Ortelius Itinerary
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice8 days / 7 nights
About Ortelius
- Refurbished research vessel with three-star accommodation
- Awarded the highest ice-class rating, ensuring safety and comfort
- Equipped with a helicopter pad to facilitate flight transfers
- Enjoy hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, camping, and photography
Ortelius is a refurbished research vessel embarking on adventurous expedition cruises in the polar regions. Awarded the highest ice-class rating, and offering some unique features and amenities – including a helicopter pad and sauna – this vessel combines both comfort and capability during even the remote voyages. As a result, guests can expect to enjoy every moment of their trip, whether lounging in the bar with a cocktail, learning about their surroundings in the lecture room, or embarking on exhilarating activities such as mountaineering, skiing, or scuba diving.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 8 days / 7 nights
Number of dives 0
Experience No experience required
Insurance Not Required
Highlights
- Expansive fjord spilling with glaciers on the north coast of Spitsbergen
- Monaco Glacier is a hotspot for kittiwakes and polar bears
- Sailing to Northwest of Raudfjord, look for harp seals and hooded seals
All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.
This expedition focuses on the pack ice of north Spitsbergen and many opportunities to spot whales, polar bears, seabirds, walruses, and other such wildlife.
Day 1: Largest town, biggest island
You 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 you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.
Day 2-7: North Spitsbergen’s natural beauty, wildlife, and pack-ice
This voyage will take you into the pack ice and along the remote shorelines of rugged north Spitsbergen. Places we might visit include the following:
Raudfjord
On the north coast of Spitsbergen, you can enjoy this expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears. We will try to land at Alicehamna or Buchananhalvøya.
Monaco Glacier
Depending on the weather and sea ice, we could sail into Liefdefjorden, land at Texas Bar and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this precipitous glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent us from sailing here early in the season, we may sail along the west coast of Spitsbergen.
The Seven Islands
The northernmost point of the voyage may be north of Nordaustlandet, in the Seven Islands. Here we may reach 80° north, just 870 km (540 miles) from the geographic North Pole. At Phippsøya there is a walrus haul-out site, while Rossøya is the northernmost landmass in Spitsbergen. The vessel may sail deeper into the pack ice when wheeling around west again.
Sailing in the pack ice
While we retrace our route west, keep watch for polar bears, ringed seals, and elusive Greenland (bowhead) whales. This is also the habitat of ivory gulls. About 40 nautical miles (74 km) west of Spitsbergen, we’ll sail the edge of the continental shelf. Here fin whales forage during the summer in the upwelling zones (where cold, nutrient-rich water wells up from below the sea’s surface) that run along the Spitsbergen banks. At the mouth of Kongsfjorden, you have a good chance of sighting minke whales.
Forlandsundet wildlife
Walruses sometimes haul out in Forlandsundet, at Poolepynten. But if we cannot go there, we might sail to the mouth of Isfjorden, where we may see different species of rorqual whales. Our intended landing site is Alkhornet, where seabirds nest on the cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation. Another possibility is the glacier front in Ymerbukta, where you can see congregations of various eider duck species.
Day 8: There and back again
Even great adventures must eventually come to an end. The vessel arrives back in Longyearbyen in the early morning, and bus transportation to the airport will be provided.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
Transfer details
Departure
04:00pm
Longyearbyen
Svalbard Airport: LYR
Return
09:00am
Longyearbyen
Svalbard Airport: LYR
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/ortelius/itn-2409181230181-north-spitsbergen-explorer-into-the-pack-ice