Svalbard Polar Bear Safari

This early season Svalbard voyage is a ‘classic’ providing ample time for near guaranteed polar bear sightings, alongside encounters with the region’s other plentiful wildlife and exploring its dramatic scenery. Phippsoya, 14th of July glacier and Hinlopen Strait are all popular sites you are likely to visit.
11 Days
$9,495

Svalbard Polar Bear Safari - 11 Days - $9,495

Trip Summary and Itinerary Map

  • 9 full days exploring Svalbard
  • May and June departures all but guarantee big ice (bears hunting ground)
  • Ice strengthened small expedition ship 
  • Kayaking (additional cost)
  • Complimentary parka jacket

Start from Helsinki and end at Helsinki

Landmarks potentially visited on Svalbard Polar Bear Safari

Operator's Itinerary

Day 1: Helsinki

Your Arctic voyage begins in Helsinki, renowned for extraordinary architecture and an intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, take some time to explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel. vibrant capital city. If you arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and green spaces to keep you busy before retiring at your included airport hotel as part of the transfer package.


Day 2: Embarkation day in Longyearbyen, Svalbard

This morning the group will transfer to the airport and board a private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen's largest settlement. There will be time to explore before you board the ship. Views of the rugged, glacier-topped mountains as you sail off on your adventure are stunning.


Days 3-11: Exploration of Spitsbergen

Explore western Spitsbergen as well as stunning fjords and outlying islands to the north. From polar deserts to immense glaciers, the natural landscape here is just as varied as the wildlife. As you cruise around this magical island located above the Arctic Circle, your Expedition Team will constantly be searching for wildlife. Each expedition presents new opportunities and different weather and ice, so we have no fixed itinerary; however, some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Smeerenburg, Phippsøya, Alkhornet and the Hinlopen Strait. The destinations visited will be selected for optimum wildlife viewing with an appreciation of the history and geology of Spitsbergen.

The island offers multiple opportunities for wildlife photography. Spotting polar bears is more likely here than almost anywhere else, as the Svalbard archipelago is one of their preferred hunting areas.

The towering cliffs of Alkefjellet provide homes to thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres).

Coming across a walrus haul-out is a moment you won’t soon forget. These giant pinnipeds of the Arctic create quite a noisy scene as each walrus vies for a choice spot of coastline.

If you’re itching to experience a more intimate view from the water, you can book the sea kayaking or paddling excursion adventure options.

In Spitsbergen, there is no shortage of natural beauty. The tundra can be surprisingly colorful in summer, with wildflowers bursting for a taste of sunshine. Each day, you’ll see something interesting, whether it is unique arctic wildlife a polar bear resting between hunts, or abandoned sites from centuries ago.


Day 12: Return to Longyearbyen

The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here a transfer to the airport for the group flight back to Helsinki.


NOTE: This itinerary is for guidance only as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions, and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is key and all part of the adventure of an expeditionary cruise.

Customer review background image

What our customers think of Svalbard Polar Bear Safari

That was magical. We loved the fact that there was no set itinerary and that we were taken where the ice, weather and wildlife sightings dictated.

Travelled: July 2019

Stewart Adams - United Kingdom

Review:

What I liked most were this ship’s vast outer decks - brilliant for spotting wildlife - and her superior stability.

Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Antarctica

Prices, Departures and Inclusions

Prices quoted below are per person based on 2 people sharing. Cabin availability changes all the time so please contact us for up-to-date details and information on specific cabin availability.

Additional Notes

Transfer Package

Please note that in addition to the cost of the cabin there is a mandatory transfer package costing USD$995.

The package includes:

  • One night’s pre-expedition hotel night at Oslo airport hotel, with breakfast
  • Charter flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen
  • Arrival and departure transfers in Longyearbyen
  • Charter flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo

Optional Adventure Activities:

Sea Kayaking - US$195 for a single outing or US$695 per person for a full programme (limited places)

Hiking - complimentary

Single Supplement And Child Policy

For those travelling solo and want their own cabin, the single supplement in a twin cabin is 1.7 times the cost of a single berth. However, there is no single supplement for passengers willing to share a cabin.

At date of embarkation, the minimum age restriction of 8 years and a minimum height and weight requirement of 64lbs or 29kg and 48" or 1.2m must be met. 

Includes

  • Voyage aboard the vessel as indicated in the itinerary
  • Accommodation during the voyage on full board basis
  • All shore excursions and zodiac activities
  • Educational lectures by expert onboard polar guides
  • Access to an onboard doctor and basic medical services
  • Loan of rubber boots for the voyage's duration
  • Comprehensive pre-departure information
  • Complimentary parka jacket
  • Port taxes and any entry fees to historic landing sites

Excludes

  • Flights to and from points of embarkation/disembarkation
  • Any additional services before and after your voyage
  • Transfers not specific to the itinerary
  • Travel insurance
  • Optional adventure activities
  • Any visa, passport and vaccination expenses
  • Airport arrival or departure taxes
  • Items of a personal nature: laundry, beverages, communication, etc
  • Waterproof trousers or any other gear not mentioned
  • Customary staff gratuity at the end of the voyage
  • Additional onboard purchases (i.e. gift shop)

Questions about this Voyage?