Northern Spitsbergen: Arctic summer under sail

Day 2–10: Northern Spitsbergen

Foxes, seabirds, and grazing reindeer

From Trygghamna, hike to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where birds look for nesting sites. Arctic foxes can often be seen below the cliffs, and if there isn't too much snow, you may also see reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation.

Remains of whalers

You will sail into Fuglefjorden with views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding grounds for skuas and likely places to see polar bears. Your destination is Ytre Norskøya, a small island that served as a Dutch whaling lookout for many years. Here you can still follow in the footsteps of the whalers to the summit of the island, passing popular bird cliffs along the way. On the coast are the remains of more 17th-century blubber ovens, while Arctic skuas and eider ducks breed among the graves of some two hundred Dutch whalers.

Glaciers and the geology of Raudfjord

Raudfjord on the north coast of Spitsbergen is a good place to observe glaciers. It is also a popular habitat for ringed seals and bearded seals, seabird colonies, and occasionally polar bears and beluga whales. Alicehamna and Buchananhalvøya are good places to admire the country's geology.

Wide tundra

If ice conditions permit, you can land on the north side of Graahuken, a vast tundra area in Spitsbergen, and hike from there to Hyttesletten. The plain is a popular grazing area for reindeer, and several species of wading birds also breed here. At the lakes, you also have a good chance of seeing red-necked grebes and eider ducks.

Monaco Glacier

Depending on the weather and sea ice conditions, we can enter Liefdefjorden, land at Texas Bar, and sail within sight of the 5 km long wall of the Monaco Glacier. The waters off this steep glacier are a popular feeding ground for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular hunting ground for polar bears. If ice conditions prevent the ship from sailing here at the beginning of the season, you can sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen.

Off to the little Tordalken

You will then sail south to Magdalene Fjord, one of Spitsbergen's glacier-rich highlights. During a shore excursion in Gravneset, you will see the remains of 17th-century English whaling stations and observe large colonies of razorbills.

The northernmost municipality on Earth

You continue north to Kongsfjord and Krossfjord. Your goal is to visit places of historical interest: Ny London, where you can see the remains of marble mining from the early 20th century, and Ny Ålesund, the northernmost community in the world. There are also research stations and the famous anchor mast of the airship Norge, which made the first flight over the North Pole to Nome, Alaska, in 1926. Krossfjord offers views of colossal glaciers and high mountain peaks.

Walruses on land

On your journey south, the destination is a landing at Forlandsundet near Sarstangen, a walrus hunting area. Alternatively, you can also land on the coast of Engelskbukta. The tundra here is a good place for a hike to Hornbaekbukta. There is also a walrus excavation site at Poolepynten.

Vast tundra, towering mountains

The next stop is Bohemanflya, a vast tundra with its own bird life (depending on the start of spring) and spectacular geological formations along the coast. In Gipsvika, you can go ashore near Templet, a mountainous place with eroded sedimentary rock from the Upper Carboniferous period—about 290 million years ago.