7 Nights The Best of Spitsbergen | polardreamtravel
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7 Nights The Best of Spitsbergen
  • 7 Nights The Best of Spitsbergen

    $10,850.00Price

    We invite you to experience something exceptional by discovering the Far North and the immense open spaces of the polar Arctic and its ice floes that extend to the North Pole. 

     

    You will board the ship at Longyearbyen in Norway for an 8-day expedition cruise to the heart of the Svalbard archipelago. 

     

    Over these expedition at sea aboard your ship, in the company of our specialist teams, you will discover the exceptional flora and fauna that lives in these extreme conditions, where temperatures reach -30°C in winter.

     

    Your ship will first sail in the direction of the magnificent glaciers of Kongsfjorden, and then to the superb landscapes of the Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park. The deep blue waters of its fjords surrounded by snow-capped mountains are home to many species of cetaceans while its islands, beaches and wide bays shelter the remains of old whaling stations and trappers’ cabins. 

     

    You will then set sail eastbound to try to reach the coasts of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, and the Hinlopen Strait, a real polar desert sheltering many basaltic islets, majestic glaciers and a rich marine ecosystem: colonies of sea birds, walruses, polar bears and Arctic foxes come to feed here.

     

    Perhaps you will also be lucky enough to be able to observe these emblematic species as you sail along the islands of Barentsøya and Edgeøya (also known as Barents Island and Edge Island respectively), in the Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, which is the largest protected zone in Norway.

     

    During this unforgettable expedition, our ship will sail to latitudes of 80° north and you will discover that unique feeling of having reached the top of the world.

    Early Bird Specials -

     

    • Up to 25% Bonus Offer (reflected in the prices)
    • No Single Supplement on Jun 11 2024 & Jun 16 2024 departures (subject to availability). 
    • Exclusive Onboard Credit of $100 per person from Polar Dream Travel
    • $300 Welcome Bonus Offer for first time cruisers. 5% - 12.5% discount for customers who have travelled on L'Austral, Le Bellot, Le Boreal, Le Commandant Charcot, Le Lyrial & Le Soleal. Please call for details.

     

    Please click "Prices and Departures" tab above for departure dates, cabin types and price details.

     

     

    Day 1. Longyearbyen


    Embarkation from 16h00 to 17h00
    Departure at 18h00


    Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.


    Day 2. Kongsfjorden (King Bay), Spitsbergen

    Very close to the former mining town of Ny-Ålesund, set off to discover Kings Bay. Your ship will sail in one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard: Kongsfjorden (the fjord of the King), a gateway to grandiose landscapes. Here, the snow-capped mountains are reflected in the water where superb icebergs try to outdo each other in their beauty, a delight for photographers. Bearded seals, reindeer, barnacle geese and black guillemots frequent these places that have a unique atmosphere. Once you arrive at the end of the fjord, admire the Kongsbreen (glacier of the King) and its three characteristic rocky points, which take their names from three Scandinavian countries: Svea (Sweden), Dana (Denmark) and Nora (Norway).


    Day 3. Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park / Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve

    Like the other protected areas of Svalbard, the Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park was established in the early 1970s to protect this exceptional environment against the growing interest of the mining industry. Nunataks, glaciers, islands and large bays, arctic tundra scattered with moss and lichen in shades of silver and gold... This region will fascinate you with its landscapes and with the numerous vestiges that bear witness to the history of the men ─ whale hunters and those involved in the first expeditions to the North Pole ─ who found themselves on these shores from the start of the 17th century. In this pristine environment, you will be able to observe arctic sterns or seals on the rocks that emerge at low tide.

     

    The Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve has been protecting the northernmost and coldest part of the archipelago, Nordaustlandet (North East Land), since 1973. This vast polar desert covered by two ice caps is the second largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. Protected by the gulf stream, the fjords and cliffs in the west and north are home to large colonies of birds and walruses. The landscapes in the colder east and south are dominated by imposing glaciers that calve majestic icebergs in the vast Hinlopen Strait. Large colonies of thick-billed murres have taken up residence on the sheer cliffs. You may even get the chance to see a bear or an Arctic fox roaming in the vicinity.

     

    Day 4. Sailing toward the ice floes

    Your captain will sail right up to the limit of the ice, to the edge of the ice floe. Weather conditions and state of the ice allowing, you will be able to go out in a Zodiac® dinghy for a unique experience in the middle of these floating slabs of ice. In addition to this grandiose journey through the middle of these floes with their cut and blue-tinged edges, sometimes over 2 metres thick, it is also often an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe: birds, seals and polar bears.


    Day 5. Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve

    The Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve has been protecting the northernmost and coldest part of the archipelago, Nordaustlandet (North East Land), since 1973. This vast polar desert covered by two ice caps is the second largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. Protected by the gulf stream, the fjords and cliffs in the west and north are home to large colonies of birds and walruses. The landscapes in the colder east and south are dominated by imposing glaciers that calve majestic icebergs in the vast Hinlopen Strait. Large colonies of thick-billed murres have taken up residence on the sheer cliffs. You may even get the chance to see a bear or an Arctic fox roaming in the vicinity.


    Day 6. Soraust-svalbard Nature Reserve

    The Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve is the second largest protected area in Norway. Established in 1973, this nature conservation area stretching over more than 21,000 km2 will offer you stunning panoramas including coastal landscapes, rocky islets, mountain plateaux, vast tundra plains, and ice floes. With a little luck, you will be able to observe a wide variety of seabirds, given the site is listed as an Important Bird Area, as well as cetaceans, Svalbard reindeer, or even Arctic foxes. Among other things, Edgeoya Island is renowned for providing shelter to a number of polar bears during the breeding season.

     

    Day 7. Isfjorden

    The vast Isfjorden is one of the main fjords in Svalbard. These different branches reach the heart of the island of Spitsbergen. Located deep inside the Billejforden, the Nordenskiöld Glacier is one of the very beautiful discoveries of your cruise. Its front of ice, nearly 5 km wide, is one of the most spectacular in the Svalbard Archipelago. You will perhaps have the opportunity to discover the ghost town of Pyramiden. Constructed at the foot of a mountain in the form of a pyramid, this former mining town, founded by Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century before being sold a few years later to the Soviet Union, and abandoned in 1998, has conserved all the buildings from its glory days, when it lived off coal mining.


    Day 8. Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

    Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.

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