snow-covered mountain peaks and at its base hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest in the area and if lucky see the rare king eider.
In Krossfjorden delight in the beautifully sculptured front of the 14th of July Glacier to the raucous greeting of the large numbers of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by beautiful glaciers, it is also a favorite spot for seals and the bird cliffs are bursting with life.
Eastern Svalbard
The island of Nordaustlandet is covered by an enormous ice cap and fascinates naturalists as well as historians. There are huge glacier fronts here, intersected by hundreds of waterfalls. Even further east is Kvitøya (White Island). In very favorable ice and weather conditions, you may land on this ice-capped island where few people have set foot. Here Andrée and his men were found 33 years after their unsuccessful attempt to reach the North Pole with a hydrogen balloon. Barentsøya and Edgeøya offer magnificent landscapes and vast tundra. Chances are good to encounter walrus, arctic fox, and Svalbard reindeer here.
Hinlopen and Alkefjellet
If the ice allows enter Hinlopen Strait. Here is Alkefjellet (Auk Mountain), a sheer, basaltic cliff, which is the home to some 200,000 Brünnich`s guillemots. Continue into the beautiful bay of Palanderbukta in Nordaustlandet.
Southwest Spitsbergen
The grand fjords of Hornsund offer spectacular glaciers and a breathtaking landscape of towering mountain peaks, often reaching above the clouds. On a clear day you can see the summit of the highest mountain Hornsundtind, measuring 1431 meters. Hornsund is a favorite haunt for some of Svalbard’s polar bears and bearded seals are often seen resting on the fjord ice.
Day 11: Disembark in Longyearbyen
1 Breakfast
Early morning reach Longyearbyen and begin your journey home.
Please note: The itinerary is for guidance only. Our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions, wildlife, and government regulations. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximize your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Triple Cabin
Triple Cabin with upper and lower berths. Located on Deck 3.
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Twin Cabin
Twin Cabin with two twin beds. Located on Deck 3.
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Twin Cabin Plus
Twin Cabin Plus with two twin beds. Located on Deck 3.
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Double Cabin
Double Cabin with one double bed. Located on Deck 3.
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Double Cabin Superior
Double Cabin Superior with one large double bed. Located on Deck 3.
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Owners Cabin
Owners Cabin with one large double bed. Located on Deck 4.
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Solo Twin Cabin
Twin Cabin for solo use. Same cabins as the Twin Cabin, located on Deck 3.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 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
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 251 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 251 reviews on
9 hours ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 day ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
2 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
4 days ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.