Svalbard Odyssey

Voyage around Spitsbergen, the biggest island of the Svalbard Archipelago


Svalbard
© Sebastian Arrebola

Duration: 10 nights
Starts: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Ends: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Language: English Speaking Voyage

* At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.


Included
Optional


Enjoy the best of Svalbard, a world of endless daylight where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries echo from sea cliffs and beluga whales rise from the sea. Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers and look out for arctic fox, or discover historic camps of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to find walrus and bearded seals, or simply enjoy breathtakingly beautiful Norwegian fjords.

Itinerary

© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The on-board expedition leader will determine the final itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

Day 1 – Longyearbyen
Enjoy a guided tour of colourful Spitsbergen’ capital Longyearbyen. Late afternoon sees us warmly welcomed on board the ship.

Days 2 to 3 – Magdalenefjorden
Wake up to spectacular alpine peaks and glacier valleys of Spitsbergen’s rugged west coast. In Magdalenefjorden we Zodiac cruise a safe distance from the aqua-blue ice cliffs of 14th July Glacier or Waggonway Glacier, and take long walks among summer flowers, alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Thanks to the nutrient-rich Gulf Stream and relatively mild temperatures, Atlantic puffins and guillemots fill the cliffs. We look for bearded seals, with their precious curling whiskers. We may visit the remains of a 350-year old Dutch whaling settlement on Amsterdam Island and learn of an ill-fated ballooning attempt over the North Pole.

Days 4 to 6 – Moffen Island & Woodfjorden
Rounding Spitsbergen’s northwest coast, we enter the Arctic Ocean and the world of pack ice. Ghostly beluga whales rise up in open leads and polar bears stalk ringed, bearded and harp seals. Offshore, walruses feed on clams or haul out on beaches, especially on Moffen Island, a walrus sanctuary. We visit trapper huts and stay alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Delightful walks reveal delicious berries and some of the tundra’s 164 exquisite flowering plants including purple saxifrage, yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. If ice conditions allow, we attempt to cross latitude 80° north before turning south to Woodfjorden.

Days 7 to 8 – Hinlopen Strait, Barentsøya and Edgeøya Islands
We attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, a channel flanked by austere, cream-coloured slopes rich in fossils between Spitsbergen and ice-capped Nordaustlandet. This polar desert is a landscape eroded by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar our way, but there is much to strive for. We Zodiac cruise beneath Alkefjellet, sheer basalt cliffs rising at more than 250 metres – literally buzzing with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots. During shore excursions, we seek eider ducks, Arctic foxes and the elusive Svalbard ptarmigan. As we pass Barentsøya and Edgeøya islands, we cross polar bear migration routes.

Days 9 to 10 – Hornsund & Bellsund Fjords
This is true expedition cruising. If ice conditions allow, we round South Cape and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund, deep fjords home to stunning glaciers and wildlife. If ice bars our way, we simply adjust our itinerary, backtrack and delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts.

Day 11 – Longyearbyen
A midnight cruise of glorious Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen and the end of our voyage.

Itinerary

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The on-board expedition leader will determine the final itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

Day 1 – Longyearbyen
Enjoy a guided tour of colourful Spitsbergen’ capital Longyearbyen. Late afternoon sees us warmly welcomed on board the ship.

Days 2 to 3 – Magdalenefjorden
Wake up to spectacular alpine peaks and glacier valleys of Spitsbergen’s rugged west coast. In Magdalenefjorden we Zodiac cruise a safe distance from the aqua-blue ice cliffs of 14th July Glacier or Waggonway Glacier, and take long walks among summer flowers, alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Thanks to the nutrient-rich Gulf Stream and relatively mild temperatures, Atlantic puffins and guillemots fill the cliffs. We look for bearded seals, with their precious curling whiskers. We may visit the remains of a 350-year old Dutch whaling settlement on Amsterdam Island and learn of an ill-fated ballooning attempt over the North Pole.

Days 4 to 6 – Moffen Island & Woodfjorden
Rounding Spitsbergen’s northwest coast, we enter the Arctic Ocean and the world of pack ice. Ghostly beluga whales rise up in open leads and polar bears stalk ringed, bearded and harp seals. Offshore, walruses feed on clams or haul out on beaches, especially on Moffen Island, a walrus sanctuary. We visit trapper huts and stay alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Delightful walks reveal delicious berries and some of the tundra’s 164 exquisite flowering plants including purple saxifrage, yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. If ice conditions allow, we attempt to cross latitude 80° north before turning south to Woodfjorden.

Days 7 to 8 – Hinlopen Strait, Barentsøya and Edgeøya Islands
We attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, a channel flanked by austere, cream-coloured slopes rich in fossils between Spitsbergen and ice-capped Nordaustlandet. This polar desert is a landscape eroded by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar our way, but there is much to strive for. We Zodiac cruise beneath Alkefjellet, sheer basalt cliffs rising at more than 250 metres – literally buzzing with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots. During shore excursions, we seek eider ducks, Arctic foxes and the elusive Svalbard ptarmigan. As we pass Barentsøya and Edgeøya islands, we cross polar bear migration routes.

Days 9 to 10 – Hornsund & Bellsund Fjords
This is true expedition cruising. If ice conditions allow, we round South Cape and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund, deep fjords home to stunning glaciers and wildlife. If ice bars our way, we simply adjust our itinerary, backtrack and delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts.

Day 11 – Longyearbyen
A midnight cruise of glorious Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen and the end of our voyage.


© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola


INCLUSIONS

Group transfer from Longyearbyen airport to ship
Group transfer from ship to downtown Reykjavik or airport
Fully-serviced accommodation in your chosen stateroom
Daily shore excursions, guided walks, Zodiac cruises
An experienced team of destination specialists and activity leaders
An informative and entertaining lecture program by our team of experts
Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner including house wines, beers and soft drinks, afternoon tea and snacks
Captain's Welcome and Farewell drinks including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages
Pre-dinner drinks including canapes and bar snacks
Complimentary 3-in-1 polar jacket
Complimentary use of gumboots
Complimentary use of fitness centre
Complimentary access to on board expedition doctor and medical clinic
Personalised photo book (post voyage)
Entry fees to historic or tourist sites
Port, pilotage charges and landing fees

EXCLUSIONS

Flights to and from your voyage
Airport arrival or departure taxes
Visa, passport, and vaccination charges
Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges
Hotels or meals not included in voyage itinerary
Optional excursions not included in the voyage itinerary
Optional activity surcharge. Please contact us if you wish to book any optional activities, such as sea kayaking or polar snorkelling
Any items of a personal nature including: Alcoholic beverages or soft drinks outside of meal times, gratuities, laundry


* 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.

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