Svalbard Circumnavigation: The Ultimate Arctic Quest (Ocean Albatros)

Hallo! Welcome to Norway. Your journey begins at the airport in Oslo, Norway. From here, you’ll fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard – the northernmost town on Earth – where you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to the port, where your expedition ship, Ocean Albatros, awaits you. Despite its remote Arctic location, Longyearbyen offers warm Nordic hospitality. Breathe in that crisp polar air, take in the dramatic mountain views and heed the polar bear warning sign – a strong reminder that you're in a truly wild place. This evening, toast your departure from civilisation as you sail into the Arctic wilderness, on course for adventure.

During the Arctic 'night,' sail past Prins Karls Forland and into Kongsfjord, where glaciers tumble down to the sea beneath the distinctive Three Crowns mountains. Your final stop is Ny-Alesund – a remote research settlement with a long connection to Arctic exploration, including as a base for legendary polar explorers like Amundsen and Nansen. Explore one of Earth's northernmost settlements, which still contributes to vital research in these glaciated surroundings.

Explore Northwest Spitsbergen National Park today – a protected corner of Svalbard that preserves a long history of Arctic exploration and whaling. First recorded by Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz in 1596, the region later became an important base for Dutch and English whalers. Their haunting remnants, such as the blubber ovens, and graves of young sailors at Smeerenburg, remain visible. Nature has reclaimed much of that history and created a haven for flora and fauna, with Arctic flowers, seabirds, walrus and polar bears reclaiming the coastal landscape.

Head into the Arctic ice pack north of Svalbard today – a vast, ever-changing wilderness that shifts seasonally and stretches beyond the North Pole to Alaska and Siberia. Though the landscape may look stark, these icy waters support diverse wildlife like fish, seabirds, seals, belugas and bowhead whales and is a preferred hunting ground of polar bears. Navigate through ice channels to explore this remote environment, then continue towards the Hinlopen Strait between Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet.

Watch out for wildlife on land and in the skies today as you move from the Arctic ice into Hinlopen Strait, where towering cliffs host some of the world’s largest seabird colonies, including guillemots and fulmars, predatory skuas and gulls. Keep your binoculars trained on the polar deserts and iceberg-studded waters, where you might glimpse a walrus resting on the beach, pods of belugas frolicking in the water and baleen whales feeding offshore.

Today, you'll explore eastern Svalbard, where cold polar waters keep the seas icy even beneath the midnight sun. On Edgeoya, traces of historic walrus and beluga hunting stand in contrast to today's strict wildlife protections and the extensive nature reserves. Depending on the weather and sea conditions, you may visit the distinctive geological formations and walrus colonies of Andreetangen and Kapp Lee, or the vast seabird colonies at Sundneset. Later, sail back towards Spitsbergen via Sorkapp.

Spend the day exploring the greener, warmer fjords of Bellsund and Hornsund. These fertile valleys are abundant with reindeer and Arctic foxes. Watch seabirds nesting and icebergs drifting from glaciers. Have your binoculars ready for birdwatching at the towering Alkefjellet Bird Cliffs, where tens of thousands of birds nest on every ledge and crevice on the cliff faces. See (and hear) guillemots, kittiwakes and Arctic skuas. You’ll also visit the historic mining settlement of Calypsobyen and the ruins of a hunter's cabin at Bamsebu.

Sail through the night to Forlandssundet, the strait between Prins Karls Forland and Spitsbergen. Today, you may stop at Poolepynten (Poole Point) – a small headland named after British whaler Jonas Poole. Today, the area is better known for its walrus haul-outs – you may be able to see (and smell!) them from a distance as they flaunt their tusks and whiskers on the beach. While you're here, explore remote beaches and tundra plains, all in view of rugged mountain scenery, then head south into Isfjorden. Along the way, maybe get some last glimpses of Arctic wildlife and capture a few more photos of the wide Arctic views as you return to civilization.

Arrive back in Longyearbyen this morning, which may seem like a booming metropolis after days spent exploring the Arctic's remote wilderness. You'll have some time to take a look around before saying goodbye to your Expedition Team and fellow travellers. Then transfer to Svalbard Airport for your flight back to mainland Norway. Your trip will finish at Oslo Airport upon your arrival.