Kingdom of the Polar Bear

This captivating 8 night itinerary travels to the remote regions of Spitsbergen's spectacular Svaldbard archipelago, following the Midnight Sun through landscapes ruled by the magnificent ‘Lords of the Arctic’.

MV Polar Star is one of the most comfortable ice class vessels available for polar expeditions. She can safely explore areas that many others simply cannot reach. Our team of on board experts and regular landings will allow you to experience at close hand the unique wildlife, awesome landscape and overwhelming silence of the Arctic.

Starting in Longyearbyen, the largest town on the archipelago, we embark and sail through Icefjord to the Russian mining community of Barentsburg before we head for the tiny settlement of Ny-Ålesund. Visiting the glacier-fed Magdalenefjord, one of the island’s most beautiful fjords,and Smeerenburgfjord, the site of a former whaling station. Informal lectures by expert guides will complement shore visits, most of which will be by Zodiac. If conditions permit there will be one or two landings each day.

On rounding the northwest corner of Spitsbergen, you will cross the 80th parallel, just under 1000 km from the North Pole. Our aim is to sail to the remote polar regions in order to experience the Arctic wilderness, drift ice, flora and fauna. Deep within the Polar Circle, we see the lonely Nordaustlandet, the second-largest island in the archipelago, before heading down Hinlopen Strait, lined by fjords and tundra. The final itinerary is dependant on weather and ice conditions, but the aim is to explore the remote northern and eastern regions of Spitsbergen - perhaps even circumnavigating the whole island. Some years it is possible to sail through the Hinlopen Strait early in the season, while other years the amount of ice makes it hard to navigate. We recommend the early tours for those who are keen to see large ice floes and the richest bird life, while for those who would rather travel further east and perhaps sail around Spitsbergen, a tour later in the season is more advisable.

Spitsbergen is sparcely populated and bereft of roads, the only way to experience the mysterious majesty of Spitsbergen is from the sea and on foot. During the months of high summer, polar bears can be seen at close hand as they roam the wastes in search of food and females can be observed sheltering their young in caves and coves along the coast. Arctic fox, reindeer, seal and walrus can be seen as well as some of the rarest and hardiest flora and fauna on Earth.

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