Itineraries on some departure dates may differ, please select the itinerary that you wish to explore.
Arrive in Longyearbyen (LYR) and make your own way to the meeting point in town. You will be able to transfer by bus between the airport and the hotel meeting point. Please ensure your flight arrives by 2pm at the latest for today's 4pm embarkation. If arriving before this time or if you are already in Longyearbyen, please make sure you drop your checked luggage off at the meeting point between 9am - 12pm. A local representative will be in the luggage storage room and can provide general information about the town or your embarkation process. All passengers will be transferred to the ship as a group for embarkation at 4pm. Please ensure that you have your passport accessible for embarkation and that it is not in your luggage which will be transferred separately to the ship.
Expedition
Grade: Premium Boat
Each day will be planned to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions. Distances are relatively short in the archipelago and as there are no ocean crossings, so the seas are normally calm. Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet that offers such a wealth and diversity of natural and cultural historical sites. During the next six days we will visit ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers flowing into the sea around us. We will spend time steaming through the ice in search of polar bears, hunting for seals. Ivory gulls will be a highlight for keen birders, while we keep a constant lookout for walrus hauled out on ice floes or on sandy beaches.
Krossfjord, Konigsfjord, Monaco Glacier, Edgeoya, Hornsund and Bellsund, are just a few of the places that we may visit, depending on ice and weather. We hope to cruise in zodiacs along the ice edge, viewing seals, walrus or polar bears and in fjords with glaciers spilling down to the sea. We'll enjoy spectacular seabird cliffs from the edge of a Zodiac, as well as walks on shore, enjoying the arctic flora and fauna. Being in the land of the polar bear, your expedition staff will carry rifles and flare guns on shore for your protection. We take on an expedition spirit by not having a set itinerary and are free to take advantage of the best that Svalbard has to offer.
Svalbard has a prolific birdlife. Enjoy the spectacular bird cliffs, filled with thousands of murres, or guillemots, as well as kittiwakes and glaucous gulls and soak up the sound of these chirping, feathered creatures. A little auk colony will also be on our agenda.The Svalbard region is also a land of history: from whaling to reaching for the pole, to trapping, coal mining and war. There is some evidence of the whaling industry on some of the landings and the on-board lectures, will give you a bit more insight into the history of this region.
We will spend time in Zodiacs, cruising around the iceflows and may encounter some lounging walrus, with their young. There will be more landings, with different options for walks to suit all members of the group. The walks are normally divided into slow, medium and fast paced groups and depending on whether you want to take photographs near the beachfront, or hike up to the highest point, you can vary which option you choose each day.
Catch a glimpse of an arctic fox, roaming on the tundra. We also hope to see Svalbard's unique subspecies of reindeer. They are much smaller than their southern relatives, but still carry impressive antlers.
After our last full day of adventure, soaking up the sights of the Arctic wilderness, we will anchor off Longyearbyen in the evening and enjoy our final night aboard the ship, recounting tales of our week-long adventure.
The trip ends after breakfast on board the ship at approximately 8 a.m. There will be transfers available to Longyearbyen airport (LYR) for all passengers with flights scheduled.
GMT+02:00
Type E/F (European Schuko) - Two round pins + ground contacts
Christianity (Lutheran)
The Expedition has the best of both worlds; large enough to offer stability, spacious cabins and generous public areas, but small enough to manoeuvre easily and get you close to the action. With a maximum of only 128 guests and a high ratio of expedition staff to passengers. there's a relaxed, informal atmosphere on-board. The ship was fully refurbished in 2017 so you can expect modern features, fixtures and fittings throughout. The 'prices from' advertised on our website is based on a triple share cabin, there are however, plenty of cabin options on board to suit your requirements. All cabins are en-suite and outward-facing.
The lead-in prices on our website are based on outward facing, Main deck triple cabins. They are comfortable with a private bathroom, with shower and porthole. The Expedition has a number of different cabin categories, ranging from triples, twins, Deluxe cabins and suites - all are outside facing, with two beds (apart from the Owner's suite which has a double bed). Some cabins have larger windows, depending on your cabin grade. We can also offer single occupancy at a supplement which will be subject to availability at the time of booking. A full layout of the deck plan can be found under the Polar Ships section on our website. Your confirmed cabin type will appear on your Booking Confirmation which will be sent on receipt of your deposit payment.
Onboard our expedition ship you'll find a diversity of gourmet international cuisines prepared and catered by professional chefs; all meals are included in the price of your expedition. Dining is casual, tables are unassigned and the dining room is capable of seating the entire passenger compliment at one time. There is always a selection of different meals available, and vegetarians will find plenty of options. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice; please advise us at time of confirmation. Coffee, tea and water are all provided free of charge. All other beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are not included and can be purchased in the dining room, pub or in the lounge.
Norway: Entry visas NOT required by UK, AUS, NZ, USA, CAN Citizens.
Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
Customers who have chosen to book on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements of our tour, please ensure that you have checked your tour specific ‘Joining Instructions’ prior to booking your own travel arrangements. Your joining instructions can be found below in the dates and prices information. You may also be eligible for the Free Explore Transfer.
Customers booked on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements will receive a Free Transfer, provided you arrive and depart on the tour only itinerary start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the Explore designated airport or train station to your trips joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally the airport or station that Explore have selected will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts, or the one nearest to the joining point. It will be either an airport or train station but not both. The exception to this rule is customers who are booked on a tour where the joining and ending point is at the designated airport or train station.
Free transfers are not available for Polar customers.
If you are not eligible for the Free Transfer then you will need to make your own way through to the joining and ending point. On a majority of our tours Explore will be able to provide a private transfer at an additional cost. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking. For more information regarding the Explore Free Transfer click here
You are able to book this tour on a 'land only' basis or as a ‘flight inclusive’ package. Your flight inclusive package will be fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ATOL protection scheme.
We have a good selection of flights not only from London but from many regional airports around the UK allowing us to compare fares between scheduled carriers as well as low cost and charter airlines. Our dedicated flights team will match the best flight options to your arrival and departure airport.
On our website we display the price of the tour only. Please call us or select the flight option during the online checkout to receive a quote for a flight inclusive package. To avoid paying supplements or to secure your preferred flight option, we recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak travel dates.