Circumnavigating Svalbard - The Ultimate Expedition

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.

Explore this colorful frontier town

After breakfast, it’s time to experience Longyearbyen.

The former coal mining settlement is small enough to explore on foot. Stroll down the main street lined with boutique shops, an art gallery, and restaurants. You might even see a Svalbard reindeer saunter by.

Before boarding your ship in the afternoon and continuing your Arctic discovery, join an included excursion and get a deeper look at this isolated and remote region at the top of the world.

Ny-Ålesund: The World's Northernmost Research Settlement
Ny-Ålesund is the world's northernmost functional civilian settlement, located at 79 degrees north on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway. Situated on the southern shore of Kongsfjorden (King's Fjord), it is a remote community with a dramatic history and a crucial modern purpose.Current Function: International Research CenterToday, Ny-Ålesund operates primarily as an international center for Arctic and climate change research.

• Scientific Hub: It hosts permanent research stations for 19 institutions from 11 countries, focusing on atmospheric physics, biology, glaciology, and oceanography.

• Population: The permanent, year-round population is small (around 30–40 people), but it swells with up to 114 scientists during the summer months.

• Ownership: The town is owned and operated by the Norwegian state-owned company Kings Bay, providing all necessary facilities and infrastructure for the global scientific community.

History and Explorer HeritageThe settlement has a storied past, transitioning from industry to exploration and finally to science:

• Mining Town (1916–1962): Ny-Ålesund was originally founded as a coal mining community by Kings Bay Kull Comp. Mining operations were eventually deemed too dangerous and closed down after a series of fatal accidents, including a major disaster in 1962.

• North Pole Expeditions: It served as the starting point for famous attempts to reach the North Pole. Most notably, Roald Amundsen launched his successful 1926 expedition aboard the airship Norge from here, a historic journey that marked the first undisputed flight over the North Pole. The original mooring mast where the airship was tethered is still visible.

Visitor Information and Unique RulesThough primarily a research station, Ny-Ålesund is a port of call for various expedition cruises. Visitors should be aware of a few unique rules:

• Radio Silence: To prevent interference with the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s delicate geodetic station (which measures the Earth's movements), there is a zone of radio silence within a 20km radius of the settlement. Visitors must turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on all electronic devices, including phones, drones, and cameras.

• Protected Heritage: The town has Svalbard’s largest collection of protected cultural heritage sites, including many remnants of the old mining community.

• Attractions: Key sites include the small Ny-Ålesund Town and Mine Museum and the world's northernmost post office.

• Nature Protection: Visitors are asked to strictly remain on designated roads and wooden pathways to protect the fragile Arctic tundra and wildlife.

Experience pristine Arctic wilderness

Over the next two days, we’ll explore the natural beauty and rugged tundra of this breathtaking national park where steep mountains, glaciers, and beautiful offshore islands form a unique Arctic landscape.

We’ll scout for animals of the Arctic – whales, seals, walruses and reindeer. If we’re really lucky, we might even see the elusive polar bear from the observation deck of the ship.

Be ready for adventure. We’ll seize any opportunity to launch our kayaks or set out in our small boats (RIB) and go ashore to hike or participate in a beach cleanup.

Experience the opportunity of sailing to the edge of the polar ice cap 

If conditions allow, we’ll sail north and cross the 80th parallel to explore the ever-changing ice edge. The transition zone between the ice cap and the sea is a magical yet ephemeral place where the waters are filled with ice floes and drifting pack ice. From the ship, there are great opportunities for spotting wildlife, such as seals and walruses who lounge on the sparkling ice. And if the conditions are right, we’ll lower our expedition boats into the water and enjoy an unforgettable close-up experience amid the floating ice.

The ice edge isn’t a fixed boundary, and it moves depending on the season and conditions, so visiting it will be an attempt rather than a certainty. From May to August, as summer progresses, it retreats further towards the pole, meaning it may be out of reach for us.  If so, we’ll explore the no-less-impressive fjords, glaciers and incredible scenery of the Svalbard coast.

Wildflowers start blooming in July and into August, blanketing the landscape with a blaze of beauty and color.

Scouting for polar bears, seabirds and walruses

Be ready for anything as this stage of your voyage continues to be truly adventurous. If sea ice permits, we’ll continue east, exploring the pristine wilderness of northeast Svalbard before heading south in our attempt to fully circumnavigate the archipelago.

Perhaps we’ll head to the immense Bråsvellbreen glacier to see waterfalls tumbling into the icy depths, or lower our small boats around Kvitøy. Every day in the east will be a new opportunity to look for polar bears roaming the ice. Continuing south, we may head to Freemansundet and Kapp Lee or take our small expedition boats to Edgeøya or Barentsøya.

In true expedition style, exactly where we’ll go will depend on the conditions on the day. Channel your inner explorer on exhilarating landings, hikes and kayak trips, and look out for wildlife.

And if the ice doesn’t allow us to pass to the east, you’ll experience just as much adventure: we’ll delve deeper into the wonders of western Svalbard or attempt to circumnavigate Spitsbergen through the Hinlopen Strait. We’ll take a flexible route through deep fjords and by soaring mountains, seeking out remarkable Arctic wildlife.

Majestic glaciers, birds, and pioneer history

Your expedition cruise continues south towards Hornsund – one of Svalbard’s most beautiful fjords. Colourful vegetation makes way for towering mountains along this picturesque waterway. The cliffs here are home to large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars along with Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer below. Head out on deck to spot seals and whales, Mount Hornsundtind, and glaciers reaching into the sea, and learn about Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper to hunt in Svalbard.

Then we head to admire the classic beauty of the snowcapped mountains of Bellsund - a historic area where you can see the evidence of former whaling and mining activity on the shoreline.

Our activities today will be determined by the ever-changing weather conditions of Hornsund and Bellsund. Your Expedition Team will decide on the best possibilities for exploring on the day.

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.