Western Spitsbergen & the Polar Ice Edge

Day 1 | Arrival in Longyearbyen

The expedition begins in Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world. After landing, a shuttle will take you to your hotel (included in the price). The rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish.

Longyearbyen lies on the shores of Adventfjord, surrounded by jagged mountains that gave the archipelago its name. Around 2,500 people from over 50 nations live here, in colorful wooden houses built on stilts above the permafrost. The Svalbard Museum tells the story of the archipelago, from the first whalers through coal mining to today’s polar research. Warning signs about polar bears line the streets, rifles lean against front doors, and snowmobiles are parked where bicycles would be elsewhere.

Days 3 and 4 | South Spitsbergen National Park and Hornsund

The MS Sea Spirit heads for Hornsund, the southernmost fjord on the west coast. Here, the glaciers of South Spitsbergen National Park extend all the way to the sea. In June, fast ice still clings to the fjord walls, and polar bears patrol the boundary between the ice and open water. The expedition team monitors the ice edge around the clock.

Aboard a Zodiac, you’ll cruise along the glacier fronts as they calve directly into the water. Chunks of ice drift by, seals rest on floating ice floes, and fulmars and kittiwakes circle above the water. Along the fjord shores lie the remains of old trapper huts where Norwegian fur trappers spent the Arctic winter.

In Bellsund, whale bones and oil-boiling furnaces bear witness to the whaling era of the 17th century. Back then, hundreds of ships from Holland, England, and the Basque Country would come to Spitsbergen every summer to hunt bowhead whales. On land, Arctic flowers grow among the bones: saxifrage, silverweed, and polar poppies.

Days 7 and 8 | Prins Karls Forland and Ny-Ålesund

Off the west coast of Spitsbergen lies Prins Karls Forland, a narrow, elongated island in Forlandet National Park. At the southern tip, hundreds of walruses gather on rocky plateaus. Weighing up to 1,500 kilograms, with tusks up to a meter long, they lie close together and watch with astonishing calm as the Zodiacs glide past at a safe distance.

Further north, you’ll reach Ny-Ålesund at 79 degrees north, the northernmost year-round settlement on Earth. What was once a coal-mining settlement is now an international research station. Scientists from over ten nations conduct climate, atmospheric, and marine research here. A small museum tells the story of the North Pole expeditions led by Amundsen and Nobile, which set out from here. On the pier stands the mooring mast to which Amundsen’s airship Norge was tied in 1926 before its flight over the North Pole. And at the world’s northernmost post office, you can have your postcards stamped.

Day 11 | Longyearbyen, Disembarkation

In the morning, the MS Sea Spirit arrives at the port of Longyearbyen. After breakfast on board, you will disembark. A guided city tour of Longyearbyen is included in the tour price: the old mining infrastructure, the church, and the view over Adventfjord. Afterward, a transfer will take you to the airport.

PHOTO TOUR (FREE) The Arctic in June offers lighting conditions that photographers can otherwise only replicate in a studio: 24 hours of daylight, the golden midnight sun over the pack ice, the blue of calving glaciers, and polar bears against a white icy backdrop. An experienced wildlife photographer on board provides practical tips on composition, focal length, and capturing the perfect moment during lectures and landings. Whether it’s a close-up of a walrus on the rocks or a panorama of the glacier front backlit by the sun, he knows the best angles at every landing site and helps you make the most of every situation.

SEA KAYAKING AMONG ICEBERGS From a Zodiac, you observe the coast. From a kayak, you’re right in the middle of it. The optional sea kayaking tour takes you in small groups through quiet fjords, past drifting icebergs, along rugged coastlines, and past glacier fronts. Paddle between icebergs, glide through the calm waters of sheltered bays, or follow the coast of Prins Karls Forland while walruses look down from their rocky ledges. No prior experience is necessary; instruction is provided on board.

GUIDED HIKES At each landing site, the expedition team leads hikes through the Arctic tundra. Walk across soft moss, past Arctic flowers and herds of reindeer that continue grazing, unfazed. At Hornsund, you’ll hike along the glacier front; in Ny-Ålesund, you’ll follow in the footsteps of polar explorers; and on Prins Karls Forland, the trail leads you past walrus colonies at a safe distance. Hikes of all difficulty levels are offered, and hiking poles are provided. The expedition team ensures the safety of every hike with armed guides to protect against polar bears.

ZODIAC EXCURSIONS The sturdy Zodiac inflatable boats take you where no ship can dock: along calving glacier fronts in Hornsund, through quiet fjords dotted with drifting icebergs, past bird cliffs teeming with thousands of thick-billed guillemots, and to the polar ice edge, where bearded seals rest on ice floes. The expedition team navigates the boats safely through narrow passages and keeps a constant lookout for polar bears, walruses, and whales.

POLAR PLUNGE For the bravest passengers on board: The Polar Plunge is a tradition on Arctic expedition cruises. Under the supervision of the expedition team, take a dip in the icy waters off Spitsbergen. The water temperature is around 2 to 4 degrees Celsius. Warm towels and hot cocoa will be provided. Participation is voluntary, but you’re sure to have an audience on the outer deck.