Spitsbergen Polar Bear Cruise

Make sure you've packed warm clothing and board your international flight to get to Longyearbyen. Prepare yourself for a magical adventure through ice and snow.

Fly into Longyearbyen, the largest settlement on the archipelago that makes up Svalbard.

In the evening, board the expedition vessel and get comfortable in your twin porthole room while admiring the view.

As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, depart from Isfjorden, providing the opportunity to potentially catch your first wildlife sighting of the expedition - minke whales.

By morning, arrive in Krossfjorden. There is the chance for a zodiac boat excursion to visit the Fjortende Julibreen (Fourteenth of July Glacier) up close. Near the glacier are mountains on which kittiwakes and guillemots nest amongst colourful blooming flowers. This spot presents an excellent opportunity to see an Arctic fox or a bearded seal.

The afternoon will bring you to Ny Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth. Ny Ålesund is home to a research centre, but historically it was a mining town. This area is a breeding ground for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese, and Arctic terns.

Cruise on northwards to the northernmost point of your expedition, less than 900km from the North Pole. This barren land amongst the Seven Islands offers you a great chance to see polar bears roaming in their natural habitat, and also possibly some walruses.

Head east to Nordaustlandet, where you will see the great glacier front of Schweigaardbreen. Depending on conditions, it is possible to land at Firkantbukta, so that there is a chance to take some incredible photos from up a higher elevation. If conditions don’t permit this, there may be a cruise on a Zodiac boat to near Storøya, where a colony of walruses resides.

Today you will attempt to reach Kvitøya, a rarely visited destination in which the gigantic ice cap that covers the island leaves very little space bare. Land at the western tip of Andréeneset, the site of a failed expedition by Swedish explorer S. A. Andrée and his team. If time and conditions allow, there may be the chance to visit Kræmerpynten, where there is another group of walruses.

Head south of Nordaustlandet, where you may land on Isisøya, a glacial area that showcases the rapid degradation of the Arctic ice caps, as the mountain peaks beneath the ice become more visible every year. It is possible on this day to go by Bråswellbreen, a segment of the largest ice cap in Europe, famous for its meltwater waterfalls.

Depending on the actions of the polar bears, today you may land in Freemansundet. Possible itinerary includes stopping at Rindedalen for a walk across the tundra, Sundneset to see an old trapper’s hut and Kapp Waldburg for its colony of kittiwakes. Next is off to Kapp Lee to see a walrus haulout, go for a hike along Edgeøya, and to see the Pomor ruins. If it’s not possible to go to Kapp Lee, you might sail south to Diskobukta instead.

The morning begins with a cruise of the side fjords of the Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, to see spire-like peaks. These mountains gave way to the name Spitsbergen, which means “pointed mountains.” There are several large glaciers in this area and many opportunities for spotting wildlife like beluga whales, seals, and polar bears.

Today, head off to Bell Sund, a large fjord system in Svalbard. The lush flora around this area is the result of different ocean currents that make it slightly warmer and more hospitable to vegetation.

In this location you will find Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, home to a beluga whale graveyard of sorts - the remains of 19th-century whale slaughter. Luckily, the whale-hunting exploitation of the past did not cause these whales to go extinct and you have a very good chance of meeting some living belugas on your trip.

After more than a week of fascinating wildlife spotting, today you will disembark in Longyearbyen in the morning. You may have some time to explore the town before you must board your flight back to Oslo.

As you return to your home country, reminisce on your incredible holiday. Your Spitsbergen expedition may be over but the memories will stay with you for a lifetime.