Circumnavigating Svalbard: The Ultimate Expedition

Enjoy time in Oslo before flying to Svalbard

Your expedition begins in Oslo, Norway’s fjord-side capital. If you have time, we suggest exploring the city center 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 at 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 in the world’s northernmost town. You’ll have the remainder of the day to explore at your leisure.

Longyearbyen is a colourful frontier settlement at the edge of the Arctic wilderness, where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles. The town is perfect for getting around on foot – stroll down the main street and you might see Svalbard reindeer saunter by.     On Day 3, your guide will meet you at your hotel and you’ll head to Nybyen – Longyearbyen’s ‘New Town’, and former miners’ quarter. Here, you’ll enjoy a hearty Norwegian lunch at Stormessa, the old miners’ mess hall, where historical photographs bring the stories of these early pioneers to life.

After lunch, you’ll set out on a panoramic tour of Longyearbyen, combining modern highlights with historical remains. Sites visited may include the colourful spisshusene (point-roofed houses), Svalbard Church, and scenic viewpoints near the old cableway station.     The tour concludes at Svalbard Bryggeri, a local brewery. Founded by a former miner, the brewery represents a true Svalbard success story. Hear how he helped change legislation to make local brewing possible, then enjoy a tasting of several handcrafted beers before returning to your hotel.

On Day 4, spend the morning at your leisure. You’ll embark MS Spitsbergen in the afternoon. Once you’ve boarded the ship, get settled in, explore, and meet your Expedition Team.

Experience science, serenity, and epic scenery

Today you’ll discover the serenity of Ny-Ålesund and neighboring fjords, such as Krossfjord and Kongsfjord. Disconnect and enjoy a day without distractions, as the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s nearby geodetic station requires us to 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, the town is a hub for global science and climate research, and you can still see remnants of its 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 three days, you’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. In this wilderness of steep mountains, stark glaciers and beautiful offshore islands, we’ll scan for animals of the Arctic: whales, seals, walruses, and reindeer. If we’re really lucky, we may even see the elusive polar bear from the observation deck of the ship. In stunning Kongsfjord, you may see impressive glaciers calving into the sea. 

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 to sail 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 here for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge photogenically 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. As summer progresses from May to August, it retreats further toward the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for us. If this is the case, then instead we’ll explore the equally impressive deep fjords, mighty glaciers and enchanting scenery of the Svalbard coast. In late July and into August, this is a time when the wildflowers appear, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and color.

Scouting for polar bears, seabirds, and walruses

Be ready for anything, as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If the sea ice permits, we’ll continue east and explore the pristine wilderness of northeast Svalbard before heading south in our attempt to fully circumnavigate the archipelago. 

We may head to the immense Bråsvellbreen glacier to see waterfalls tumbling into the icy depths, or we may lower our small boats near Kvitøya. Every day in the east will be a new opportunity to look for polar bears roaming the ice. Continuing south, we may head to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya. 

In true expedition style, our exact route will depend on that day’s conditions. Channel your inner explorer on exhilarating landings, hikes, and kayak trips, and look out for wildlife like polar bears, walruses, guillemots, and gulls.

And if the ice doesn’t allow us to pass to the east, you’ll experience just as much adventure: we’ll delve deeper into the wonders of western Svalbard or attempt to circumnavigate Spitsbergen through the Hinlopen Strait. We’ll take a flexible route through deep fjords and by soaring mountains where we’ll seek out remarkable Arctic wildlife.

Majestic glaciers, birds, and pioneer history

Your expedition cruise continues south toward Hornsund—one of Svalbards most beautiful fjords. Rich, colorful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, admire Mount Hornsundtind, and watch glaciers calving into the sea. 

Then we’ll head to Bellsund, whose cliffs are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots, and northern fulmars, while Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer can be found below. Look out for the early mining settlements here and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper. 

Our activities for the day 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 comes to an end back in Longyearbyen. A transfer will take you to the airport for your flight 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.