The best of the Arctic Circle - 13 Days
13 days full of activities and Polar exploration. This trip takes you to some of the world's most isolated civilisations with outstanding scenery and wildlife to be enjoyed whilst we still can! Enjoy 3 days in the very north of Norway before connecting with our tour partner in Svalbard to experience the very best this sensational region has to offer.
Itinerary and Specifics
Included
- Accomodation on a bed & breakfast basis.
- All transportation within Iceland and Greenland
- Guided tours in Iceland and Greenland
- All meals in Greenland
Not Included
- Flights
- Lunch and dinner in Iceland
- Gratuities
- Drinks on board the expedition ship
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Tromso having taken a connection from Oslo.
Day 2 – Tour of the town before heading up to Fjellheisen where you can experience stunning views of the city and surrounding scenery. As the evening sets in, prepare for a Northern Lights tour where you will not only learn about the phenomenon themselves but the team of local experts will take you to the most likely spot to witness them by taking into account the local weather and solar activity.
Day 3 – Today is about enjoyment of local activities. Depending on your preference, these include ice fishing, dog sledding, snow shoeing or maybe even a whale tour depending on the season.
Day 4
Head to Svalbard (4 hour flight), arriving in Longyearbyen to connect with our touring partner.
Days 5-11
We start our Svalbard tour by exploring Longyearbyen. In the afternoon we embark the expedition ship and sail out through Isfjorden to kick off the Arctic adventure. We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on the ice and weather conditions. The exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Here are some examples of places we may visit:
Prins Karls Forland
This narrow strip of land is covered by a magnificent and snow-covered mountain chain. The island is also home to many seabirds and harbour seals.
Virgohamna, Danskøya
Two of the most courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. There are still interesting remnants from these expeditions left on this site.
Fantastic fjords
Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore a few of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love”, is lined with snow-covered mountain peaks and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pinkfooted geese nest in the area and if lucky we could see the rare king eider. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculptured front of the 14th of July Glacier to the raucous greeting of the large number of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by beautiful glaciers. It is also a favourite spot for seals and the bird cliffs are bursting with activity. The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is situated in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole.
North Spitsbergen
North of Spitsbergen we might meet the edge of the pack ice. Not many ships venture here and we can marvel at the silence and grandeur of this icy landscape. Chances of meeting polar bears increase as we sail along the ice floes.
Southwest Spitsbergen
The grand fjords of Hornsund offer spectacular glaciers and a breathtaking landscape of towering mountain peaks, often reaching above the clouds. On a clear day we can see the summit of the highest mountain Hornsundtind, measuring 1431 meters. Hornsund is a favourite haunt for some of Svalbard’s polar bears and bearded seals are often seen resting on the fjord ice.
Day 9: Longyearbyen
Early morning we disembark the expedition ship and begin our journey back home.
Please note: The exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and wildlife. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximise your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!