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Day 1 Cosmopolitan Oslo
Your adventure begins in Oslo, Norway’s fjord-side capital. If you have time, why not explore the city and enjoy what it has to offer?
With its rich history, diverse eateries and lively art scene, Oslo is a fascinating place. You’ll find museums, galleries, and some very modern architecture, including the beautiful Opera House and new Munch Museum. And the city is compact enough to explore in a leisurely manner.
Go for a walk in the Ekebergparken sculpture park, visit Akershus Fortress, or relax in a floating sauna in the fjord. Explore modern Sørenga to sample urban beach life and perhaps try some New Nordic cuisine before you spend the night in your airport hotel.
Day 2-4 Welcome to Longyearbyen
After a morning flight from Oslo, your adventure begins with two nights in the world’s northernmost town. A colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, you’ll discover that Longyearbyen is a unique place on the edge of the Arctic wilderness.
Spend the next two-and-a-half days exploring Longyearbyen and its surroundings. The town is perfect for getting around on foot – stroll down the main street and you might see Svalbard reindeer saunter by. But don’t worry, although wild, they're curious and tame.
To give you a wider look, local guides will take you on an e-bike tour of the area and present the historic backdrop to the town at the top of the world.
From the expedition centre you’ll head out of town and along an unpaved road to Hotellneset, which has a lake and showcases the remnants of the area’s mining past. Svalbard’s very first hotel was built here by Hurtigruten pioneer Richard With before the modern town we see today had even been constructed.
We’ll then head back into Longyearbyen along the ‘Burma Road’, which was an important link for coal being shipped from the harbour, enjoying panoramic views as we ride. Sights along the way include an old funicular, the historic Svalbard Church and the ruined remains of the original Longyearbyen, which was bombed during WWII.
From here we’ll continue under the steep cliffs of the Plateau Mountain, passing the graveyard and the iconic Huset – a building which has been everything from a cinema to bar, school and church. We will continue on to Coal Miners’ Cabins, the original miners’ home, and enjoy a relaxed lunch before completing our tour and returning to the hotel.
On Day 4 you’ll have the morning to finish off looking around Longyearbyen before boarding the ship in the afternoon and beginning our expedition cruise.
Day 5-7 Expedition days
Over the next four days, you’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. Surrounded by steep mountains, stark glaciers, and beautiful offshore islands, we’ll scan for Arctic animals, including whales, seals, walruses, and reindeer. If we’re really lucky, we might even see the elusive polar bear in its natural environment.
Each day will be different. From landings to kayaking, be ready for anything as your Captain and Expedition Team decide on the best landing sites and activities based on the day’s conditions.
Perhaps we’ll head to the snowcapped peaks of Raudfjord, Hornsund or Magdalenefjord to see magnificent glaciers or visit Ny-Ålesund, the world’s northernmost settlement and an important climate research station.
Day 8 A relaxing day at sea
Take time to relax on the ship today as we cruise through Arctic waters towards Jan Mayen. Enjoy panoramic views and chat with fellow guests in the Explorer Lounge & Bar, or soak in a hot tub out on deck while scanning for seabirds.
You can also listen to a lecture or two on topics such as local history, geology, or Arctic wildlife. Or visit the Science Center for more in-depth insights into the places we’ll be visiting and maybe participate in a Citizen Science project that contributes to ongoing scientific research.
Day 9 Volcanic Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen has no permanent residents and visits to the island are rare. In fact, we’re one of the few to attempt landings here. If conditions allow, you’ll be setting foot in one of Earth’s most remote places.
Jan Mayen’s surreal, moss- and lichen-streaked landscape is dominated by the Beerenberg volcanic cone. It’s the world’s northernmost active volcano, which last erupted in 1985.
You won’t see land mammals here, but the island is designated an Important Bird Area, supporting large populations of northern fulmars, Brünnich’s guillemots and little auks. Look out for abundant marine life in the surrounding waters, including whales and seals.
Day 10 Heading toward Greenland (Sea Day)
Day 11-14 Greenland’s Scoresby Sund fjord system
With stunning white and blue icebergs, mirror-like waters and looming mountains, the scenery in the world’s largest fjord system is spectacular.
Scoresby Sund’s steep peaks, open waters, and ice-free winters are a haven for Greenland’s iconic wildlife. Scan for musk oxen, Arctic foxes, mountain hares, whales, and seals.
Birdlife also thrives here, including little auks, Atlantic puffins, fulmars, snowy owls, Greenlandic gyrfalcons and great black-backed gulls.
We’ll make the best of the conditions and take our time, packing in as many shore landings, nature walks, ship cruising, kayaking tours and wildlife sightings as possible.
Day 15 A relaxing day at sea
Day 17 Charming Grundarfjörður
The majestic Kirkjufell mountain, one of Iceland’s best-known landmarks, rises just two miles west of the small harbor of Grundarfjörður, a quaint fishing town in Breiðafjörður bay.
Nearby, you’ll find Snæfellsnes Peninsula National Park, with the striking, ice-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano at the western tip. Its wide array of landscapes has earned it the nickname ‘Little Iceland’.
At the national park, you can visit Djúpalónssandur’s black sand beach and the Saxhóll crater. Or why not ride a snowcat to the top of the Snæfellsjökull glacier or take a guided underground tour along a gigantic lava tube?
Day 17 End of the expedition
We say a fond farewell to MS Spitsbergen as we end our expedition in the fabulous city of Reykjavík.
