Circumnavigating Spitsbergen: In the Realm of the Polar Bear

Enjoy time in Oslo before flying to Svalbard  

Your expedition begins in Oslo, Norway’s fjord-side capital. If you have time, why not explore the city centre on your own.  

With its rich history and fashionable art scene, Oslo is a fascinating city. You'll find museums, galleries, and breathtaking architecture – including the beautiful Opera House and new Munch Museum. 

Take a stroll in the Ekebergparken sculpture park, visit Akershus Fortress or relax in a floating sauna. Explore modern Sørenga and enjoy urban beach life or try New Nordic cuisine before spending the night in your airport hotel in Oslo.  

Get to know the town at the top of the world

After a morning flight from Oslo, your adventure begins with two nights in the world’s northernmost town. A colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, you’ll discover that Longyearbyen is a unique place on the edge of the Arctic wilderness.   

Spend the next two days exploring Longyearbyen and its surroundings. The town is perfect for getting around on foot. Stroll down the main street and you might see Svalbard reindeer saunter by.  

To give you a wider look, local guides will take you on an e-bike tour of the area and present the historic backdrop to the town at the top of the world.   

From the expedition centre you’ll head out of town and along an unpaved road to Hotellneset, which has a lake and showcases the remnants of the area’s mining past. Svalbard’s very first hotel was built here by Hurtigruten pioneer Richard With before the modern town we see today had even been constructed.   

We’ll then head back into Longyearbyen along the ‘Burma Road’, which was an important link for coal being shipped from the harbour, enjoying panoramic views as we ride. Sights along the way include an old funicular, the historic Svalbard Church and the ruined remains of the original Longyearbyen, which was bombed during WWII.   

From here we’ll continue under the steep cliffs of the Plateau Mountain, passing the graveyard and the iconic Huset – a building which has been everything from a cinema to bar, school and church. We will continue on to Coal Miners’ Cabins, the original miners’ home, and enjoy a relaxed lunch before completing our tour and returning to the hotel.  

On Day 4 you’ll have the morning to finish off looking around Longyearbyen before boarding the ship in the afternoon and beginning our expedition cruise.  

Experience science, serenity and epic scenery

Today you’ll discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighbouring fjords such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station means we must switch off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

One of the northernmost settlements and a former mining town, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for Roald Amundsen’s expeditions north with the airship ‘Norge’. Now a hub for global science and climate research, you can still see remnants of the town’s history. 

You’ll be immersed in rugged, glacial scenery as we explore the fjords around Ny-Ålesund. Be ready for adventure; we’ll seize any opportunity to launch our small expedition boats, go ashore to hike or cruise by majestic glaciers. 

Experience pristine Arctic wilderness 

Over the next two days, we’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of this breathtaking national park where steep mountains, glaciers and beautiful offshore islands form a unique Arctic landscape. 

We’ll scout for some of the animals of the Arctic – seals, walruses and reindeer. Early in the season, there’s a good chance we may spot polar bears too, so we’ll always be on the lookout for these iconic but elusive predators. 

Be ready for adventure; we’ll seize any opportunity to launch our kayaks or use our small expedition boats and go ashore to hike or participate in a beach clean up.

Experience the opportunity of sailing to the edge of the polar ice cap 

If conditions allow, we’ll sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, we’ll lower our expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable close-up experience amid the floating ice.  

The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. From May to August, as summer progresses, it retreats further towards the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for us. If so, we’ll explore the no-less-impressive fjords, glaciers and incredible scenery of the Svalbard coast.   

Wildflowers start blooming in July and into August, this is a time when the wildflowers appear, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and colour.  

Scouting for polar bears, seabirds and walruses

Be ready for anything as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If sea ice permits, we’ll venture to the frozen seascape of Eastern Spitsbergen.  

We have high hopes you’ll see the elusive polar bear over the next two days. We'll also scout for walrus and colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots and other seabirds in the Hinlopen Strait. We may head south to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya. 

In true expedition style, exactly where we’ll go will depend on the conditions on the day.  Channel your inner explorer on exhilarating landings, hikes and kayak trips, and look out for wildlife.   

And if the ice doesn’t allow us to pass through Hinlopen Strait, you’ll experience just as much adventure as we delve deeper into the wonders of western Svalbard. We’ll take a flexible route through deep fjords and by calving glaciers, seeking out remarkable Arctic wildlife. 

Majestic glaciers, birds and pioneer history 

Your expedition cruise continues south towards Hornsund – one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords. Colourful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. The cliffs here are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars, along with Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer below. 

Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, Mount Hornsundtind, and glaciers reaching into the sea, and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper to hunt in Svalbard. 

Then we head to admire the classic beauty of the snowcapped mountains of Bellsund  – a historic area where you can see the evidence of former whaling and mining activity on the shoreline. 

Our activities will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day. 

A final day on top of the world 

Your Arctic adventure ends in Longyearbyen, where you’ll catch your flight back to Oslo.  You'll return home knowing more about Arctic animals, history, polar ice and climate change than you arrived with – and memories of an incredible experience.