Realm of the Polar Bear: 8 Days Svalbard Expedition Cruise

Tour Overview

Tour Overview

Few places on Earth inspire the imagination quite like Svalbard — a realm of polar bears, towering glaciers, and 24-hour daylight. This 8-day expedition aboard a polar-class vessel takes you deep into the Arctic wilderness, where just 2,500 people share the islands with an estimated 3,000 polar bears. With Zodiac landings twice daily and an expert expedition team, you’ll experience the High Arctic as few travelers ever do.

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Longyearbyen — The World’s Northernmost Town

Fly into Longyearbyen (78°13’N), the world’s northernmost permanent settlement. The airport has a polar bear warning sign instead of baggage claim ads. Transfer to your expedition vessel in Isfjorden. After a mandatory safety briefing (including polar bear guard training), set sail into the Arctic wilderness. As you leave the lights of Longyearbyen behind, the midnight sun bathes the surrounding mountains in golden light — at this latitude, the sun doesn’t set from April to August. Overnight on board.

Days 2-6: Exploring Spitsbergen — Ice, Wildlife & Polar History

Five full days of Arctic exploration with a flexible itinerary determined by ice conditions and wildlife sightings. Each day features two Zodiac landings, guided by expert naturalists. Target destinations include:

Northwest Spitsbergen National Park: The historical heart of Arctic exploration. Visit Magdalenefjord, a spectacular fjord surrounded by jagged peaks and blue glaciers. At Gravneset, walk among the graves of 17th-century whalers who perished in this unforgiving environment. Zodiac cruise past the Monaco Glacier, watching for seals on ice floes.

Kongsfjorden & Ny-Ålesund: Visit Ny-Ålesund, the world’s northernmost civilian settlement (78°55’N) and a major Arctic research base. See the mast where Roald Amundsen launched his airship Norge for the first verified North Pole crossing (1926). Post a letter from the world’s northernmost post office. Kongsfjorden itself is one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords, often frequented by beluga whales.

Hinlopen Strait & Alkefjellet: The dramatic cliffs of Alkefjellet host one of the Arctic’s largest seabird colonies — over 60,000 pairs of Brünnich’s guillemots nest on these basalt cliffs. The feeding frenzy below attracts Arctic foxes and polar bears. This is one of the best locations in Svalbard for polar bear sightings.

Barentsøya & Edgeøya: The remote eastern islands where polar bears roam the ice edge. The tundra here supports Svalbard’s largest reindeer population. Visit the remains of old Russian Pomor hunting stations from the 18th century.

Day 7: Return to Isfjorden — Last Day of Arctic Exploration

A final day of exploration in Isfjorden, Svalbard’s largest fjord system. Visit the ghost town of Pyramiden, an abandoned Soviet coal mining settlement frozen in time since 1998 — the world’s northernmost piano still stands in the cultural center, and a bust of Lenin gazes at the Nordenskiöld Glacier. Evening: Captain’s farewell dinner on board, celebrating your Arctic adventure.

Day 8: Disembark Longyearbyen — Departure

Morning disembarkation in Longyearbyen. Transfer to airport. Fly south with memories of the polar wilderness.

Wildlife You May Encounter

• Polar bears — Svalbard has more polar bears than humans (3,000 vs 2,500)
• Walrus — often hauled out on beaches or ice floes
• Arctic fox — in summer coat, hunting beneath seabird cliffs
• Svalbard reindeer — a unique, short-legged subspecies
• Beluga whales — especially in Kongsfjorden
• Seals: ringed, bearded, and harp seals
• Seabird colonies: guillemots, little auks, fulmars, puffins, and Arctic terns

Inclusions

• 7 nights aboard expedition vessel (twin cabin)
• All meals on board
• Zodiac excursions (2 per day, weather/ice permitting)
• Expert expedition team (naturalists, historians, photographers)
• Polar parka (yours to keep)
• Rubber boots on loan
• Emergency evacuation insurance
• Airport transfers Longyearbyen