Spitsbergen in a week #11 — Blog Archive » Men of Sea

Spitsbergen in a week #11



Date of the Trip:


02/08/2024 - 09/08/2024


Number of Days:


8


Trip Route:


Longyearbyen - Isfjorden - Longyearbyen


Difficulty Level:


easy / tourist

Description of the Trip


Spitsbergen highlights. Beautiful glaciers and fjords. Animal encounters: walrus colonies, polar bears, whales, reindeer. Trekking. Fishing.

Welcome to the Arctic Land. We begin and end our journey in Isfjorden, planning to spend time in central Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago.
Spitsbergen was discovered in 1596 by a Dutch traveller Willam Barents and named Spitsbergen because of its form (spits – sharp, bergen – mountains). So we are in for a fantastic sea voyage surrounded by mountainous landscapes.
Spitsbergen is the pearl of the Arctic, because in the surroundings of this island we can encounter all the beautiful elements of the Arctic: wild animals, glaciers and icebergs, mountains, places for exceptional trekking. In addition, everything seems to be within reach, because after landing at the airport in Longyearbyen, we suddenly find ourselves in the centre of this world.

The trip “Spitsbergen in a week” allows us to take an interesting and unforgettable journey to the highlights of Spitsbergen in the Isfjorden area, in an intensive way.
Isfjorden is a large central fjord of Spitsbergen, but at the same time it hides the most important secrets of the Arctic Land. Together with numerous ice fjords reaching it, it is a collection of countless beautiful places. It is the place where whales swim in, walrus colonies live, polar bears are often seen.

We will be surrounded by high mountains rising straight out of the sea, wrapped in stretches of snow. The colour of this combination creates unforgettable views. We will traverse wild fjords into which majestic glaciers descend. Their high fronts, which we will approach, are full of cracks, caves and peaks of improbable shapes. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the ‘calving’ of a glacier. We’ll sail between fresh-born icebergs and growlers, and we’ll taste the ice, even literally – in a glass where a drink will only complement it.
With our ‘floating home’ we will stop in places where no human presence is visible. We will land ashore here and make some interesting treks, including an attempt to approach a glacier. We also want to visit post-Soviet Pyramiden, a place reminiscent of Chernobyl.

We will enter the land of Arctic wildlife, meeting hundreds of birds, walrus colonies and looking out for herds of whales along the way. Sailing close to the shore, we will try to spot polar bears wandering about. We will have plenty of time for everything, as we will take advantage of a 24-hour polar day.
We will make our journey in a small group, aboard a comfortable and safe yacht. With experienced guides who will do their best to make sure you come back delighted with your encounter with the Arctic Land and the Kingdom of the Polar Bear.



Date and Price


Deadline: 02/08/2024 - 09/08/2024

1,850.00€ + 350.00€ (common contribution)
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Price - read!


The price includes:
accommodation in a 2/3-bed cabin
cruise on a fully equipped expedition yacht
yacht navigation and the care of an experienced captain
yacht insurance and search and rescue insurance
individual participant’s insurance against personal accidents, costs of medical treatment and luggage
contributions to the Tourist Guarantee Fund and the Tourist Assistance Fund
port fees and yacht fuel
sailing knowledge training

The common contribution includes:
food and drinks for the participants
administrative fees
the cost of firearms transport and rental

Additionally we provide:
assistance in finding the most favourable flight options
advice on preparing for the trip

The price does not include:
transport to and from the cruise
additional expenses ashore, such as shopping or restaurants
additional personal fees in ports

Payment schedule:
20% – at the time of booking
40% – 5 months before the beginning of the trip
40% – 3 months before the beginning of the trip
If any of the dates falls later than three months before the trip starts, the payment should be made at the time of booking or three months before the trip starts.



Trip Program


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Day 1: Longyearbyen


Longyearbyen

We start embarkation at 4pm.
We check in on the yacht, have dinner, and undergo our first safety training to prepare us for the departure. Then, taking advantage of a 24-hour polar day, we set off for Longyearbyen. We visit its most important sites, go on a short trek looking for reindeer that can be found between charming cottages. We end the day in one of several atmospheric pubs, enjoying specialities of the world’s most northern brewery.


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Day 2-7: Longyearbyen - Isfjorden– Sassenfjorden - Tempelfjorden - Billefjorden - Pyramiden – Adolfbukta - Nordfjorden – Borebukta – Ymerbukta - Trygghamna - Longyearbyen


Longyearbyen - Isfjorden– Sassenfjorden - Tempelfjorden - Billefjorden - Pyramiden – Adolfbukta - Nordfjorden – Borebukta – Ymerbukta - Trygghamna - Longyearbyen

We begin our journey in Isfjorden. This is a large and main fjord in the centre of Spitsbergen. Over the next few days, we will be sailing in it and many other fjords diverging from it, ending in glaciers. Here we will search for wildlife, do zodiac landing and go trekking.
The programme is action-packed, there are many beautiful places around Isfjorden that could be travelled around for up to a month. We will be picking out the most interesting ones. The detailed programme, the order of the activities will be decided on an ongoing basis depending on the weather and ice conditions.

A sample programme is presented below:
In the beginning we will set off for Sassenfjorden and Tempelfjorden. We will travel close to the shore to increase our chances of spotting polar bears wandering along the sea and grazing reindeer. Here we also happen to encounter whales. Tempelfjorden is ended by a two-coloured, beautiful Tunabreen glacier, which descends into the fjord. We will sail up to the front of the glacier and, if we are lucky, observe its calving process. We will then stop to rest at Bjonahamna Bay.


Billefjorden is the next fjord on our route and again we will sail close to the shore, which is formed by characteristic mountains. Billefjorden is frequently entered by fin whales and Arctic belugas and it is here where we encounter them the most frequently.
The fjord will lead us to the abandoned town of Pyramiden, where we will see a post-Soviet, surreal world in which the Soviet Union tried to show how to conquer the North. The final result is landscapes reminiscent of Chernobyl or stills from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Birds”. We stroll along the streets, visit the most important monuments, buildings, mines and stop at a bar where we can taste specialities of Russian cuisine.
We then continue on to the nearby Nordenskiöldbreen glacier in Adolfbukta. We sail up to its front so that we can see ice formations resembling hollowed-out caves up close. We keep a close eye on the nearby rocks, where polar bears are often seen. On the way back, we stop at Skansbukta: a bay with a shipwreck and an abandoned mine.

Nordfjorden – a northern branch of Isfjorden is a nature reserve. We have permits to explore this fjord and we intend to visit several places here. We will approach the often ‘calving’ Sveabreen glacier. Its front is high and large blocks of ice pile up so it can ‘give birth’ to large icebergs. If there is enough time and the conditions are favourable, we will sail up to a lunar little-known island of Coraholmen. We will try to land on it, although this is a difficult task.

Our next destination will be Borebukta Fjord, which walruses have taken a liking to in recent years. We are often greeted by swimming walruses at the entrance to the fjord, and the beaches are occupied by their colonies. If they are on the shore we will pay them a visit so that we can observe their behaviour up close and also smell them. In Borebukta we plan to take a zodiac to the Nansenbreen glacier, land on the shore, walk up to its front or climb it.

Next, we will visit Ymerbukta. If conditions are favourable, we will attempt to get through ice packs and approach the front of the Esmarkbreen glacier. The glacier is wide and likes to ‘calve’, so in addition to the beautiful views, we have a chance to see a spectacular ice show.

Finally, we will sail to one of Spitsbergen’s most picturesque places: Trygghamna. High mountains surrounding the fjord, the beautiful Tunabreen glacier, skerry islands – all create a unique end-of-the-world landscape. We will try to sail as close as possible and then make a trek to the glacier. The glacier is cut off from the fjord by islands, which creates an ice-filled lake in front of it, and additionally large blocks of ice often lie on the beach and ‘let themselves be touched’. The terrain here is very varied and it is on the route of polar bears, so we have to be extremely careful.

Thanks to the fact that we do not sail on a big ship with a fixed schedule, we will spend as much time as needed in each place. We want to take advantage of what the Arctic gives us and cater for our participants’ needs. We are enchanted by this world, so we also like to take it slow tasting it.

We plan to return to Longyearbyen in the afternoon of the seventh day of the expedition, take a rest after the trip and go to an atmospheric restaurant for dinner together.


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Day 8: Longyearbyen


Longyearbyen

After breakfast we pack up and leave the yacht at 10 o’clock. The luggage can stay on board and we use the remaining time exploring Longyearbyen (e.g. the interesting Svalbard Museum) or shopping for souvenirs. This day is just the time for last walks, farewells and returning home.



The above programme is only a framework. Its implementation depends on the weather. June is a month in which the weather is difficult to predict. We are at the northern end of the world, after all. The order of the planned activities may be changed and adjusted to the prevailing conditions, some of them may not be realised. A lot depends on how fast the fjords thaw and how far we can get into them. This is the Arctic, after all.
However, winter weather in Spitsbergen brings with it beautiful snowy landscapes, plenty of ice and therefore a greater chance of encountering seals and polar bears hunting them. In June we already have a polar day, the difference between day and night is blurred.
Based on our experience, we can assure you that you will have action-packed time and we will do our best to make sure that the participants see as many local attractions as possible.


Map of the Trip






Yacht of the Trip



Do you have any questions about the trip? Write!









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1,850.00€


02/08/2024 - 09/08/2024



Do you have any questions about the trip? Write to us