Itinerary
Day 1: 13:55 On arrival in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which Spitsbergen is the largest island, you will be met by a Basecamp guide who will take you to the Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel, Svalbard’s roughest and most special hotel! In the afternoon there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the surrounds of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. Accommodation in double rooms at Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel. NB, lunch and dinner are not included. Our staff can help recommend a nice restaurant.
Day 2: 08:00 Breakfast in Travelers’ Club. 09:00 We transfer to Basecamp Trapper Station in Bolterdalen Valley. Here we meet our 90 Alaskan Husky’s. The guide teaches how to harness the dogs and after assembling our own team we go summer sledding on wheels! In the afternoon there will be time for lunch and then we embark the ship and in the early evening we sail out of Isfjorden. NB, lunch not included.
Day 3: Heading north along the west coast, we arrive by morning in Krossfjorden, where we take to the Zodiacs for an exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier. On the surprisingly fertile slopes near the glacier, a colorful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting the opportunistic Arctic Fox, patrolling the base of the cliffs. Perhaps we’ll see Bearded Seals, who cruise this scenic fjord. In the afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the world’s northernmost settlement.
Once a mining village - served by the world’s most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the North Pole.
Day 4: Depending on the weather we may now sail to the mouth of Liefdefjorden and go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of the impressive Monaco glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of Kittiwakes. On previous voyages Polar Bears have been seen on the glacier, providing wonderful opportunities for photography.
Day 5: Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to Bearded Seals, Ringed Seals, Polar Bears, and Ivory Gulls. We’ll navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in our zodiacs and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopenstrait, we’ll attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls, and Walruses.
Day 6: Today we will reach our northernmost point at Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here we will be at 81 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar Bears inhabit this region, along with Ivory Gulls. We may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in our spectacular surroundings and seeing a Ross Gull, before we turn south again.
Day 7: Retracing our route westwards, we visit Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favored by Ringed and Bearded Seals. The cliffs and shoreline of the fjord also support thriving seabird colonies and surprisingly rich vegetation, which flourishes in sheltered spots. On the offshore island of Ytre Norskøya, we visit a 17th century Dutch whaling site, whose large graveyard is a poignant reminder of the hardships and dangers of life here at the time. The island’s bird life is prolific, with colonies of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Puffins and Arctic Skuas accessible to visitors.
Day 8: We land at the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland near Fuglehuken, where Barentsz probably set foot on Spitsbergen for the first time. Seabirds nest on the cliffs and along the coast we see Harbour Seals, the only population in Spitsbergen. Further we also will observe the remains of the Polar Bear hunting era, with demolished set-guns and bear traps. At the opposite site of Forlandsundet at Sarstangen is a haul-out place for Walruses. Alternatively we sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden and land at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on its cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks, while Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. The reindeer may seem unbothered by human presence, but this is not really the case.
The animals must survive the harsh winter, when temperatures plummet and food is hard to find, so they preserve what energy they can, fleeing only when it is absolutely necessary. In the afternoon we cruise through beautiful Borebukta, following a glacier front before continuing to Longyearbyen.
Day 9: Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the hotel and evening on your own in Longyearbyen. NB, dinner not included. Accommodation in double rooms in Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel.
Day 10: 08:00 Breakfast in Travelers’ Club. After some exciting days with a lot of activities, we do not make final plans for the last day, but probably you want to see more of Longyearbyen, do some shopping, or visit the Museum or Gallery before departure. NB, Lunch not included. 13:15 Departure to airport.
