Sailing Under the Aurora Borealis
8 days / October - November
Pricing: Pricing is based on group size and seasonality, please check with us to secure the best pricing.
Highlights:
• Catch a glimpse of the magical and mysterious Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights. Far from land, you will get the best chance to see this splendid celestial show shimmering across a velvety black sky.
• Seize a rare chance to watch ice forming on the fjords in the crystalline cold of breathtaking northern nights.
• Watch polar bears swim, Arctic foxes frolic, and beluga whales breach in this pristine and fragile ecosystem.
Start Map
Day 1: SPITSBERGEN
After arriving in Longyearbyen, the “capital” (actually the administrative center) of Spitsbergen, you may wish to visit the Svalbard Museum, which has an interesting collection on the history of Spitsbergen, the mining industry, and polar exploration. We will set sail in the afternoon, setting course for Alkhornet. We will likely see Arctic foxes and reindeer along the way to Trygghamna, where we will visit the remains of a 17th century English whaling station and an 18th century Russian Pomor colony.
Day 2 – 5: AT SEA
We’ll leave Tryghamna early in the morning and sail to the north side of Bell Sund. Bell Sund is a fjord system with two major branches (Van Mijenfjord, Van Keulenfjord) and one smaller side bay (Recherchefjord). The geology is fascinating and has created amazing landscapes, such as the long, narrow island of Akseloya, which blocks Van Mijenfjord almost completely. In Fridtjofhamna, the calving glacier Fridtjofbreen is surrounded by picturesque mountains. The rich wildlife of the area has attracted hunters throughout several centuries – we will walk in their footsteps and see remains of their huts. We will also keep our eyes open for polar bears and beluga whales.
Day 6: BARENTSBURG
We will pay a visit to Barentsburg, the only inhabited Russian settlement in Spitsbergen, or to Colesbukta, an abandoned Russian coal mining settlement.
Day 7: AT SEA
We will sail into the inner reaches of the Isfjord system, where the temperature can plummet to -10 degrees C on clear nights. You will get to watch the new ice forming on the heads of the fjords.
Day 8: LONGYEARBYEN AND DEPARTURE
We will land and you will catch your return flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo and onwards.
• We reduce our carbon footprint from the start of this tour because we are not on a huge 100-person tug.
• Among other basic green practices, all waste is divided and stays on board! We do not dump anything in the water and all waste is removed after the vessel has docked.