Depending on where you live, this Norwegian group of islands is known as Svalbard, Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen. Whatever you call it, you're sure to be fascinated by the geography and history of this region.
Day 1: Embarkation: Longyearbyen
The islands of Svalbard, including the largest, Spitsbergen, are glacier-topped mountains that rise from Arctic waters sprinkled with ice floes. Your first view will be from the air as you fly into Longyearbyen to embark.
Day 2 - 4: Western Spitsbergen
On the west coast of Spitbergen, we'll cruise in Zodiacs, near a magnificent ice cliff, the 14th of July Glacier. We'll also visit Ny Alesund, an international Arctic research station. Birders should add to their life list, as this is a known habitat for Arctic Terns, Arctic Skua, Purple Sandpipers, Common Eiders, Barnacle Geese and Snow Buntings.
Days 5 - 8: Smeerenburg, Phippsoya, Tusenoyane
At Smeerenburg, we'll visit relics of the whaling industry, blubber ovens and whalebones. A tour of the former whaling station recounts the Dutch and Basque influences on the local community, which relied on the harvesting of bowhead whales for survival. The temperature drops as we continue northward to Phippsoya, crossing 80° N, 965 km (600 miles) from the North Pole. Polar bear and walrus are known to inhabit the waters around this small archipelago, the most northerly in Svalbard! Norway's Arctic Islands of Svalbard are so numerous that certain areas within the archipelago have names that reflect the profusion, Tusenoyane (Thousand Islands) for example. We'll go ashore on Aekongen to seek Red-throated Divers and a whale skeleton.
Days 9 - 10: Bourbonhamna
The narrow sound near Bourbonhamna is a favored route of beluga whales. We'll search for the white whales before going ashore, where we'll learn about hunting and whaling
Day 11: Longyearbyen
Disembarkation will be in Longyearbyen.
