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With a spectacular panorama of ice and water, rugged mountains, and expansive tundra, the Svalbard Archipelago is unequaled in wild splendor. It also has an impressive array of wildlife and a rich human history (Spitsbergen, the largest island of the archipelago, was known to the Vikings and subsequently visited by whalers, fur traders, and explorers). Our goal on this Arctic expedition is a complete circumnavigation of the major islands of the group, with frequent shore stops to hike or simply enjoy the amazing scenery, and to undertake cruises in Zodiacs, often close to sea cliffs and abundant wildlife, which includes polar bears (the stars of the show!), beluga whales, walrus, reindeer, Arctic fox, and a huge array of avian fauna. You’ll travel in comfort aboard the 100-passenger Akademik Sergey Vavilov or the 48-passenger Akademik Shokalskiy. Both are ice-strengthened polar expedition ships that are ideal home bases for exploring this remarkable wilderness.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Circumnavigate the main islands of Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago
• Fantastic scenery—a savage land of rock and ice, and home to a rich range of bird and animal life
• Travel aboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov or the Akademik Shokalskiy, which set new benchmarks in comfort for polar expedition ships
• Make the most of the long daylight hours with frequent shore excursions to search for polar bears and Zodiac cruises to see walrus

Note - This trip is not an exclusive Mountain Travel Sobek departure, and is operated by Quark Expeditions, the most experienced company specializing in polar expedition cruising for over 15 years.

Interested in trips to the Arctic? Email our polar sales expert for a comprehensive brochure!

Day 1 - Arrive in Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen Island, the main settlement of the Svalbard Archipelago. Board the ship and depart for a spectacular sail through the Isfjorden and along Prins Karls Forland.

Days 2-10 - These days are spent exploring the coast and generally moving in a clockwise direction. Stops may include Ny Alesund, the northernmost village in the world; the 17th-century Dutch whaling site of Smeerenburg; scenic Nordaustlandet, Svalbard's second-largest island; the large ice-domed island of Kvitøya, where the Swedish explorer Andrée perished after his ill-fated balloon flight to the North Pole in 1897; Phipps Island, a great location for hikes and for finding polar bears and walrus (it's also the most northerly landing); and Barentsøya, with its fantastic flora, fauna, and scenery. A sail through the narrow sound near Bourbonhamna offers up views of beluga whales.

Day 11 - Arrive back in Longyearbyen and depart.

Note - The August 18 departure features a different itinerary including Svalbard, East Greenland & Iceland. This departure spends three days in Spitsbergen, then sails across the Greenland Sea for four days of exploration along the East Greenland coast. You’ll then head across the Denmark Strait to Iceland’s Westmann Islands, and end the cruise in Reykjavík. 14 days. See detailed itinerary below.

2008 Detailed Itinerary - Svalbard, East Greenland, & Iceland

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2. Or email us your itinerary request at sales@mtsobek.com

3. Or call us at 1-888-831-7526 (USA and Canada) or (510) 594-6000

We’ll email you a copy (Word or Acrobat document), fax, or mail you the itinerary as you prefer.

Photo Credits
Both images: ©MTS Photo File