SAILING AREA
TRAVEL INFORMATION
A circumnavigation around Spitsbergen offers you the best opportunities for a complete Arctic experience. Step aboard the sailing ship Noorderlicht and join us in searching polar bears, walruses & whales, arctic foxes and special bird species such as the ivory gull and puffins. Be amazed at the versatility of the Arctic wilderness with spectacular glaciers, encounters with Arctic animals and delve into the history of Spitsbergen with a visit to historic whaling stations.

Voyage details
-
Period July & August
-
Duration 16 Days
-
Embarkation Longyearbyen
-
Disembarkation Longyearbyen
-
Ship Reade Swan // Noorderlicht
-
Price from € 5450
VOYAGESOVERVIEW
Download a clear overview of all of our voyages, and choose your next adventure.
SAILING AREA
ITINERARY
PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises
Day 1: Embarkation in Longyearbyen
You will arrive at the small airport of Longyearbyen, located about 15 minutes drive from the centre of the small town. Longyearbyen is the largest inhabited settlement in Spitsbergen and the world’s most northerly inhabited town with more than 1000 inhabitants. If you have the opportunity, it is an absolute must to visit the Svalbard museum. Here you can delve into the history of the island, the coal mining industry, the wealth of unique polar animal species, scientific developments and the many polar expeditions. After your visit, you can take a walk into the former mining town where you will find several shops offering a collection of unique Arctic products and souvenirs. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which preserves the global variety of agricultural crops, is also located nearby.
Our sailing ship Reade Swan // Noorderlicht will be waiting for you at the so-called ‘floating pier’ where you can embark from 16:00. After a welcome from the captain, the mooring lines will be cast off and you will receive a comprehensive safety briefing from the crew. Subsequently you will enjoy a first delicious 3-course dinner on board, while the ship sets course towards the Bellsund.
Day 2: Glacier Fridtjofbreen and the historic sights in the Bellsund
In the Bellsund we will hopefully organize a landing at Midterhuken, where we have a fantastic view of the youngest mountain chain (65 million years) of Spitsbergen. A collision of continental plates has created the fold and break lines that we can see on the mountain. During lunch we will sail to Kapp Toscane, where we will be dropped off near 3 old row boats. From there we walk to Kvitfiskstranda (‘white whale beach’) where there is a hut called Bamsebu. At this location, a massacre of whales took place in the 19th century and the bones of the unfortunate animals are still to be seen on the beach as a grim reminder of the past. Fortunately, despite the massive hunting of belugas in the past, they are often spotted in the fjords again. Depending on the weather conditions we will sail further towards the Hornsund or the South Cape of the island of Spitsbergen.
Day 3-4: Around the South Cape towards the east of Spitsbergen
If the weather – and ice conditions are favourable to us, we will visit the Hornsund, one of the most inhospitable and icy fjords of Svalbard. In this fjord we will find many steep glacier fronts and we have a high chance of encountering seals and belugas. We may visit the Polish research station in Isbjornhamna, where we can get information about their scientific programs. These two days are focussed on rounding the notorious Southern Cape. Due to the currents that converge here, from the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea, it is important to plan this carefully. As soon as we arrive in the Storfjorden, we have a good chance of encountering groups of whales. We then sail in northerly direction to the island EdgeØya, named after the English merchant and whaler Thomas Edge who claims to have discovered the island in 1616. This island is known for its large reindeer population as well as for its polar bears.
Due to the flat and accessible island we have the possibility of a landing at Kapp Lee near Dolerittneset (‘Dolerite point’). The wide tundra is dotted with reindeer antlers and whale bones and you can often find arctic foxes and large colonies of kittiwakes here. The hut on display at Kapp Lee was built in 1968 for a Dutch scientific expedition and has been the Arctic home for 4 Dutch researchers for 14 months.
Day 5: Visit the impressive Negribreen, Heleysundet & ‘Noorderlichtbukta’
Day 6: The famous bird cliff Alkefjellet
Depending on the tide we leave the Heleysundet to set sail in the direction of the spectacular bird cliff Alkefjellet. This bird cliff overlooking the Hinlopenstraat is literally translated as “the mountain of the guillemots”. We will take our time at this natural wonder viewing the 60,000 short-billed guillemots breeding here. The Noorderlicht is small enough to cruise along the base of the cliff, eliminating the need to view it from the zodiac, so sit back and relax to see the seabirds up close.
We will spend the rest of the day sailing in a northerly direction through the Hinlopenstraat. The Hinlopenstraat is a 150 km long strait that separates Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet and is often difficult to navigate because of the dense pack ice. It is named after the 17th-century Dutch merchant Thijmen Jacobsz Hinlopen. In the Lomfjorden we will look for an anchorage for the night.
Day 7: Nordaustlandet – the northeastern limit of our trip
After a morning walk in Faksevagen with impressive views over the glacier Gullfaksebreen, we cross the Hinlopen Strait towards the most northeastern island of this trip: Nordaustlandet. This island is largely covered by the two large ice caps Austfonna and Vestfonna. From a distance the landscape seems inaccessible, cold and inhospitable, but many places are unexpectedly open and lush. Compared to the rest of Spitsbergen there are fewer remains of human activity to be found here, due to the isolated location, although we can find traces of Norwegian and Russian influence on the landscape. We may take an evening walk at the special landmark Kinnvika, where a Swedish-Finnish research station dating from 1957-58 can be visited. The project was abandoned in 1959 when funding ran out, making the 10 vacant wooden buildings now seem mysterious. Don’t forget to bring your camera to this photogenic place.
Day 8-9: 80 degrees north towards the ‘de Zeeuwse Uitkijck’
Day 10: Whaling history at Smeerenburg
Day 11-12: The glaciers of Kongsfjord and Krossfjord
Day 13: Walruses and a panoramic view on the Prins Karls Forlandet
Day 14: Ghost Town in Soviet style: Barentsburg
Day 15 : Sailing towards Longyearbyen
Day 16: Goodbye Reade Swan // Noorderlicht!
SAILING AREA
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
Included
- All meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Coffee & tea
- Bed linnen & towel
- Crew: 5 nautical crew and 2 guides
- Port fees
- Fuel
Excluded
- Flights to Longyearbyen
- Drinks aboard
- Travel & cancellation insurance
- Tip/gratuities for the staff on board
View availability & pricing
Need more information? Join our free online webinar >