North / Around Spitsbergen 2010
11 days / 10 nights, Longyearbyen - Krossfjorden - Ny Ålesund - Liefdefjorden - Monaco Glacier - Phippsøya - Laagøya - Hinlopenstrait - Nordaustlandet - Barentsøya - Edgeøya - Hornsund - Van Keulenfjorden - Recherchefjorden - Longyearbyen | Towards the very top of the Northern Hemisphere lies the Svalbard Archipelago. It is the most accessible high Arctic area in the world, yet its vast expanses of pristine nature appear almost completely untouched by humans. Large parts of Svalbard are national parks and nature preserves outside the few human settlements. There are no roads connecting the settlements, making Svalbard one of the few remaining areas of unspoiled wilderness. Surprisingly rich in fauna and flora, that has adapted to the demanding arctic conditions, many places are green and lush, with beautiful flowers in many colors. Fascinating geology, ancient rock formations, rich deposits of coal, fossilized plants, several hundred million years old, are still commonly found. Svalbard provides a wealth of wildlife, and our expedition cruises will reward you with views of colonies of nesting sea birds, mammals, reindeer, arctic fox, and the king of Svalbard, the polar bear, with an estimated number of 2,500 bears in the Svalbard area.
*PLA08 July 8th - 18th - SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION!
Featuring professional award-winning photographer Reed Hoffmann. Reed was two-time winner of the Newspaper Photographer of the Year, Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Lexar Pro Elite Photographer and Microsoft Icon of Imaging, and is currently teaching Nikon School for digital photography. Don't miss this great opportunity - experience Spitsbergen through the eyes of an Expert Photographer!
| Twin private inside | Twin private | Superior | Suite |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,700 | $6,850 | $7,650 | $8,550 |
M/V Antarctic Dream
| Triple private | Twin private | Superior |
|---|---|---|
| $5,500 | $6,850 | $7,650 |
M/V Plancius
| Departure | ATD08 July 5th - 15th, 2010 ATD09 July 15th - 25th, 2010 ADT10 July 25th - August 4th, 2010 ATD11 August 4th - 14th, 2010 ATD12 August 14th - 24th, 2010 PLA07 June 28th - July 8th, 2010 PLA08 July 8th - 18th, 2010* Photography Cruise PLA09 July 18th - 28th, 2010 PLA10 July 28th - August 7th, 2010 PLA11 August 7th - 17th, 2010 PLA12 August 17th - 27th, 2010 |
| Price | Prices in USD, per person in cabin of choice From $5,500 per person |
| Included | Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as per itinerary All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship incl. snacks, coffee and tea All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff Transfers and baggage handling between hotels, airports and ship only for those passengers on the group flights in Spitsbergen and in Greenland All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programs Comprehensive pre-departure material |
| Not Included | Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights Pre and post land arrangements Transfers Passport / visa expenses Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance ( strongly recommended ) Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges The customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for stewards and other personnel aboard ( information will be provided ) Service fee $25 |
| Please Note | All dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 25 participants (motor vessels) & 12 participants for the 'Noorderlicht'. All rates are quoted per person in US Dollar, based on twin occupancy. US Dollar rates apply for all sales outside Europe. 5% Discount will be granted for bookings for one or more consecutive voyages. Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 50 participants on the Antarctic Dream, 70 participants on the Plancius and 14 participants on the Noorderlicht. Twin non private and Twin private cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the share price. It is agreed that if world fuel prices will reach or exceed US Dollar 80 per Barrel Brent 90 days prior to departure Oceanwide Expeditions reserves the right to levy a fuel surcharge of US Dollar 25 per passenger per night, to be paid by the contracting party of Oceanwide Expeditions. |
Around Spitsbergen Map
World Travel Award 2009
Day 1 ARRIVAL LONGYEARBYEN
Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the surrounds of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.
Day 2 KROSSFJORDEN - NY ÅLESUND
Heading north along the west coast, we arrive by morning in Krossfjorden, where we take to the Zodiacs for an exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier. On the surprisingly green slopes near the glacier, a colorful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich's Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting opportunistic Arctic Foxes, who patrol the base of the cliffs in case a hapless chick falls from its nest, and Bearded Seals, who cruise this scenic fjord. In the afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the world's most northerly settlement. Once a mining village - served by the world's most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the North Pole.
Day 3 LIEFDEFJORDEN - MONACO GLACIER
Near the mouth of Liefdefjorden, we will go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest here, and the more rare king eider may also be seen. Sailing into Liefdefjorden, we will cruise near the face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes and occasionally polar bears are seen on the glacier.
Day 4 PHIPPSØYA
Today we will reach our northernmost point at Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands north of Nordaust-landet. Here we will be at 81 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, along with ivory gulls. We may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in our spectacular surroundings and seeing a Ross gull, before we turn south again.
Day 5 LAAGØYA - SORG FJORD
We will visit Laagöya today, a low island with a big lagoon where a big herd of Walrus tends to congregate. Sabine's Gulls nest on the island, as well. At Sorg Fjord we may find another herd of walruses not far from the graves of 17th century whalers. On a nature walk, we may encounter families of ptarmigans.
Day 6 HINLOPEN STRAIT - PALANDERBUKTA
Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to Bearded Seals, Ringed Seals, Polar Bears, and Ivory Gulls. We'll navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in our zodiacs and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich's guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopenstrait, we'll attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls, and Walruses.
Day 7 TORRELNESET
Near Torrelneset, we will explore the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world's third largest ice cap, which meets the sea nearby. We will walk along beautiful coastline covered in smooth rocks, sculpted by the surf over thousands of years. We may encounter walruses along the way. Sailing south of Nordaustlandet we will have good chance to see Greenland Whales.
Day 8 BARENTSØYA - EDGEØYA
In Freemansundet we plan to land at Sundneset on the island of Barentsøya to visit an old trapper's hut and then take a brisk walk across the tundra in search of Spitsbergen Reindeer and Barnacle Geese. Later we cruise south to Diskobukta on the west side of Edgeøya. After a Zodiac cruise through the shallow bay, we land on a beach littered with whale bones and tree trunks, which have drifted here from Siberia. We can also climb to the rim of a narrow gully which is inhabited by thousands of Kitttiwakes, together with Black Guillemots and piratical Glaucous Gulls. During the breeding season, the base of the cliffs is patrolled by Arctic Foxes and Polar Bears, especially females with young cubs, searching for young birds that have fallen from the nesting ledges.
Day 9 HORNSUND
We start the day quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1,431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name 'Spitsbergen' - pointed mountains - to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area and very good chances of encounters with seals and Polar Bears. We may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give us an insight into their research projects. Behind the station the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks.
Day 10 VAN KEULENFJORDEN - RECHERCHEFJORDEN
Today we land on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden. Here piles of Beluga skeletons (the Beluga is a small white whale), the remains of 19th century slaughter, are yet another reminder of the consequences of thoughtless exploitation. Fortunately, Belugas were not hunted to the edge of extinction and may still be seen locally. Indeed, there is a good chance that we will come across a pod. Cruising into Recherchefjorden during the afternoon we can explore an area of tundra at the head of the fjord where many Reindeer feed.
Day 11 LONGYEARBYEN - OSLO
Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to Oslo and home.