Arctic Voyage

Touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Luggage and passenger transfer from Longyearbyen airport to ship will be provided. In our free time, we'll enjoy strolling around this former mining town, enjoying its fascinating attractions. Embarkation starts at 16:00 hrs. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where we might spot the first minke whale of our voyage. In the evening we sail for Trygghamna, where we'lll see the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and 18th-century Pomor hunting station, and more!

From Trygghamna we'll walk to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where the birds are scouting out breeding places. Below the cliffs is a common place to spot Arctic foxes, and we may also see reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation if there’s not too much snow.

We sail into Fuglefjorden amid views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding places for great skuas as well as likely spots to view a polar bear. Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen, is a fine area for gazing over the glaciers. It’s also a favorite hangout for ringed and bearded seals, colonies of seabird, and the occasional polar bear and beluga whale.

You may eventually see the jagged edge of the east Greenland sea ice flashing into sight ahead, depending on the conditions. Keep watch for whales and migrating seabirds along the way.

The goal is to sail into Foster Bay, making our first landing at Myggbukta in the late afternoon or evening. Beyond the old hunters’ hut (where, in the first half of the 20th century, Norwegian trappers hunted for polar bear and Arctic fox) there is a sprawling tundra populated by musk oxen, with geese floating the small lakes.

We sail through Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, enjoying its lofty mountains and bright interior icebergs. In the evening we'll reach Teufelsschloss, a prominent mountain that comprises part of the Eleonora Bay Supergroup: sedimentary rock created between 950 – 610 million years ago to a depth of 16 km (10 miles). This rust-red multi-layered unique geology defines the scenery over the coming days.

Landing at Blomsterbugten, we'll have a good chance of spotting Arctic hare and musk oxen. Noah Lake is home to great northern divers as well as their young, and the hiking opportunities here are numerous. In the afternoon we'll venture deeper into Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord, finding shelter in Renbugten. Colossal icebergs and quintessential Arctic scenery accompany us while passing through this narrow fjord system.

Today the aim is to land in Renbugten in search of musk oxen and Arctic hares. Around lunch we head east into the inversely named Antarctic Sound, enjoying views of the ancient sedimentary rock. We should arrive at Maria Island before nightfall.

We'll cut into Kong Oscars Fjord for an attempted landing near Menander Øer, a location with lively walking opportunities.

Continuing east, we'll land in Antarctic Havn. We'll spend the afternoon in this expansive valley, where we can see groups of musk oxen. At this time of year, the sparse vegetation is colored with golden fire. Our guide will be able to tell us about the intriguing geopolitics that played out here in the early 1930s between Norway and Denmark.

Spending the day at sea, we make for the largest fjord system in the world: Scoresbysund.

Today we'll reach Scoresbysund, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. We may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. The afternoon goal is to visit Danmark Island, where we'll find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular stone tent rings indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are well preserved, with easy identifiable entrances, bear-proof meat caches, and grave sites. During the afternoon, you sail along the east side of Milne Land amid a number of scattered icebergs.

Today, we'll land near Sydkap, where Arctic hares are often seen, and during lunch we'll get a glimpse of the entrance to Nordvestfjord in Scoresby Land. Here you encounter colossal icebergs, some over 100 meters high (328 feet) and more than a kilometer in length (.6 mile). Most of these bergs are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 meters deep (1,312 feet).

In the morning we'll stop on the south coast of Jameson Land, at a lagoon near Kap Stewart. Here the waders and geese are collecting for their autumn migration, and musk oxen and collared lemmings survive on the meager vegetation. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresbysund at about five hundred inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen. In the evening we sail south, passing the picturesque landscapes of Kap Brewster on the Blosseville Coast.

Two days at sea grants us the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds – and at night, the magical northern lights.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. We'll disembark in Akureyri latest at 09:00 AM.