A Polar Bear curiously sniffs up towards the ship | Gesine Cheung
A Polar Bear curiously sniffs up towards the ship  | Gesine Cheung
On deck keeping an eye out for Polar Bears  | Gesine Cheung
Views across Magdalenefjord as we approach in the zodiac  | Gesine Cheung
Exploring the Walrus colony at Sarstangen  | Gesine Cheung
Views across the pack ice  | Gesine Cheung

North Spitsbergen - Summer Solstice

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 3 reviews

8 Days from

$4450 USD

Trip Code: NOS
View dates to BookEssential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Twin private with Porthole
$6150 USD
Twin private with Window
$6700 USD
Twin Deluxe
$7100 USD
Superior
$8050 USD

Duration

  • 8 Days

Activities

  • 7 days expedition cruising

Accommodation

  • 7 nights aboard Plancius

Meals

  • 7 Dinners
  • 6 Lunches
  • 7 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading  

1 / 10

Discovery and Cruising

Trip highlights

  • The most wildlife-rich part of the Arctic
  • Spectacular glaciers and fjords
  • Experiencing the history of the old mining industry in the area
  • Search for Polar Bear
  • Optional kayaking (charges apply)

Overview

The island of Spitsbergen is a vast wilderness, which is home to an incredible array of flora and fauna located just some 900kms south of the North Pole. The exhilaration of sighting Polar Bear as they roam the ice in search of food, watching the playful activities of Grey Seals or observing a group of walrus are just some of the highlights found on this voyage. Zodiacs will ferry us from our ice-strengthened vessels to shore to walk amongst the tundra up to high points where there are sweeping views across the vast glaciated inland.

Itinerary

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Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting; whilst in the surrounding area of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plants have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Meals: D

Sailing to Raudfjorden, on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, you take in an expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline of this fjord also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears.

Meals: B,L,D

Depending on the weather, you could sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of the precipitous Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent sailing here early in the season, an alternate route along the west coast of Spitsbergen can be implemented.

Meals: B,L,D

Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait - home to Bearded Seals, Ringed Seals, Polar Bears, and Ivory Gulls. We will 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 Hinlopen Strait, we will attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet - home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls, and Walruses.

Meals: B,L,D

The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you reach 80° north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may park for several hours among the pack ice before wheeling around west again.

Meals: B,L,D

While retracing your route west, keep watch for polar bears and elusive Greenland (bowhead) whales. About 40 nautical miles west of Spitsbergen, you sail the edge of the continental shelf. Here fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones – this is where cold, nutrient-rich water wells up from below the sea’s surface – that run along the Spitsbergen banks. At the mouth of Kongsfjorden, you have a good chance of sighting minke whales.

Meals: B,L,D

Walruses sometimes haul out in Forlandsundet, your next stop. Alternatively, you might sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation. You arrive in Longyearbyen later that night.

Meals: B,L,D

Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport. Trip concludes.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

View dates to Book

What’s included?

Included

  • 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
  • Specialist expedition staff
  • Comfortable cabin accommodation on cruise
  • All activities while on cruise including zodiac excursions, lectures, videos, slide and film shows and guide services
  • Use of all ship facilities and public areas
  • Medical services (there is a resident medical officer and infirmary on board)

Not included

  • International flights
  • Bottled water, aerated and alcoholic drinks
  • Items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry, etc
  • Tips
  • Airport and departure taxes
  • Travel Insurance

Reviews (3)

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