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Cruising
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Svalbard
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Twin Porthole Cabins
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Glaciers & Icebergs
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Polar Bear
M/V Ortelius Ship
BOOKINGS CLOSED
The Plan
- Day 1 Arrive in Longyearbyen
- Day 2 All about Fjord
- Day 3 Bear Island
- Day 4 Hopen Island
- Day 5 Kittiwakes & South Edgeøya
- Day 6 Pomor trappers at Russe
- Day 7 South Spitsbergen
- Day 8 Bell Sund’s flora and fauna
- Day 9 There and Back Again
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Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen
Touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening, the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where we might spot the first minke whale of the voyage.
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Day 2
All about Fjord
We start the day by quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area in southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of towering mountain peaks. The mountain of Hornsundtind rises to 1,431 meters (4,695 feet), while the peak of Bautaen testifies to why early Dutch explorers gave this island the name Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains.” There are 14 magnificent glaciers in the area, and we have a fair chance of encountering seals and polar bears. The nearby cliffs of Sofiakammen are also home to thousands of pairs of nesting kittiwakes and little auks, and in the evening, we might see thousands of harp seals rutting on ice floes at Sørkapp.
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Day 3
Bear Island
We arrive at the southeastern end of Bear Island, a great place for viewing large seabird colonies. The nearby nesting cliffs are part of an extensive nature reserve where large ships are not allowed to bring passengers on shore. Afterward we’ll sail northeast into Sorhamna, where we can get closer to the seabird cliffs. Chiefly Brünnichs guillemots, kittiwakes, and fulmars nest here. Just north of this, in Kvalrossbukta, we will land and see the remains of a whaling station from early in the previous century. We might also make a landing in a shallow valley, such as Rendalen, and look for (at a safe distance) great skuas, large seabirds known to be fiercely territorial. As we continue north along the east side of Bear Island, we may still encounter dazzling shoals of drift ice.
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Day 4
Hopen Island
On the way to Hopen, we may encounter sea ice with rutting harp seals. We land at the southern end of Hopen Island, at Koefoetodden, where you can see the remains of 17th-century whaling sites. Through nearby Bekkeskaret is an easy route to Kvasstoppen (190 meters, 620 feet) and the remains of a plane from World War II. Hopen Radio station is the most remote manned weather station in all of Svalbard.
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Day 5
Kittiwakes & South Edgeøya
Sailing along the western side of the Tusenöyane (where we’re not allowed to land in summer), you may see polar bears and walruses as we approach Risetreppen. This beautiful canyon features an accessible kittiwake colony. During our walk, we may encounter reindeer on the lush tundra.
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Day 6
Pomor trappers at Russe
At Ardalstangen, we go on shore in an area with lakes and different species of waterfowl. Nearby in Habenichtbukta, we can look from some distance to a wintering site of 18th-century Pomor trappers, who often stayed for years in the same place. Later in the afternoon, we land at the south side of Russebukta, near a tundra with reindeer and great walking opportunities.
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Day 7
South Spitsbergen
Today we aim to land at the mountain of Stellingfjellet, near the largest colony of Brünnich’s guillemots in Spitsbergen. Later in the day, we will make landings at the rarely visited coast of south Spitsbergen, at the bay of Isbukta.
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Day 8
Bell Sund’s flora and fauna
We continue our voyage in Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation. Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife. One possibility is Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th-century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of rampant exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction, and you might even see one here. Alternately, we may land at Millarodden at north side of Bell Sund. Here we can see a walrus haul-out site and possibly make an excursion on the tundra of Ingeborgfjellet, with its thousands of little auks.
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Day 9
There and Back Again
Every adventure eventually comes to an end. Today you disembark in Longyearbyen, taking away memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey lies.
Bookings Closed
Inclusions
- Accommodation on Twin/ Single Porthole in the Expedition Ship
- All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff
- Use of rubber boots and snowshoes
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme
- Airport transfers to & fro Svalbard airport (Group only)
- AECO fees and governmental taxes
- 5 % GST & TCS
- Travel Insurance (up to 69 years of age)
Exclusions
- International & Internal Airfare
- Visa
- Airport Transfers
- Any expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as roadblocks, accidents & any medical evacuations. Any train delays, or re-scheduling etc
- Meals and all other services which are not mentioned in the aforementioned itinerary
- Government arrival and departure taxes
- Any kind of personal expenses or optional tours, extra meals and beverages ordered, laundry, phone calls and medical expenses
- Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided)
Enquiry
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What does twin share price mean?
Twin share price is the price mentioned against a package and it refers to the cost per head for a double sharing accommodation. If you'd like to upgrade to Single Occupancy, please select this at the time of checkout -
Do you offer a travel protection / insurance plan for purchase? Is it included in the cost?
Yes, we do offer a travel insurance which is included in the package cost. For travelers above 59 years and above, an additional amount will be charged. -
Can WOW book the flights for us?
Definitely! We routinely book and manage flights for our Wanderers. We recommend that travelers get their flights booked through us as this comes in handy when there are issues to do with cancellations or re-routings. -
How safe is to travel with The WOW Club?
Your safety is our number one priority. We've designed our itineraries since 2005, keeping this in mind. We always ensure access to emergency contacts throughout the trip.
Journeys on the Horizon
- Aug '24
- Sep '24
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Offbeat Trails of Kaziranga & Meghalaya
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Christmas Markets of Arctic
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Antarctica - To the End of the Earth
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