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NEW Trip – Ladakh Mountain Biking AdventureView Trip Details

10 Days$5400USD

Activities
  • 9 days expedition cruising
Accommodation
  • 9 nights aboard Plancius
Meals
  • 9 Dinners
  • 8 Lunches
  • 9 Breakfasts
1
Discovery and Cruising
 
 
 
 

Trip highlights


  • Visit the remote island of Kvitøya
  • The most wildlife-rich part of the Arctic
  • Opportunities to see roaming Polar Bears
  • Spectacular glaciers and fjords

The island of Kvitøya or the "White Island" is one of the least visited places in the Svalbard Archipelago. Our aim on this voyage is to include a landing at this remote island, which is the eastern-most point of Denmark. Svalbard is home to some of the most wildlife rich islands of the Arctic region, and this voyage offers ample opportunities to sight Polar Bear as they roam the ice in search of food, watch the playful activities of Grey Seals, or observe a group of walrus. Zodiacs will ferry us from our ice-strengthened vessels to shore to walk amongst the tundra, up to high points where there are sweeping views across the vast glaciated inland, and down to the iceberg-strewn bay where our ship is dwarfed by the monumental landscape. The island’s bird life is prolific, with colonies of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Puffins and Arctic Skuas accessible to visitors. Dramatic cliffs, fjords, glaciers and an abundance of wildlife make this an unforgettable experience in the land of the midnight sun.

Trip Code: ONP

Arrive in Longyearbyen - before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Meals:  D

Heading north along the west coast, you arrive by morning in Krossfjorden. Here you might board the Zodiacs for a cruise near the towering blue-white face of the Fourteenth of July Glacier. On the green slopes near the glacier, colorful flowers bloom while flocks of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nest on the cliffs. You also have a good chance of spotting an Arctic fox scouting for fallen chicks, or a bearded seal paddling through the fjord. In the afternoon you sail to Ny Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth. Once a mining village served by the planet’s most northerly railway – you can still see its tracks – Ny Ålesund is now a research center. Close to the community is a breeding ground for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese, and Arctic terns. And if you’re interested in the history of Arctic exploration, visit the anchoring mast used by polar explorers Amundsen and Nobile in their airships, Norge (1926) and Italia (1928).

Meals:  B,L,D

You sail through Beverleysundet, formerly navigated by the Swedish-Russian Arc-of-Meridian Expedition in 1898. The northernmost point of your voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here you reach 80° north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar bears inhabit this region, so the ship may park for several hours among the pack ice to watch for them.

Meals:  B,L,D

Pushing east to Nordaustlandet, you reach the area where the Italian captain Sora tried to rescue the Nobile Expedition in 1928. A possible climb up Soraberget (205 meters, 673 feet) affords a fantastic view of the icecap. Alternatively you can land at Storøya, where you might encounter a group of walruses.

Meals:  B,L,D

Close to the Russian territory, we hope to get to the rarely visited Kvitøya. The island is dominated by an icecap, which leaves a small area bare of ice and snow. We will land at the western tip at Andréneset. We will also try to get to Kraemerpynten in the east, where an enormous group of Walrus resides.

Meals:  B,L,D

South of Nordaustlandet you may land on Isisøya, formerly a Nunatak area surrounded by glaciers – now an island surrounded by the sea. You then may pass by Bråswellbreen, part of the largest ice cap in Europe and famed for its meltwater waterfalls.

Meals:  B,L,D

The plan is to make landings in Freemansundet, though polar bears sometimes make this impossible. Potential stops on Barentsøya include Sundneset (for an old trapper’s hut), Kapp Waldburg (for its kittiwake colony), and Rindedalen (for a walk across the tundra). You might also cruise south to Diskobukta, though Kapp Lee is more likely your destination. On Kapp Lee is a walrus haul-out, Pomor ruins, and the chance for hikes along Edgeøya.

Meals:  B,L,D

You start the day by cruising the side fjords of the Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, taking in the spire-like peaks: Hornsundtind rises 1,431 meters (4,695 feet), and Bautaen is a perfect illustration of why early Dutch explorers named this island Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains.” There are 14 sizable glaciers in this area as well as opportunities for spotting seals, beluga whales, and polar bears.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today you find yourself in Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation. Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife. A possibility is Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th-century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of rampant exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction, and you have a good chance of coming across a pod. Alternately, while cruising the side fjords of Bellsund, you can explore tundra where reindeer like to feed as well as rock slopes where little auks are breeding.

Meals:  B,L,D

Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to Oslo and home.

Meals:  B


Inclusions

  • 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 9 dinners
  • Specialist expedition staff
  • Comfortable cabin accommodation on cruise
  • All activities while on cruise including zodiac excursions, lectures, videos, slide and film shows and guide services
  • Use of all ship facilities and public areas
  • Medical services (there is a resident medical officer and infirmary on board)

  • International flights
  • Airport and departure taxes
  • Bottled water, aerated and alcoholic drinks
  • Items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry, etc
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Travel Insurance

Cabins


Departure dates


Priceper person from

$5400USD

Options & Supplements*
  • Twin With PortholeUSD$7700
  • Twin With WindowUSD$8300
  • Twin DeluxeUSD$9000
  • SuperiorUSD$10000
*Prices listed are per person

Essential Information

Ready to book? Make sure you download and read the detailed Around Spitsbergen - Kvitøya trip notes which contains all the essential information you need to know before booking. Once you’ve booked, we will supply you with a Pre-Departure document which contains a detailed gear list and other important information to help you prepare for your adventure ahead.


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