Arctic Spitsbergen Cruise Around Svalbard Norway

Scantours offers Expedition Voyages to Spitsbergen, a 9 day adventure, including a 7-day cruise on board the MS Polar Star . Passengers cruise under the Midnight Sun exploring Spitsbergen's Arctic landscapes and abundant wildlife: massive glaciers covering 60% of the land, fjords lined with steep cliffs, rugged mountains, and polar bears, wild reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales, seals and many species of migratory birds. All departures on board the MS Polar Star feature experienced expedition leaders presenting lectures on the unique plant and animal life of the Spitsbergen archipelago.

This 9 day expedition gives you an opportunity to explore the last wilderness of Europe rich in unspoiled nature and wildlife. The MS Polar Star ship is small enough to visit areas that larger ships cannot enter, and the Zodiacs will enable you to make interesting shore excursions. All departures feature experienced expedition leaders presenting lectures on the unique plant and animal life of the Spitsbergen archipelago.

Polar Bears in Spitsbergen

Approximately 4,500 polar bears inhabit Spitsbergen. Polar bears can be seen in the east, north, and south, and polar bear spotting is also common along the western fjords and coastlines. Visits of the polar bears to settlements around Spitsbergen are familiar sights.

Itinerary

Arrive in Longyearbyen, where you'll be met by a guide and transfer to the Spitsbergen Hotel. Early arrivals have time to explore the town.

Time on you own to explore Longyearbyen in the morning. In the afternoon you'll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen before embarking the ice breaker M/V Polar Star where a welcome meeting will be held, familiarizing you with the ship and crew. Now your adventure begins - seals, whales, abundant birdlife, unique Arctic flora, and hopefully polar bears will fill your days. Your journey is enhanced by daily lectures covering each day's upcoming itinerary. on your way out of the Isfjord, a call at Barentsburg, a Russian mining community, where you enjoy a guided tour.

Today you'll reach the northern parts of the Prins Karls Forland Island, one of many natural parks, with its sharply-peaked mountains on all sides surrounded by massive glaciers that will take your breath away, and a remarkable wildlife, including walruses, seals, wild reindeer, and Arctic foxes.

We continue past the majestic Kongsfjord to the international research center of Ny-Alesund, also the starting point for many 1920s expeditions trying for the North Pole, where you'll enjoy a guided tour. Then proceed north to the famous Magdalenefjord, one of the most beautiful fjords in Spitsbergen, with its steep, towering rock faces edged by surrounding rugged mountains interrupted by several glaciers. Thousands of rare little auks can be found here, and whale spotting is possible.

You'll then enter into the Smeerenburgfjord, another spectacular fjord, and the first stop will be at Amsterdamoya and Danskoya. Visit the old whale hunting site where the Dutch whalers started up whaling in the seventh century. In Zodiacs, you'll cross the narrow sound over to Virgohamna at Danskoya, most famous as the starting point for the Swede Andrée in his 1897 attempt to reach the North Pole with the balloon Eagle.

Today you'll continue round the northeast corner of Spitsbergen, where Nordaustlandet appears in the distance. Today's goal is to reach the 80th parallel, sailing by Moffen Island, before heading further east towards the Hinlopen Strait and the remote parts of Spitsbergen. You will make a Zodiac landing to personally experience the startling beauty of the High Arctic landscape.

Glaciers, fjords and ice will dominate the next four days. King Winter never really relaxes his grip on the east coast of Spitsbergen, which is majestic in its infinite silence. Here you'll find some of Svalbard's most desolate regions, including Nordaustlandet, the second largest island, which is for the most part completely covered by two enormous glaciers. The larger one, Austfonna, has a spectacular front 124 miles and is the origin of Svalbard's largest icebergs. And while navigating through Hinlopen Strait you'll enjoy fjords on each side. Weather permitting, participate in a Zodiac landing for a close-up encounter with the glacier ice.

Alternative route early in the season: North along Nordaustlandet, via Wahlenbergfjord, and then on in the direction of Sjuoyane. Alternative route later in the season: via Edgeoya, Storfjord and around the Southern Cape. The program will depend on weather and ice conditions. Ships can sail through Hinlopen Strait early in the season, ice conditions permitting. Early summer is for those who want to experience large amounts of ice and an abundance of bird life. Consider later in the season to go further east, and perhaps sail around all of Spitsbergen.

Morning arrival in Longyearbyen. Transfer to the airport for flights home.

Notes