Realm of the Polar Bear in Depth, Arctic
Polar Cruising
- Duration: 12 days from the UK
Flight inclusive from £7025, Land only from £6395
Sail around the Svalbard Archipelago, with daily landings and guided exploration, to discover the region's exceptional wildlife and Arctic scenery.
Highlights
- Explore the Svalbard Archipelago on a 10-night cruise
- Enjoy expert guiding, great food and spacious cabins on the M/S Expedition cruise ship
- Daily Zodiac excursions to get up close to the abundant wildlife
- Observe amazing wildlife including polar bears, walrus and reindeer
- Discover a breathtaking landscape of spectacular icebergs, fjords and glaciers
The journey to the start of your trip at Longyearbyen makes you immediately aware of how remote an area you are travelling to, and adds to the sense of anticipation and excitement of going to the Arctic. Having set sail on the M/S Expedition cruise ship you will soon appreciate the excellent facilities. Cabins are spacious and en suite and all have sea-facing windows. Dining is first rate with a high standard of international cuisine and even the chance for al fresco dining one evening. The highly experienced M/S Expedition crew comprises experts in geology, ornithology and marine biology as well as a resident photographer, and there are regular presentations and film shows to make sure you get the most out of your voyage. There’s a gym, sauna, medical centre and library on board to keep mind and body active as well as a pub and lounge to relax in.
From the panoramic observation desks you can lookout for exotic animals and you’ll explore the Arctic landscape by foot and via Zodiac boats. From close-up encounters with icebergs and glaciers to the region’s plentiful wildlife, this is a voyage of non-stop highlights. Roaming polar bears, lounging seals, Svalbard's unique reindeer grazing and colonies of birds all co-exist in this harsh land only navigable by sea a few months of the year.
You will experience the midnight sun while gazing at breathtaking fjords and massive glaciers. You’ll also learn about Arctic history and ecology from expert guides and you might even brave the Arctic waters and take a polar plunge. In this feast for the senses you will also experience the impressive silence of the Arctic tundra. Early season voyages often provide the greatest opportunity to see large ice floes in the Arctic pack ice, which usually means excellent wildlife viewing. Later in the season, you'll cover more territory, which may allow you to explore the entire archipelago. This can lead you into the less explored regions of Nordaustlandet and Kvitøya, or the continental edges where large whales are attracted by nutrient rich upwellings.
This tour is similar to our 'Realm of the Polar Bear' tour but with an additional three days exploring the more remote regions to the east of the Svalbard archipelago - ice conditions permitting.
Our ‘Land Only' and 'Flight Inclusive from’ prices are based on category 2 cabins, twin-share with porthole windows, and include accommodation in a 4* hotel in Longyearbyen before the start of the cruise, plus arrival and departure transfers.
* Save up to 15% off the listed price - contact us for more detail. Offer ends 31st January.
At a glance
Duration: 12 days from the UK
Guaranteed to run for a minimum of 1 clients
Maximum group size: 20
Accommodation types: Hotel, Expedition ship
Meal arrangements: All meals included on board the M/S Expedition. Breakfast included at the hotel on Day 2.
Itinerary overview
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fly to Longyearbyen. Transfer to hotel. |
| 2 | Arrive Longyearbyen. Morning at leisure. Transfer to the M/S Expedition for late afternoon embarkation. |
| 3-11 | Circumnavigate the Svalbard Archipelago. Enjoy wildlife watching, shore visits and Zodiac excursions. |
| 12 | Disembark M/S Expedition. Fly Longyearbyen to London. |
Leader: Specialist Leaders, Polar cruises
On board are expert, English-speaking guides who have an intimate knowledge of the area and an infectious passion for nature. They are very hard-working, attentive and helpful. On your Expedition cruise, shore excursions, and on board, lectures will be provided by knowledgeable, expert members of the crew.
The M/S Expedition has one of the highest ratios of expedition team members to guests – with one expert for every 10 guests there is always someone on hand to answer your questions and provide greater insight and appreciation of the world at its extremes. The expedition team is comprised of professional and highly skilled historians, marine biologists, and naturalists who offer keen insight and a unique personal perspective to each and every adventure. Their goal is to provide an informed and balanced interpretation of the destination, accomplished through stimulating lectures, day-to-day briefings, and informal discussions. Your lecturers and Expedition Leader will cover all aspects of the voyage including ornithology, marine biology, geography, geology, history and the environment, as well as practical things like photography. The expedition staff work conscientiously with you on deck and in the field, improving your observational skills to allow you to experience all that the destination has to offer. Their strong sense of ethics and ecological knowledge make for stimulating and mindful conversation whether onshore or at the dinner table. The Expedition Staff will pilot the Zodiac landing craft used for shore landings and Zodiac cruises; they are experienced drivers who operate the Zodiacs in a responsible manner.
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1 - Fly London to Longyearbyen
Fly from London to Longyearbyen. On arrival, look out for our local representative who will direct you to the shuttle bus waiting outside. It's a very short drive from the airport to your hotel in the centre of town.
Tonight will be your first experience of the midnight sun (or a polar day) as the sun doesn't set between mid-April and mid-August in these extreme latitudes. For the duration of your cruise you will have continuous daylight, which does take a little getting used to!
Overnight: Svalbard Hotell Polfareren, Longyearbyen
Day 2 - Luggage drop and time at leisure. Embarkation in the afternoon.
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, you should take your luggage to the meeting point/luggage drop which is currently at the Svalbard Hotell – Polfareren, in the centre of town. Luggage must be left here between 9:00-12:00. There will be a cruise representative at the luggage store who can provide information about the town and the embarkation process. Once you have dropped your luggage, you are free to explore Longyearbyen for a few hours.
While not the main event, Longyearbyen is an interesting place to spend some time. It is located on Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago, and enjoys a scenic position on the shores of beautiful Adventfjord. The town is the biggest settlement in Svalbard with a population of about 2,060 people and about as many snowmobiles. It has a rustic charm and character, and you can easily spend a few hours visiting the town’s museum, church and North Pole Expedition Museum; there are also shops, bars and cafes to enjoy.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 3 - Exploration of Svarlbard & The Spitsbergen Archipelago
Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet that offers such a wealth and diversity of natural and cultural history sites. And you will spend the next nine days exploring this remote polar region. During your cruise you will visit ice-covered seas, sculpted fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers flowing into the sea around you. You will spend time exploring pack ice edges in search of polar bear and walrus, and you may also see Arctic fox and the region's unique reindeer on your landings.
The cruise itinerary is flexible to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions. Distances are relatively short in the Archipelago, and as there are no open ocean crossings, the seas are normally calm. By not having a set itinerary, you take on an expedition spirit and are able to take advantage of the best that Svalbard has to offer. Krossfjord, Konigsfjord, Monaco Glacier, Hinlopen Strait, Northeast Land, Edgeoya, Hornsund and Bellsund are just a few of the places that you may visit on your journey around Svalbard.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 4 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
You will spend time steaming through the ice in search of polar bears hunting seals, and walrus hauled out on ice floes or on sandy beaches. Ivory gulls will be a highlight for the birders. Your Zodiacs will be primed and ready for one or two shore landings per day or to cruise around the ice flows.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 5 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
Ice conditions permitting, you will visit spectacular bird cliffs filled with thousands of murres (guillemots), as well as kittiwakes and glaucous gulls. A little auk colony will also be on your agenda. Highlights on your shore stops will be tiny tundra flowers likely to be at the peak of their blooming at this time of year. The plant life here has adapted to survive in this terrain and you will have the opportunity to observe and discuss some of their adaptations to what is considered a harsh environment.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 6 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
At one or more of your stops, you may see Svalbard's unique subspecies of reindeer. They are much smaller than their southern relatives, but still carry impressive antlers. You also have the possibility of seeing Arctic foxes. This is also a land of history: from whaling to reaching for the pole, to trapping, coal mining and war. You will visit some of these historic sites. The Expedition team will be on hand to answer any questions about this spectacular wilderness.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 7 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
Further exploration today with opportunities for wildlife viewing and Zodiac rides - weather permitting. You can also enjoy onboard presentations and lectures from the expedition team on anything from local wildlife to the history and exploration of the Arctic, or you could perhaps do a little reading in the library and conduct your own research.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 8 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
More opportunities to spot polar bears, walruses and other marine life while enjoying the magnificent scenery as you sail around Spitsbergen.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 9 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
Your cruise continues exploring around the archipelago, the crew will select the best options for the weather conditions which will include a landing or cruise in the zodiacs if at all possible. As always, be sure to visit the observation deck at regular intervals and keep your eyes open for wildlife!
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 10 - Exploration of Svalbard and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
You may cruise in Zodiacs along the ice edge viewing seals or walrus, in fjords with glaciers spilling down to the sea or in front of spectacular seabird cliffs. You will have opportunities to walk on shore, observe and photograph the Arctic flora and fauna. As you are in the land of the polar bear, your expedition staff will carry rifles and flare guns on shore for your protection.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 11 - Sail to Longyearbyen.
As you sail back into Longyearbyen, this is your final day for exploration, and a last chance to see polar bears and the other amazing wildlife of the Arctic. The evening of your last full day of adventure will find the expedition ship anchored off Longyearbyen.
Overnight: M/S Expedition
Day 12 - Disembark M/S Expedition. Transfer to Longyearbyen airport. Fly to London.
Today, after breakfast, you will sadly say farewell to the M/S Expedition. General disembarkation is at 08:00 but for those with earlier flights, there will be an early morning disembarkation and transfer to the airport.
For passengers disembarking at the regular time of 08:00, shuttle transfers will be available to the airport to coincide with flight departures. Timings and luggage arrangements will be confirmed and communicated on board before departure.
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No Surcharge Guarantee
No surcharges will be applied to your holiday after you book. Prices on this website are updated regularly. The Flight Inclusive holiday price, or Land Only holiday price, will be confirmed to you at the time you make your booking. There will be no surcharges after your booking has been confirmed.
Flight inclusive holidays
The 'flight inclusive' holiday prices shown on this website are based upon our preferred airlines and the best priced economy class fares we are able to secure at the time of publication.
We will be able to advise on fares with alternative airlines, upgrades to Business Class, and the options for flights from regional UK airports, please contact us for more details.
Booking your holiday
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Deposit
From £1,600.00
For the majority of our holidays, a deposit payment of £400.00 per person is required to secure your place(s), however a small number of holidays require a higher deposit - please refer to the holiday itinerary for more details. If the holiday departs within 60 days, a deposit of £1,000.00 per person is required.
Book now!
- Book your small group holiday securely online – click the ‘Book’ button next to your chosen departure or visit our Book now page
- Complete and return a Booking Form available to download here.
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What’s included
- 10 nights aboard the M/S Expedition - prices based on twin-share in a Lower Deck Twin cabin
- Zodiac excursions and shore visits led by the expert M/S Expedition team
- All meals included on board the M/S Expedition: 11 x breakfasts, 9 x lunches, 10 x dinners
- Tea, coffee and water during the cruise
- Use of on board sauna, gym and library
- Lectures and educational presentations
- Free high performance expedition parka jacket
- Waterproof boots supplied for men's UK sized 7-13 & women's UK sized 3-7
- Airport transfers
- A free Mountain Kingdoms Water-to-Go bottle
- Carbon offsetting with the Ecoan Tree Planting Project for clients taking our flight-inclusive option
What’s not included
- Travel insurance
- Lunches in Longyearbyen
- Tips
Read holiday reviews by Mountain Kingdoms travellers.
Overall score: 5 (Based on 4 reviews)
Trust in MK to get everything right. More than met our expectations, brilliant sights, exploring and information. And service on board was much more than we expected and up to posh cruise standard.
A superb adventure to explore Svalbard via expedition ship, zodiacs, landings and talks. The service, care, and expertise, provided by the guide team and crew was outstanding and ensured we had amazing experiences every day.
Most enjoyable
An amazing and varied itinerary. Each day is so different showcasing all the Arctic has to offer. A must for anyone interested in wildlife, Polar exploration, geology or just looking to experience an extraordinary environment.