Wild Wonders of the Arctic - 8 day tour

Oslo - Longyearbyen. Included charter flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago which lies midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. Upon arrival you will be met by a representative to take you by coach to the port. Our expedition cruise ship, the Ocean Albatros, is docked close to the town center. Embark and settle in with a welcome drink on board.

The Expedition leader will provide a safety briefing as well as information about the daily routine onboard. Sit back and relax as we depart Advent Fjord and our Arctic Adventure commences.

Please note: We strongly recommend arriving into Oslo the day before departure as the flight from Oslo to Svalbard usually departs early morning on day 1.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Dinner

Longyearbyen - Krossfjord. During the Arctic summer, the sun never sets. During the bright night we pass Prins Karls Forland and arrive in the magnificent Krossford. The Arctic summer months of June and July offer the best chances of spotting exotic birds.

This morning we make a landing at Mollerhamna or another suitable location. The majestic landscape around Regnardneset in the innermost area of Krossfjorden give us our first taste of what has enticed the early explorers of these lands in the far north.

In the afternoon, we continue further north into the fjord system, and take a Zodiac cruise along the Lilliehook Glacier front, or enjoy a lecture.

A fitting end to a day full of scenic views and arctic wildlife, we navigate past the magnificent scenery in the bay of Fjortende Juli, where the glacier Fjortende Juli-breen calves into the fjord.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Krossfjord - Ytre Norskoya. We have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a National Park in 1973. Today we plan to cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskoya to Amsterdamoya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200 men once lived, and often died, in this dangerous environment. Whaling was banned due to the near extinction of many of these incredible gentle giants, and the town was abandoned.

There are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on Ytre Norskoya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we cruise slowly by the famous Alkefjellet. The whole area is home to a dense congregation of Brunichs Guillemots. During the summer the breeding paris offfer a wild view of frantic activity, both along the cliffs and in the sea.

Later we plan to land at the polar desert landscapes of Torrelnesset where more wildlife awaits. The beach here is home to a host of walruses that feed on clams and other mollusks that they can find in the shallows of Svalbard's waters.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Torrelnesset - Svalbard pack ice. During the night we steer north towards the edge of the polar pack ice. How far north we go depends on the extent of the ice, but we aim to get to the edge of the pack ice. This is prime polar bear territory. As the pack ice retreats in the summer, polar bears ride the floes north in the hope of finding their prey - seals! During the day, lectures on polar animals and the environment can be enjoyed onboard in the Viking Theater.

We plan to reach the island Nordaustlandet and its smaller islands Sjuoyane in the far north of Svalbard. The almost vegetation-free, rocky islands are located around 1000 km more northernly than mainland Norway’s famous Nordkapp.

Weather permitting, we will land and walk these most northern landmasses. The high Arctic islands are quite barren, only with moss and lichens covering the stones. The birdlife is rich in this area and some of the rarer gulls frequent these islands. So bring your binoculars.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Svalbard pack ice - Monaco Glacier. After cruising throughout the night to Liefde Fjord, we cruise along the broad glacier front of Monacobreen. This gives a unique insight of the glacial forces and the unlimited forms of icebergs. The ice front is named after Albert I of Monaco, who was a major sponsor of Svalbard research.

Many trappers historically hunted and trapped in these areas. Some of them stayed over the winter and built cabins. The cabin known as Texas Bar is said to be named after the US state of Texas and was built in 1927.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Monaco Glacier - Ny Alesund. Today we enter the beautiful Kongs Fjord and make our first landing at Ny Alesund. This settlement is actually more northern than Longyearbyen but with just a handful of scientific stations, a post office and a single shop, it doesn't really count as a town. We enjoy a leisurely walk through the settlement.

On the opposite side of the fjord we find the abandoned marble mining settlement of Ny London. It's history is short but hectic, as the marble deposits allowed for an almost Klondike like rush to mine the resources. Wars and failing financial viability ended the adventure only 9 years after it started. We take a walk amongst the ruins of workshops, locomotives and cranes, testament to the great but failed investments.

Later we start heading southbound towards the entrance of Isfjord. On our way towards Longyearbyen, we hope to get our last glimpses of wildlife as well as the truly unique landscapes of Svalbard.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner