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 will 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 80 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 to have lunch and then we embark the ship and in the early evening we sail out of Isfjorden. NB, lunch is 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 Near the mouth of Liefdefjorden, we will go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest here, and the more rare king eider may also be seen. Sailing into Liefdefjorden, we will cruise near the face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes and occasionally polar bears are seen on the glacier.
Day 5 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 6 We will visit Laagöya today, a low island with a big lagoon where a big herd of Walrus tends to congregate. Sabine’s Gulls nest on the island, as well. At Sorg Fjord we may find another herd of walruses not far from the graves of 17th century whalers. On a nature walk, we may encounter families of ptarmigans.
Day 7 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 8 Near Torrelneset, we will explore the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world’s third largest ice cap which meets the sea nearby. We will walk along beautiful coastline covered in smooth rocks, sculpted by the surf over thousands of years. We may encounter walruses along the way. Sailing south of Nordaustlandet we will have good chance to see Greenland Whales.
Day 9 In Freemansundet we plan to land at Sundneset on the island of Barentsøya to visit an old trapper's hut and then take a brisk walk across the tundra in search of Spitsbergen Reindeer and Barnacle Geese. Later we cruise south to Diskobukta on the west side of Edgeøya. After a Zodiac cruise through the shallow bay, we land on a beach littered with whalebones and tree trunks, which have drifted here from Siberia. We can also climb to the rim of a narrow gully that is inhabited by thousands of Kitttiwakes, together with Black Guillemots and piratical Glaucous Gulls. During the breeding season, the base of the cliffs is patrolled by Arctic Foxes and Polar Bears, especially females with young cubs, searching for young birds that have fallen from the nesting ledges.
Day 10 We start the day quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1,431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name ‘Spitsbergen’ - pointed mountains - to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area and very good chances of encounters with seals and Polar Bears. We may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give us an insight into their research projects. Behind the station the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks.
Day 11 Today we land on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden. Here piles of Beluga skeletons (the Beluga is a small white whale), the remains of 19th century slaughter, are yet another reminder of the consequences of thoughtless exploitation. Fortunately, Belugas were not hunted to the edge of extinction and may still be seen locally. Indeed, there is a good chance that we will come across a pod. Cruising into Recherchefjorden during the afternoon we can explore an area of tundra at the head of the fjord where many Reindeer feed.
Day 12 Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the hotel and evening on your own in Longyearbyen. Dinner not included. Accommodation in double room in Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel.
Day 13, 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. Lunch not included. 13:15 Departure to airport.
