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Prices
for - Arctic Adventures
North Spitsbergen
Longyearbyen - Longyearbyen 7 Nights / 8
Days
All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice
and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see
wildlife.
Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
Day 1
Arrive in
Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which
West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity
to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum
are well worth visiting, while in the surrounds of Longyearbyen, more than 100
species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail
out of Isfjorden.
Day 2
Heading
north along the west coast, we arrive by morning in Krossfjorden, where we take
to the Zodiacs for an exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th
of July Glacier. On the surprisingly fertile slopes near the glacier, a
colourful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and
Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs.
There is
also a good chance of spotting opportunistic Arctic Foxes, patrolling the base
of the cliffs in case a hapless chick falls from its nest, and Bearded Seals,
who cruise this scenic fjord. In the afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the
world’s most northerly settlement.
Once a
mining village - served by the world’s most northerly railway, which can still
be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a
breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors
interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to walk to the
anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926
and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the
North Pole.
Day 3
Depending on
the weather we may now sail to the mouth of Liefdefjorden and go ashore for a
walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese
nest here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to sail into
Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of the impressive Monaco glacier.
The waters of the glacier front are a favourite feeding spot for thousands of
Kittiwakes and on previous voyages Polar Bears have been seen on the glacier,
providing wonderful opportunities for photography .
Day 4
Alkefjellet/Palanderbukta
Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to bearded seals,
ringed seals, polar bears, and ivory gulls.
We’ll navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in our zodiacs
and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich’s
guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopenstrait, we’ll attempt a landing at
Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to reindeer, pink-footed geese, breeding
ivory gulls, and walruses.
Day 5
Phippsøya
Today we
will reach our northernmost point at Phippsøya, in the
Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here we will be at 81 degrees north, just
540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region,
along with ivory gulls. We may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in
our spectacular surroundings and seeing a Ross gull, before we turn south again.
Day 6
Retracing
our route westwards, we visit Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen,
a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favoured by Ringed and
Bearded Seals. The cliffs and shoreline of the fjord also support thriving
seabird colonies and a surprisingly rich vegetation, which flourishes in
sheltered spots. On the offshore island of Ytre Norskøya, we visit a 17th
century Dutch whaling site, whose large graveyard is a poignant reminder of the
hardships and dangers of life here at the time. The island’s bird life is
prolific, with colonies of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots,
Puffins and Arctic Skuas accessible to visitors.
Day 7
We land at
the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland near Fuglehuken, where Barentsz probably
set foot on Spitsbergen for the first time. Seabirds nest on the cliffs and
along the coast we see Harbour Seals the only population in Spitsbergen. Further
we also will observe the remains of the Polar Bear hunting era, with demolished
set guns and bear traps. At the opposite site of Forlandsundet at Sarstangen is
a haul out place for Walruses. Alternatively we sail into St. Johns Fjord or
south to the mouth of Isfjorden and land at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on its
cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks, while
Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. The reindeer may
seem unbothered by human presence, but this is not really the case. The animals
must survive the harsh winter, when temperatures plummet and food is hard to
find, so they preserve what energy they can, fleeing only when it is absolutely
necessary. In the afternoon we cruise through beautiful Borebukta, following a
glacier front before continuing to Longyearbyen.
Day 8
Return to
Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to
Oslo and home.
N.B.
AMR04 and
GMK05 will also offer a program for about 20 experienced dry-suit scuba divers.
We will dive in the kelp beds of north Spitsbergen, the kelp offering some
protection to sea-bottom life such as sea anemones, sea stars, sea cucumbers,
shrimps and fish. We shall also be able to observe wing snails, many species of
jellyfish, and diving seals and seabirds near the sea ice.
Important:
Before you travel please check your Tour Voucher and Arrival
Information for the latest joining instructions. This will be sent to you
upon receipt of final payment.
All itineraries are
subject to change without prior notice.
Prices
for - Arctic Adventures
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