Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Day 2)
Embarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard: After a good night’s rest, wake up refreshed and head to the airport. Settle into your private charter flight and buckle in for your ride to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement. Named after an American coal mining baron, the town is famed for its spectacular landscape. Once you disembark from your flight, step onto your ship and enjoy great views of your picturesque surroundings from the deck while the vessel sets sail from the seaside town.
Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Days 3 – 6)
Exploring Spitsbergen: Discover breathtaking landscapes and Arctic wildlife at Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway. Its towering glaciers have stood sentinel over icefields through centuries while the windswept tundras are home to wildlife such as walrus, polar bears, and Svalbard reindeer. You will pass by fjords with cliff-like walls where keen birders can spot Arctic terns, skuas, long-tailed ducks, kittiwakes, and ivory gulls. One of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, Spitsbergen makes for the ideal base to sail – weather permitting – within ten degrees of the North Pole!
Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Days 7 – 8)
At Greenland Sea: Soak in gorgeous views of the Arctic Ocean as you sail across the Greenland Sea towards Jan Mayen. Learn more about the importance of these waters that have long attracted explorers and pioneers. Through interactive presentations by your Expedition Team, you can learn further about the varied wildlife, geology, and history of the region so that you are ready to enjoy the many Arctic attractions by the time you land. In your free time, settle down on the deck and enjoy the seascape or fish out a pair of binoculars to spot seabirds “on the wing” and whales in the distance.
Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Days 9 – 10)
Exploring Jan Mayen: Soak in the magic of Jan Mayen – a tiny island often shrouded in North Atlantic fog, which further amplifies its air of mystery. Uninhabited save for Norwegian scientists and military personnel, this remote island is a protected nature reserve thanks to its unique geology and colonies of seabirds. You will sail by the rugged shoreline to spot the breeding grounds of fulmars, little auks, glaucous gulls, kittiwakes as well as black and Brünnich’s guillemots. In the distance, you can spot the near-perfect cone-shaped contours of the Beerenberg volcano that rises to a dizzying 7470 feet. Weather permitting, you can also sail close enough to view the stratified cliffs that mark the north coast of the island.
Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Days 11 – 15)
Exploring Scoresbysund, Greenland: Discover Scoresbysund, home to the largest and deepest multi-armed fjord system in the world. You will see towering icebergs and rugged peaks emerge out of these icy northern waters. As you sail past steep-walled cliffs you may spot the nesting grounds of little auks, fulmars, and guillemots, while on land, you may see muskoxen, Arctic hare, and even polar bears. There are plenty of historical and cultural sites to visit as well, from ancient Thule sites to contemporary Ittoqqortoormiit, East Greenland’s northernmost community. You can enjoy beers at a local bar or browse through Inuit handicrafts before heading back.
Four Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Greenland and Iceland (Days 16 – 17)
At Denmark Strait: As you cross the Denmark Strait on your way to Iceland, spend the next two days enjoying views of the northern seas and floating icebergs from the deck. You can also join an interactive presentation on the ecology and history of these Arctic waters, which were witness to a bitter encounter between British battleships and the German Bismarck during WWII. The ship’s cozy bar makes for the perfect setting to socialize with fellow travelers as you reminisce about your experiences over a drink or two.
