Svalbard Photography Tour
Join Dan and Tanya on an 11 day voyage in Norway’s archipelago!
About this expedition
Join Dan and Tanya on an 11 day voyage in Norway’s archipelago! The ship is not too small but not too large – 54 guests. It has a fine reputation for polar expedition cruising due to its strength, maneuverability, and small number of cabins. Polar bears create an unforgettable spectacle whether hunting seals on pack ice, shepherding cubs along the beach, or swimming near our Zodiacs. High above the Arctic Circle, we’ll explore deep fjords, polar deserts, tundra tinged with wildflowers, and vast glaciers calving into the sea. Summer in the Arctic! On foot and by Zodiac, we’ll visit abandoned whaling settlements, search for walrus, Arctic fox and reindeer, and revel in millions of migratory birds, including little auks, guillemots, and puffin. The seas are alive with whales along with bearded and possibly ringed seals.
LIMITED SPACE – NOW BOOKING – Please note there will be new regulations from the IMO starting as early as 2016 for Arctic and Antarctica tourist ships. Up to 80% of the ships now working in these areas will most likely not meet the new regulations, limiting access to the general public. 2015 may be our last year to offer this tour.
Itinerary
What makes this tour special is that it will have a “flexible” schedule, meaning if we find polar bears out on the ice we can stay with them to maximize photography opportunities as long as we get back to port on departure date. This is important when looking for a ship in this region, as you don’t want to be stuck on a vessel that cannot get into the ice or one that has a strict schedule. As with all wildlife, polar bears are not guaranteed. This trip is weather dependent and will vary depending on where the ice is moving; each year is different. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who has always wanted to visit this region of the world.
This tour reveals the diversity of Spitsbergen’s archipelago and takes us into the kingdom of the polar bear. We explore the coastline, with no open sea crossings, against a backdrop of spectacular glacially-covered peaks. We discover deep fjords in the west, mysterious, fossil-rich desert plains in the east, and best of all, seals and whales in the arctic pack ice. This voyage offers the best chance for seeing reindeer and polar bears and features wildflower walks across sweeping tundra, trapper camps and historical remains of whaling stations.
Friday, July 10
Depart U.S./Canada to Oslo, Norway
Saturday, July 11
Arrive in Oslo, Norway any time of day. Guests will be greeted at the airport and transfers will be provided by Airport Express Train to the Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania for a two-night stay. Depending on the time of day you arrive, you can explore the city on your own or just relax after your long flight.
Please Note: Airport is 50km from the city center
Sunday, July 12 (B, D)
After breakfast we’ll explore and photograph the historic Viking city of Oslo. More details to come. This evening there will be a welcome dinner and drinks to get to know your fellow travelers before we depart to Longyearbyen for our arctic adventure. Overnight Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania
Monday, July 13 (B, D)
Today we’ll fly from Oslo to Longyearbyen. After a short sightseeing tour upon arrival, we’ll board our vessel, the Polar Pioneer and enjoy 10 nights / 11 days expedition.
Tuesday, July 14 – Wednesday, July 22 (B, L, D)
Wake to spectacular alpine peaks and glacier valleys of Spitsbergen’s rugged west coast. In Magdalene fjord, we Zodiac cruise a safe distance from the aqua-blue ice cliffs of 14th July Glacier or Waggonway Glacier, and take long walks among summer flowers, alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Thanks to the nutrient-rich Gulf Stream and relatively mild temperatures, Atlantic puffins and thick-billed murres fill the cliffs. We may visit the remains of a 350-year-old Dutch whaling settlement on Amsterdam Island and hear of Swedish explorer Andrée’s ill-fated attempt to balloon over the North Pole.
We’ll enter the Arctic Ocean and the world of pack ice. Beluga whales may rise up in open leads, walrus impossibly crowd ice floes, and polar bears stalk ringed and bearded seals. In coastal mountains, we visit trapper huts and stay alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. Delightful walks reveal exquisite tundra berries and flowers including purple saxifrage, yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. We attempt to cross latitude 80° North before turning south to Wood fjord.
We attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, a channel flanked by austere, cream-coloured slopes rich in fossils between Spitsbergen and ice-capped Nordaustlandet. This polar desert is a landscape eroded by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar our way, but there is much to strive for. We Zodiac beneath Alkefjellt, sheer basalt cliffs rising more than 250 metres – literally buzzing with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots. On walks we seek eider ducks, Arctic foxes and elusive Svalbard ptarmigan. As we pass Barents and Edge islands, we cross polar bear migration routes.
If ice conditions allow, we round South Cape and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund, deep fjords with stunning glaciers and wildlife. If ice bars our way, we simply adjust our itinerary, backtrack and delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts.
A midnight cruise of glorious Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen, the end of our voyage and a group transfer to the airport.
Thursday, July 23 (B)
Disembark ship for return flight home. Please book domestic flights shown in the Flights To Book section to ensure you remain with the group for transfers.
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