Balto Itinerary

Expedition Svalbard to the Pack Ice

Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.

Days 2-11: Expedition cruising

Explore Longyearbyen on your own before meeting up with your fellow travelers and guides for lunch. In the afternoon we board the expedition ship and sail out through the spectacular Isfjorden—the Arctic expedition has begun! We are now in a part of the world where we are completely dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary will depend on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our aim is to head out on Zodiac cruises every day and to go ashore when the opportunity arises. Here are some examples of places we may visit.

Northwest Spitsbergen

Isfjorden offers plenty of great landing sites and splendid hiking opportunities. At the entrance of Isfjorden is the characteristic cliff Alkhornet. Arctic foxes are often seen in the rock crevices around the mountain, and with some luck, we might see these lovely little animals scurrying around, frantically looking for food. The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is located in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. Two other courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. The Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon, and the American journalist Wellman started with an airship. Interesting remnants of these expeditions can still be seen here.

The magnificent fjords of Spitsbergen

Svalbard offers visitors countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore some of them, such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love," is lined with snow-capped mountain peaks, and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pink-footed geese nest in the area. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier and are greeted by the many kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots that nest on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty—dominated by magnificent glaciers. It is also a favourite haunt of seals, and the bird cliffs are abuzz with activity.

North of Spitsbergen

In the direction of the North Pole, the goal is to reach the pack ice north of Spitsbergen and spend around two days here. This floating and ever-changing habitat is a fascinating and powerful experience to say the least. Not many ships come here and we can enjoy the tranquillity of this magnificent icy landscape. We are constantly on the lookout for the exciting wildlife associated with the Arctic Ocean, such as polar bears, seals and ivory gulls. The pack ice around Svalbard is of great importance to the archipelago's ecosystem and climate. It is also a mainstay of life in the Arctic.

Sjuøyane

These islands are situated north of Nordaustlandet; it is Svalbard’s northernmost outpost. On one of the islands, Rossøya, Andrée and his companions had one of their depots with supplies in case their, by now legendary, balloon trip in the late 1800s failed.

Hinlopen Strait and Alkefjellet

Ice conditions permitting, we enter the Hinlopen Strait. Here we find Alkefjellet, an impressive basalt cliff that is home to an estimated 200 000 Brünnich’s guillemots. We may also continue into the beautiful bay of Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet.

Eastern Svalbard

The island of Nordaustlandet is covered by a huge ice cap and has fascinated naturalists and historians alike. Here the giant glacier Bråsvellbreen stretches for 180 kilometers! The 15-20 meter high ice edge is punctuated by hundreds of waterfalls.

Day 12: Longyearbyen

Early in the morning, we disembark from our expedition ship and begin our journey back home.

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.