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L ' Austral - Guests

FJORDS AND GLACIERS OF SPITSBERGEN

Arctic Expedition

PONANT invites you to experience something exceptional by discovering the Far North and the immense open spaces of the polar Arctic and its ice floes that extend to the North Pole.


 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Outings and shore visits in Zodiac® inflatables with your naturalist guides.
  • Hiking opportunity.
  • Sailing in Spitsbergen’s fjords and towards the ice floe.
  • Landscapes: ice floes, jagged mountains, icebergs, ice caps, steep-sided valleys, sheer cliffs, huge glaciers.
  • Wildlife: polar bears, Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic terns, walruses, whales, puffins.

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:

For your serenity, PONANT selects flights and organizes the transfers between the port and the airport (and vice versa). This package is included in your cruise fare.

Embarkation Day - Paris/Longyearbyen

Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 hours, 30 min.

Meet and greet at airport.

Transfer to the pier for embarkation.

 
– Cruise on board your ship –

 
Disembarkation Day -Longyearbyen/Paris

Disembarkation.

Meet and great at the port.

Transfer to the airport in time for flight check in.

Flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 hours, 30 min.

 
Your programme includes:

  • Flight Paris/Longyearbyen and Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT in economy class.
  • Transfers as per programme.
  • Assistance from our local representative.

Your programme does not include:

  • Tips for the local guide.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Other services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

Tourist infrastructures are very limited in Longyearbyen. We kindly ask you for your flexibility and understanding:

  • Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
  • Due to local transportation conditions, comfort is basic and carry on could be limited on board the buses used for passengers transfer to the airport (if too large the carry on could be transferred with the main luggage). The use of a back pack is suggested.
  • For passengers in transit in Paris, it is recommended to stay one night in Paris before and after your connecting flight.
  • Programme and flight schedule are subject to change.
Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:

For your serenity, PONANT selects flights and organizes the transfers between the port and the airport (and vice versa). This package is included in your cruise fare.

Embarkation Day - Paris/Longyearbyen

Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 hours, 30 min.

Meet and greet at airport.

Transfer to the pier for embarkation.

 
– Cruise on board your ship –

 
Disembarkation Day -Longyearbyen/Paris

Disembarkation.

Meet and great at the port.

Transfer to the airport in time for flight check in.

Flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 hours, 30 min.

 
Your programme includes:

  • Flight Paris/Longyearbyen and Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT in economy class.
  • Transfers as per programme.
  • Assistance from our local representative.

Your programme does not include:

  • Tips for the local guide.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Other services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

Tourist infrastructures are very limited in Longyearbyen. We kindly ask you for your flexibility and understanding:

  • Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
  • Due to local transportation conditions, comfort is basic and carry on could be limited on board the buses used for passengers transfer to the airport (if too large the carry on could be transferred with the main luggage). The use of a back pack is suggested.
  • For passengers in transit in Paris, it is recommended to stay one night in Paris before and after your connecting flight.
  • Programme and flight schedule are subject to change.

ITINERARY

Day 1 - LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN
Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard's main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you're in completely unexplored territory.

Day 2 - HORNSUND
Nestling between millennial glaciers and carved mountains, and considered to be "the crown of Arctic Norway", Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the Hornsund fjord. Considered to be Svalbard's southernmost fjord, it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.

Day 3 - BELLSUND, SPITSBERGEN
You will head to the Bellsund fjord to follow in the footsteps of the first explorers who came from the Norwegian coast, or those of the many fur traders seeking game and trophies. Boasting an astonishingly rich wildlife, the arms of the fjord separate to form two lush valleys. Give free rein to your imagination in the heart of this majestic natural environment where time seems to stand still.

Day 4 - SAILING TOWARD THE ICE FLOES
Your captain will sail right up to the limit of the ice, to the edge of the ice floe. Weather conditions and state of the ice allowing, you will be able to go out in a zodiac dinghy for a unique experience in the middle of these floating slabs of ice. In addition to this grandiose journey through the middle of these floes with their cut and blue-tinged edges, sometimes over 2 metres thick, it is also often an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe: birds, seals and polar bears.

Day 5 - MAKEOYANE, SPITSBERGEN
Måkeøyane is a small archipelago in the heart of the Woodfjorden, whose names is a reference to the large quantities of driftwood washing up on the beaches. It is located at the intersection between the Bockfjorden and the Liefdefjorden which leads to the Monaco Glacier, one of the most beautiful in Spitsbergen. As you sail around these little islands, you will be able to observe Arctic terns whose eggs sometimes attract polar bears.

Day 5 - MONACO GLACIER, SPITSBERGEN
Located to the North-West of the Svalbard archipelago, the Monaco Glacier is probably one of Spitsbergen's most beautiful and majestic. Named in honour of Prince Albert I of Monaco, a sailor, it stands as an impenetrable, blue-tinged jagged wall, the last glacier before reaching a latitude of 80° North. Imagine the sound of the ice cracking as it breaks free and crashes into the transparent water. And to make the magical landscape even more perfect, you might be lucky enough to spot bears and whales, as these two animals have a special fondness for this area.  

Day 6 - RAUDFJORDEN, SPITSBERGEN
Raudfjorden means "red fjord", from the colour of the sandstone of the surrounding mountains. Along the west coast of this 20 km fjord, dissected by many shallow bays, you will be able to admire some of Spitsbergen's most spectacular ice formations. At the extremity of the fjord, two offshoots lead to the magnificent glaciers of Chauveaubreen and Raudfjordbreen which is 3 km wide. To the east, Alicehamna Beach in Bruceneset Bay has seen trappers, fishermen and explorers arrive for centuries, as evidenced by the "Raudfjordhytta" - the cabin of a Swedish trapper built in 1927.

Day 6 - SMEERENBURG, SPITSBERGEN
Located at the far north-west of the Svalbard archipelago, at the intersection of oceanic and Arctic influences, Smeerenburg is a former Dutch whaling colony on the southern part of Amsterdam Island. In a landscape of hills with steep slopes, plateaux, lakes and lagoons, you will anchor at a sandy beach. Dotted with driftwood and the remains of ovens that were used to melt the whale blubber, this is one of Spitsbergen's most important archaeological sites. At the height of the whaling activity, 200 men worked here and several are buried here.

Day 7 - NY-ALESUND, SPITSBERGEN
During your cruise, discover Ny-Ålesund, a former mining town that has been transformed into a scientific base. Founded in 1916, this small town was the departure point for many Arctic expeditions, including those of the famous explorer Roald Amundsen. Don't miss a visit to the museum and its famous post office, considered to be the most northerly in the world!

Day 7 - KONGSFJORDEN (KING BAY), SPITSBERGEN
Very close to the former mining town of Ny-Ålesund, set off to discover Kings Bay. Your ship will sail in one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard: Kongsfjorden (the fjord of the King), a gateway to grandiose landscapes. Here, the snow-capped mountains are reflected in the water where superb icebergs try to outdo each other in their beauty, a delight for photographers. Seals, reindeer, barnacle geese and black guillemots frequent these places that have a unique atmosphere. Once you arrive at the end of the fjord, admire the Kongsbreen (glacier of the King) and its three characteristic rocky points, which take their names from three Scandinavian countries: Svea (Sweden), Dana (Denmark) and Nora (Norway).

Day 8 - LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN
Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard's main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you're in completely unexplored territory.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Gratuities are included
  • Free Expedition Jacket to Keep and boots are available for rent
  • Bottled Water, Bar Drinks, Beer, House Wines and Soft Drinks are included with lunch and dinner
  • Complimentary onboard WiFi (beginning in 2019)
  • Complimentary Traveler's Valet laundry servicce (beginning in 2019)

 

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North America: Text & Mobile: +1 970 227 9767
Europe & ROW: WhatsApp & Mobile: +372 52 99 832

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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person, subject to availability and can change at any time