Around Spitsbergen
Longyearbyen to Longyearbyen
Aboard Professor Molchanov, Antarctic Dream, MV Plancius and Noorderlicht
Depending on ice conditions, our aim on this voyage is to circumnavigate Spitsbergen clockwise or anti-clockwise, with the emphasis on exploring key locations in the east, where polar bears abound. Late in the summer, the ice has usually broken up sufficiently to allow passage through Hinlopen Strait or via Kvitoya, a remote island east of Nordaustlandet, to give access to the wildlife-rich islands of Barenstoya and Edgeoya.
This voyage is wonderful for observing walruses, ringed and bearded seals and may even yield sightings of the elusive Greenland whale. While polar bears may be encountered on the ice, we also go ashore on the tundra, where reindeer graze and Arctic foxes roam. During this voyage we will encounter a lot of sea ice and have a chance to observe impressive calving glaciers at close quarters.
