Arctic Wildlife Safari

Not only a frozen wilderness, Spitsbergen is a place of precarious beauty and a stronghold of endangered Arctic wildlife.


Svalbard
© Sebastian Arrebola

Duration: 9 days*
Starts: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Ends: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Language: English Speaking Voyage

*There is a 10 days option


Included
Optional


The Spitsbergen expedition departs from the far northern settlement of Longyearbyen on the Norwegian Arctic island of Spitsbergen in the famed Svalbard archipelago. Ypu explore the island’s northwestern coast, home to dramatic mountain scenery, tidewater glaciers and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities.

On this Arctic wildlife cruise, you also venture to the jumbled edge of the north-polar ice cap in search of polar bears stalking their prey. Here, at the dynamic boundary between implacable ice and bountiful sea, the wildlife cruise presents the rare opportunity to experience raw nature and incredible events hardly ever seen. Whether it’s a calving iceberg, an incomparable sunrise or the otherworldly hush of a land where man is an infrequent visitor, a Svalbard cruise is one that you’ll remember — and savor — for a lifetime.

Itinerary

© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola

Day 1 | Arrival in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (hotel night)
Welcome to Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Svalbard and starting point of our Arctic expedition! At the Longyearbyen airport, you will be greeted by the staff and transferred to a quality hotel, which has been arranged by and is included in the price of the itinerary. You will then be free to explore the charming, walkable town center.

It is recommended starting your discovery of this fascinating Norwegian High Arctic territory at the excellent Svalbard Museum, where you can also purchase hard-to-find polar books and maps. Afterward, you can enjoy an excellent dinner at one of Longyearbyen’s many delightful restaurants. If you are still awake at midnight, you will notice the sun has not set. In fact, the sun will not set for the entire duration of our time in Svalbard.

Day 2 | Welcome Aboard!
After breakfast at your hotel, the morning is yours to enjoy Longyearbyen. Take in the views of icy fjords and glaciated mountains surrounding this historic former coal-mining town. Take advantage of shopping for souvenirs or some last-minute necessities such as cold-weather gear. Just remember, you will soon receive your very own parka to keep and waterproof boots to borrow on board the ship. For lunch, Longyearbyen offers quick and easy meal options including the most northerly pizzas and kebabs in the world.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the pier where you will be warmly welcome aboard the deluxe expedition vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during the extraordinary adventure to come. After getting underway, a full schedule of events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board, step out onto the open decks to admire the gorgeous scenery in 24-hour daylight as we pass through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden.

Day 3-8 | West Spitsbergen and Polar Ice Edge
The itinerary for this voyage focuses on the spectacular fjords, coasts and islands of western Spitsbergen, the main island of the Svalbard archipelago. This area contains Svalbard’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. The exact schedule and route will be shaped by the weather and ice conditions encountered. Polar bears and other iconic Arctic animals can be spotted at anytime, anywhere in the area of exploration.

One of the pristine natural areas on this itinerary is South Spitsbergen National Park, a vast region of varied landscapes including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges. The centerpiece of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless mighty glaciers cascade from soaring mountaintops into icy inlets. At this time of year, we are sure to encounter fast ice—that is, sea ice that is fastened to the shore. This situation offers an excellent chance of observing polar bears on the hunt for ringed seals. The park also includes the southern shores of Bellsund, a picturesque bay where you find the remains of historical whaling operations, including wooden boats, cabins and thousands of whale bones—a scene from the distant past, literally frozen in time. This area also offers great hiking opportunities through landscapes rich with Arctic flora and birdlife, as well as fascinating geology.

Also on your route is Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, the crown jewel of Svalbard’s scenic wonders. Here you find deep fjords flanked by serrated mountain peaks and immense tidewater glaciers calving icebergs into turquoise waters. The whole area is alive with migratory Arctic seabirds. On this voyage, you are just in time to witness the return of millions of murres, guillemots and little auks to the small islands, mountainsides and sea cliffs where they breed within the park. This is also a great area to encounter marine mammals, including various kinds of whales and Arctic seals. Set among this incredible scenery and wildlife activity, you also find evidence of Svalbard’s earliest sealers and whalers.

The area of exploration also includes gorgeous Forlandet National Park. Here you find Prins Karls Forland, one of the best places in Svalbard to observe herds of walrus hauled out on land. Also along the route is North Isforden National Park, where you have the chance to observe endemic Svalbard reindeer grazing and Arctic fox romping in lush tundra meadows.

Human habitation along our route can be found at Ny Ålesund, a former mining town and airship base that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers. This is one of the world’s most northerly settlements where we find a museum, gift shop and post office.

In addition to exploring the terrestrial environment and inshore waterways of western Spitsbergen, a special effort is made to reach the edge of the polar pack ice. At this dynamic boundary between solid sea ice and open ocean, you have an unparalleled opportunity to witness the dramatic interplay between polar bears and seals. The ship will be taken as close as safely possible to the jumbled and constantly shifting ice floes in the hope of observing polar bears hunting in their preferred habitat. At this time of year, the ice edge is not far from mainland Spitsbergen and our sailing time in open seas will be relatively short.

The West Spitsbergen and Polar Ice Edge route offers a stunning variety of Arctic landscapes and animals with minimal sailing time between excursions. Every day offers something new and exciting. You will not miss a single opportunity to encounter amazing Arctic wildlife, to witness incredible polar scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of historic expeditions that came before.

Day 9 | Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
After filling up with one last buffet breakfast on board, a farewell is bidden for you in Longyearbyen. Transfers are provided to the airport or to the town center in case you plan to stay longer in Svalbard. By this time, you may already be making plans for your next amazing trip with us into the polar worlds!

Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrival in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (hotel night)
Welcome to Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Svalbard and starting point of our Arctic expedition! At the Longyearbyen airport, you will be greeted by the staff and transferred to a quality hotel, which has been arranged by and is included in the price of the itinerary. You will then be free to explore the charming, walkable town center.

It is recommended starting your discovery of this fascinating Norwegian High Arctic territory at the excellent Svalbard Museum, where you can also purchase hard-to-find polar books and maps. Afterward, you can enjoy an excellent dinner at one of Longyearbyen’s many delightful restaurants. If you are still awake at midnight, you will notice the sun has not set. In fact, the sun will not set for the entire duration of our time in Svalbard.

Day 2 | Welcome Aboard!
After breakfast at your hotel, the morning is yours to enjoy Longyearbyen. Take in the views of icy fjords and glaciated mountains surrounding this historic former coal-mining town. Take advantage of shopping for souvenirs or some last-minute necessities such as cold-weather gear. Just remember, you will soon receive your very own parka to keep and waterproof boots to borrow on board the ship. For lunch, Longyearbyen offers quick and easy meal options including the most northerly pizzas and kebabs in the world.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the pier where you will be warmly welcome aboard the deluxe expedition vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during the extraordinary adventure to come. After getting underway, a full schedule of events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board, step out onto the open decks to admire the gorgeous scenery in 24-hour daylight as we pass through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden.

Day 3-8 | West Spitsbergen and Polar Ice Edge
The itinerary for this voyage focuses on the spectacular fjords, coasts and islands of western Spitsbergen, the main island of the Svalbard archipelago. This area contains Svalbard’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. The exact schedule and route will be shaped by the weather and ice conditions encountered. Polar bears and other iconic Arctic animals can be spotted at anytime, anywhere in the area of exploration.

One of the pristine natural areas on this itinerary is South Spitsbergen National Park, a vast region of varied landscapes including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges. The centerpiece of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless mighty glaciers cascade from soaring mountaintops into icy inlets. At this time of year, we are sure to encounter fast ice—that is, sea ice that is fastened to the shore. This situation offers an excellent chance of observing polar bears on the hunt for ringed seals. The park also includes the southern shores of Bellsund, a picturesque bay where you find the remains of historical whaling operations, including wooden boats, cabins and thousands of whale bones—a scene from the distant past, literally frozen in time. This area also offers great hiking opportunities through landscapes rich with Arctic flora and birdlife, as well as fascinating geology.

Also on your route is Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, the crown jewel of Svalbard’s scenic wonders. Here you find deep fjords flanked by serrated mountain peaks and immense tidewater glaciers calving icebergs into turquoise waters. The whole area is alive with migratory Arctic seabirds. On this voyage, you are just in time to witness the return of millions of murres, guillemots and little auks to the small islands, mountainsides and sea cliffs where they breed within the park. This is also a great area to encounter marine mammals, including various kinds of whales and Arctic seals. Set among this incredible scenery and wildlife activity, you also find evidence of Svalbard’s earliest sealers and whalers.

The area of exploration also includes gorgeous Forlandet National Park. Here you find Prins Karls Forland, one of the best places in Svalbard to observe herds of walrus hauled out on land. Also along the route is North Isforden National Park, where you have the chance to observe endemic Svalbard reindeer grazing and Arctic fox romping in lush tundra meadows.

Human habitation along our route can be found at Ny Ålesund, a former mining town and airship base that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers. This is one of the world’s most northerly settlements where we find a museum, gift shop and post office.

In addition to exploring the terrestrial environment and inshore waterways of western Spitsbergen, a special effort is made to reach the edge of the polar pack ice. At this dynamic boundary between solid sea ice and open ocean, you have an unparalleled opportunity to witness the dramatic interplay between polar bears and seals. The ship will be taken as close as safely possible to the jumbled and constantly shifting ice floes in the hope of observing polar bears hunting in their preferred habitat. At this time of year, the ice edge is not far from mainland Spitsbergen and our sailing time in open seas will be relatively short.

The West Spitsbergen and Polar Ice Edge route offers a stunning variety of Arctic landscapes and animals with minimal sailing time between excursions. Every day offers something new and exciting. You will not miss a single opportunity to encounter amazing Arctic wildlife, to witness incredible polar scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of historic expeditions that came before.

Day 9 | Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
After filling up with one last buffet breakfast on board, a farewell is bidden for you in Longyearbyen. Transfers are provided to the airport or to the town center in case you plan to stay longer in Svalbard. By this time, you may already be making plans for your next amazing trip with us into the polar worlds!


© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola


INCLUSIONS

• 1 pre-voyage night on Day 1 in a hotel in Longyearbyen
• Group transfer from the airport to the hotel on the day prior to embarkation
• Group transfer to the ship for embarkation on Day 2
• Shipboard accommodation
• All meals on board throughout the voyage
• Tea and coffee station 24 hours daily
• All scheduled landings/excursions (subject to weather and ice conditions)
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader & Expedition Team
• Branded expedition parka
• Rubber boots for shore landings for the time of the cruise
• Welcome and Farewell cocktails
• All port fees
• Group transfer to airport or central location upon disembarkation
• Pre-departure materials
• Digital Voyage Log
• Wi-Fi on board

EXCLUSIONS

• Airfare
• Transfers from the airport to the hotel if arriving prior to Day 1 of the program
• Visa and passport fees (if applicable)
• Luggage and trip cancellation insurance
• Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages other than those for special events and celebrations
• Personal expenses such as laundry and telecommunication charges
• Mandatory Emergency Evacuation Insurance to a minimum benefit of US$ 200,000 per person
• Kayaking
• Staff gratuities


* The prices are per person in US Dollars, unless expressly specified in a different currency. In that case, payment will be in US dollars at the exchange rate of the day.
** All prices will be re-confirmed by email at the time of booking.
NOTE: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

Gallery



Other options you will like


 



THE POLAR TRAVEL COMPANY LLC
USA

8175 NW 12 ST #120, Doral, FL 33126
Miami - Dade, Florida
Tel: +1 (786) 321-5654
WhatsApp: +1 (786) 705-2241
Email: travel@thepolartravelcompany.com

International Travel Awards - 2023 Winner

© 2020 The Polar Travel Company | All rights reserved | Terms & Conditions
THE POLAR TRAVEL COMPANY LLC is registered with the State of Florida as a Seller of Travel. Registration No. ST42392.

Write us via WhatsApp