Arctic
Svalbard
Arctic
Arctic
Join us on an adventurous expedition vessel cruise from Tromso in Norway to explore the rarely visited Bear Island and the southern coast of Spitsbergen.
Duration: 10 days
Starts: Tromsø, Norway
Ends: Longyearbyen
Language: English Speaking Voyage
Enrichment Program More info about this activity
Expedition cruising must be one of the most incredible ways of travelling. Not only for the amazing places you visit and the unforgetable wildlife but for the wildlife, the sensory overload and the unimaginable memories.
But all of this needs a context in order to understand where you are and what you are experiencing.
On board your expedition vessell you will find a group of experts, naturalists, zodiac drivers and guides that that will translate the language of nature for you, telling you the stories of the places you are visiting, reviewing the historical, biological, ecological and geological aspects of your trips.
You will experience first hand what surrounds you and arrive back home wiser and loaded with new knowledge.
Ship Cruise More info about this activity
Not only we travel from one point to another and find our shelter on board the ship we chose. We also enjoy from incredible scenery, landscapes and interactions that only our noble vessel can provide.
Everyday the Bridge Team navigates the ship to position ourselves on the best posible spots, looking for unique opportunities.
Many times, this includes sainig through narrow passages, on the vicinity of glaciers or entering bays and fjords only approachable from the ship.
Enjoy this incredible places from the comfort of the common areas on board, open decks or your own private balcony!
Shore Excursion More info about this activity
Shore excursions are the backbone of almost all itineraries, with most ships making landfall at least once every day once they reach their destination. The weather plays a huge role in your daily itinerary, although given the sheer array of fantastic landing sites all over there are plenty of options your Captain and Expedition Leader can choose from. On-shore excursions allow you to visit scientific research stations, communities, prominent wildlife colonies and take hikes to elevated viewing points for fantastic photography.
Zodiac cruising More info about this activity
On board the Zodiac you will discover a world of possibilities; accessing the most exclusive landing sites, cruising the coast in search of wildlife or simply enjoying a tour in the calm of the polar regions in search of marine wildlife or bird colonies.
The blue ice an its intimate presence is experienced at its best on zodiac tours.
It is not uncommon to meet curious seals, or humpback whales feeding.
Snow Shoeing More info about this activity
This popular alpine activity is easy to learn. No experience is necessary – all you need is a willingness to try. All training is provided and our team of guides will have you trained and ready to go in no more than half an hour.
Participants should be confident in their footing and have an average level of fitness – outings may be up to three hours in duration. Those who enjoy hiking trails or taking long walks at home will possess enough fitness to enjoy this activity. As with any other activity, you will get more enjoyment out of it with some preparation in advance, such as long walks with uphill sections or bike riding.
In Antarctica, the longest hike can be 2-3 hours long, while in the Arctic it can be a full day tour.
Please note: The itinerary below is a guide only. A part of any Arctic adventure is the flexibility to take advantage of the weather and ice conditions. Our expedition leader will make sure you see as much a possible.
Day 1: Tromso, Norway
The voyage casts off from the city of Tromso, situated at the top of mainland Norway above the Arctic circle. Tromso is served with good air connections making it the perfect departure place for a cruise from Norway to Svalbard. Depending on the weather we will either spend a day exploring the fjords close to Tromso or if we have a favourable weather window head straight north towards Bear Island.
Day 2: Crossing the Barents Sea
With the compass pointing north, we will say goodbye to mainland Norway as we head across the Barents Sea. Our expedition leader will do a lecture on Bear Island so you learn about its history, wildlife, and some of the places we plan to land. This is a good day to do some relaxing for the adventure ahead. Spend some time out on the deck watching out for wildlife or read a book in the comfortable saloon.
Day 3-5: Exploring Bear Island
After a day at sea, we will make our first sighting of the seldom visited Bear Island, first discovered in 1596 by Dutch explorers William Barentz and Jacob van Heemskerck. We will have 3 full days to explore the island and make landings at different sites including the remains of a whaling station. The island is also home to an abundance of birdlife and if conditions allow we will explore the bird cliffs by Zodiac landing craft. We plan to do some hikes ashore. As it is early in the season the shores will likely still be snow-covered and we will supply snowshoes for walking.
Day 6-9: Exploring Southern Spitsbergen
After spending another day at sea will reach the southern coast of Spitsbergen, the largest of Svalbard’s Islands. We have a full three days to explore the coast with the plan on doing shore landings each day to experience the frozen wilderness of Svalbard as it emerges from the winter months. We will visit the area around Hornsund and use the opportunity for some short hikes ashore. As we sail towards our final destination we will enter the Isfjord where we plan to visit a glacier.
Day 10: Longyearbyen
After an exciting voyage, we have our final breakfast together before we say our goodbyes. We disembark in the morning at the port of Longyearbyen after making new friends and sharing an exciting adventure together. Longyearbyen is well served by domestic airlines that connect to Oslo in Norway. Longyearbyen is also a great place to spend a few additional days. Please see our Longyearbyen guide for some suggestions of places to stay and things to do.
Day 1: Tromso, Norway
The voyage casts off from the city of Tromso, situated at the top of mainland Norway above the Arctic circle. Tromso is served with good air connections making it the perfect departure place for a cruise from Norway to Svalbard. Depending on the weather we will either spend a day exploring the fjords close to Tromso or if we have a favourable weather window head straight north towards Bear Island.
Day 2: Crossing the Barents Sea
With the compass pointing north, we will say goodbye to mainland Norway as we head across the Barents Sea. Our expedition leader will do a lecture on Bear Island so you learn about its history, wildlife, and some of the places we plan to land. This is a good day to do some relaxing for the adventure ahead. Spend some time out on the deck watching out for wildlife or read a book in the comfortable saloon.
Day 3-5: Exploring Bear Island
After a day at sea, we will make our first sighting of the seldom visited Bear Island, first discovered in 1596 by Dutch explorers William Barentz and Jacob van Heemskerck. We will have 3 full days to explore the island and make landings at different sites including the remains of a whaling station. The island is also home to an abundance of birdlife and if conditions allow we will explore the bird cliffs by Zodiac landing craft. We plan to do some hikes ashore. As it is early in the season the shores will likely still be snow-covered and we will supply snowshoes for walking.
Day 6-9: Exploring Southern Spitsbergen
After spending another day at sea will reach the southern coast of Spitsbergen, the largest of Svalbard’s Islands. We have a full three days to explore the coast with the plan on doing shore landings each day to experience the frozen wilderness of Svalbard as it emerges from the winter months. We will visit the area around Hornsund and use the opportunity for some short hikes ashore. As we sail towards our final destination we will enter the Isfjord where we plan to visit a glacier.
Day 10: Longyearbyen
After an exciting voyage, we have our final breakfast together before we say our goodbyes. We disembark in the morning at the port of Longyearbyen after making new friends and sharing an exciting adventure together. Longyearbyen is well served by domestic airlines that connect to Oslo in Norway. Longyearbyen is also a great place to spend a few additional days. Please see our Longyearbyen guide for some suggestions of places to stay and things to do.