Norway Spitsbergen Polar Bears & Pack Ice Adventure Cruising Tour
Explore Landscapes & Wildlife of North Spitsbergen
Discover the realm of the polar bear, a savagely beautiful land of ice and snow, glassy fjords, and expansive tundra on this exciting Arctic adventure. Cruising the Svalbard Archipelago aboard a comfortable, ice-strengthened vessel, you'll discover Spitsbergen, the largest island in Svalbard — known to Vikings, traders and early explorers. Enjoy prime viewing as you explore cliffs by ship and Zodiac and watch for polar bears, walruses, or beluga whales breaching in the icy water. No two trips are alike, but each one offers rare opportunities to experience the wild and wonderful Arctic.
Discover the realm of the polar bear, a savagely beautiful land of ice and snow, glassy fjords, and expansive tundra on this exciting Arctic adventure. Cruising the Svalbard Archipelago aboard a comfortable, ice-strengthened vessel, you'll discover Spitsbergen, the largest island in Svalbard — known to Vikings, traders and early explorers. Enjoy prime viewing as you explore cliffs by ship and Zodiac and watch for polar bears, walruses, or beluga whales breaching in the icy water. No two trips are alike, but each one offers rare opportunities to experience the wild and wonderful Arctic.
Sail in comfort on an expedition in search of the majestic, awe-inspiring polar bear in a fantastically beautiful world of sea and ice landscapes surrounded by flocks of seabirds, singing whales, elusive narwhale, and massive walruses
[Description] => Sail in comfort on an expedition in search of the majestic, awe-inspiring polar bear in a fantastically beautiful world of sea and ice landscapes surrounded by flocks of seabirds, singing whales, elusive narwhale, and massive walruses
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Walk in one of the last true wilderness areas on earth on shore excursions varying from leisurely strolls to strenuous hikes
[Description] => Walk in one of the last true wilderness areas on earth on shore excursions varying from leisurely strolls to strenuous hikes
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Enjoy zodiac cruises to best take advantage of wildlife viewing opportunities, getting up close and personal to ice and sea creatures
Sail in comfort on an expedition in search of the majestic, awe-inspiring polar bear in a fantastically beautiful world of sea and ice landscapes surrounded by flocks of seabirds, singing whales, elusive narwhale, and massive walruses
Walk in one of the last true wilderness areas on earth on shore excursions varying from leisurely strolls to strenuous hikes
Enjoy zodiac cruises to best take advantage of wildlife viewing opportunities, getting up close and personal to ice and sea creatures
Touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plants have been recorded in it. In the early evening, the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.
Embark for Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen. Take in the spectacular expanse of the fjord, bordered with glaciers and frequented by ringed and bearded seals. Hike the cliffs and shoreline, home to thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and polar bears.
Weather permitting, sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) face of the precipitous Monaco Glacier, a favorite feeding spot for kittiwakes, and hunting ground for polar bears. If weather is uncooperative, sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen as an alternate route.
Enter the Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded seals, ringed seals, polar bears and blue whales. Cruise among the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in the Zodiacs, and view the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with their thousands of Brünnich's guillemots. If conditions permit, make a landing on Nordaustlanden on the east side of the Strait, to look for reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses.
Get close to the North Pole at Nordaustlandet in the Seven Islands. Reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. Anchor for several hours among the pack ice, watching for polar bears, before turning west again.
Retrace the route west, keeping watch for polar bears and elusive Greenland bowhead whales. Sail the edge of the continental shelf about 40 nautical miles west of Spitsbergen, where fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones that run along the Spitsbergen banks. Scan the waters at the mouth of Kongsfjorden, for sightings of playful minke whales.
Watch for walruses in the approach to Forlandsundet, or sail into St. Johns Fjord or the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at the cliffs of Alkhornet, home of nesting seabirds. Enjoy views of Arctic foxes, searching for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer, grazing on the sparse vegetation. Arrive in Longyearbyen by evening.
The trip comes to and end upon disembarkation in Longyearbyen, taking home memories of the wild and beautiful Arctic, which will forever be a part of you.
MT Sobek's Polar Value Promise means that we offer in-house services to help plan and execute your polar adventure with no added cost.
Over 30 years of offering polar voyages we have built strong relationships with polar service providers and ships that cruise the High Arctic.
We choose ships and operators that maintain a high level of commitment to safety, people, value, quality, environment, well-being, and customer service.
Dreaming of an adventure designed exclusively for you? With insider access and decades of experience, our travel experts create custom tailored adventures that are perfect for families, couples, and large groups. MT Sobek's custom adventures are designed to our exacting standards and led by our award-winning adventure guides.
When to start planning? Earlier is always better when designing a custom trip. More time allows for better availability of preferred accommodations, guides and your desired activities. Ideally, start the conversation with us at least 6 months before you want to travel. If you are looking for a custom trip that departs within three months, chances are greatly diminished in securing requested accommodations and the best guides.
*Custom trips require a 25% non-refundable deposit once an itinerary is agreed upon.
The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.
Rinie v.
After a formal education in Forestry and Nature Conservation, Rinie traveled the world in search of wildlife. Early on in his career, he became hooked on the Arctic when found a job as a potato peeler aboard the "old" Plancius in Spitsbergen. Rinie has since become leading guide in the Polar region, logging more than 300 expedition cruises, from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands. Having spent so much time exploring the Arctic, he has encountered many Polar Bears and has published four books to share his passion about them. Give him a ship with the right ice class and Rinie will take you to see Polar Bears!
Birgit L.
Birgit changed her life from award-winning journalist to Arctic addicted adventurer in 2007, after a first voyage to the North Pole aboard the Russian icebreaker Yamal. She took up 'Circumpolar Studies' at the Canadian University of the Arctic and since then combines arctic voyages with writing. She has skied to the North Pole, across Greenland and spent several months living in the region of Ammassalik to learn from natives. These experiences inspired Birgit to initiate a project for the German Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, for which she collects data about marine anthropogenic pollution. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for the Arctic and is currently writing her fourth book on the region.
Laurence D.
Laurence grew up on the coast in Cornwall, UK, and was never far from the water and boats. His background is in geography with a special focus in glaciology, a choice inspired by seeing a glacier up close for the first time in the Austrian Alps. For the last 10 years he has worked in science, both in the UK and Denmark, seeking to understand how and why huge glacier systems change. Laurence first visited the Arctic in 2010 whilst undertaking research for his PhD and was immediately captivated by the wild landscapes of the high latitudes. His subsequent research has taken him on numerous expeditions to remote areas of Greenland, Svalbard, and Arctic Canada.
Touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plants have been recorded in it. In the early evening, the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.
Embark for Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen. Take in the spectacular expanse of the fjord, bordered with glaciers and frequented by ringed and bearded seals. Hike the cliffs and shoreline, home to thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and polar bears.
Weather permitting, sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) face of the precipitous Monaco Glacier, a favorite feeding spot for kittiwakes, and hunting ground for polar bears. If weather is uncooperative, sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen as an alternate route.
Enter the Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded seals, ringed seals, polar bears and blue whales. Cruise among the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in the Zodiacs, and view the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with their thousands of Brünnich\'s guillemots. If conditions permit, make a landing on Nordaustlanden on the east side of the Strait, to look for reindeer, pink-footed geese, and walruses.
Get close to the North Pole at Nordaustlandet in the Seven Islands. Reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. Anchor for several hours among the pack ice, watching for polar bears, before turning west again.
Retrace the route west, keeping watch for polar bears and elusive Greenland bowhead whales. Sail the edge of the continental shelf about 40 nautical miles west of Spitsbergen, where fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones that run along the Spitsbergen banks. Scan the waters at the mouth of Kongsfjorden, for sightings of playful minke whales.
Watch for walruses in the approach to Forlandsundet, or sail into St. Johns Fjord or the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at the cliffs of Alkhornet, home of nesting seabirds. Enjoy views of Arctic foxes, searching for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer, grazing on the sparse vegetation. Arrive in Longyearbyen by evening.
The trip comes to and end upon disembarkation in Longyearbyen, taking home memories of the wild and beautiful Arctic, which will forever be a part of you.
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[Latitude] => 78.22 N
[Longitude] => 15.65 E
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[ActivityHighlight] => You can expect 1 or 2 half-day shore excursions for each day depending on weather conditions. The guided excursions will vary from 1-3 hours walking, snowshoeing or zodiac. No previous experience is necessary for any of the offered activities.
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Activity Level
This trip is rated activity level 1. You can expect 1 or 2 half-day shore excursions for each day depending on weather conditions. The guided excursions will vary from 1-3 hours walking, snowshoeing or zodiac. No previous experience is necessary for any of the offered activities. Learn more about activity levels here.
Accommodations
Ice-strengthened and well-appointed polar expedition ships offer a comfortable and safe way to explore the Arctic. Enjoy healthy cuisine and wellness services onboard.
The Ortelius has the highest ice-class rating and a broad, heavy design. It offers a collection of comfortable and spacious 190 square-foot cabins, all with en-suite bathrooms. Extensive open-deck space maximizes wildlife viewing, The ship offers a wide range of adventure activities, including hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and scuba diving. It also offers a helicopter pad used on select Weddell & Ross Seas voyages.
Plancius was built in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy and sailed for the Dutch Navy until June 2004. The vessel was completely rebuilt as a comfortable passenger vessel in 2009. The Plancius accommodates 108 passengers. The vessel offers a restaurant/lecture room and spacious observation lounge with large windows, offering a full panoramic view. Its large open deck spaces (with full walk-around possibilities on deck 4), provide excellent opportunities to enjoy the scenery and wildlife.
m/v Hondius is the first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel in the world, meeting the latest and highest Lloyd's Register standards for ice-strengthened cruise ships. The vessel offers high-quality accommodation for 170 passengers with one deck consisting of a large observation lounge and separate lecture room. Though elegantly designed in stylish décor, this vessel holds true to Oceanwide's distinctive cozy and informal atmosphere. The vessel employs a tough fleet of rigid-hull inflatable Zodiac boats that enable efficient access to shore and near-shore activities. Kayaks are also available.
Weather
The air is very dry. Expect a mix of sun, clouds, wind, rain, and possible snow. Daytime temperatures are usually 38°- 50°F.
Jun
Longyearbyen
High
Low
Longyearbyen
41
35
Spitsbergen
High
Low
Spitsbergen
45
35
Know Before You Book
Pricing Please call for an exact quote or additional dates. Pricing varies by cabin category. A 30% nonrefundable deposit is needed to secure your reservation.
This cruise is not privately chartered for MT Sobek travelers. In order to offer the widest selection of travel dates and flexibility for our guests, MT Sobek works directly with the ship owner to book MT Sobek travelers on scheduled departures throughout the year, and we are pleased to offer our in-house expertise and services to assist you every step of the way.
FAQs
Will there be any adjustments to the itinerary?
Programs may vary depending on weather conditions and opportunities to see wildlife so flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. We recommend packing your spirit of adventure!
Where do polar bears live?
Polar bears will wander all over the Arctic to find food but it's believed that they have feeding areas called, "home ranges" that they prefer. Any changes in the home range will compel polar bears to travel hundreds of miles in search of better fare, a journey that they are not accustomed to handle. Though polar bears are elusive, Spitsbergen offers the highest probability of sightings.
What other animals will we see?
The Arctic, although a very inhospitable environment, is home to many amazing creatures including the arctic fox, reindeer, walrus, seals, whales, and birds.
Are transfers and pre-/post- arrangements included?
Transfers to/from the airport and vessel are available only for select flights. Please contact the Adventure Coordinator for more details and/or for instructions on how to reach the ship.
Pre-/post- arrangements are not included with the trip.
What cabin types are available?
This itinerary is offered on three different ships, depending on the departure date. Each ship has a variety of cabin types, all at varying price points. Cabins range from Triple and Quadruple Portholes all the way to Grand suites with private balconies. Contact our Regional Specialist team to inquire after availability.
What is the minimum age for this trip?
The minimum age for this private trip is 15 years old.
