Quest Itinerary

Springtime in Svalbard

Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.

Days 2-8: Expedition cruising

We start our Svalbard adventure by exploring Longyearbyen. In the afternoon we embark our expedition ship M/S Quest and head out through Isfjorden - our Arctic adventure has started! 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. We may make a first excursion before heading south or north, depending on the weather and ice conditions. Here are some examples of places we may visit:

Alkhornet

At the entrance of Isfjorden is the characteristic cliff of Alkhornet. We go ashore to enjoy the beautiful tundra and its birdlife, including barnacle geese, Brünnich’s guillemots, glaucous gulls, snow buntings and tens of thousands of kittiwakes. Arctic foxes are sometimes seen in the rock crevices around the mountain and with a bit of luck we might see these lovely little animals scurrying around, frantically looking for food.

Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden

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. In the nearby Krossfjorden we can admire the beautifully sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier and listen to the sounds of the many kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots that nest on the nearby cliffs.

Raudfjorden

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 bursting with activity.

Virgohamna, Danskøya

Danskøya was the starting point for two of the most daring attempts to reach the North Pole. The Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. Interesting remnants of these Arctic expeditions can still be seen here.

Bellsund

At the beautiful Vårsolbukta in Bellsund little auks nest by the tens of thousands. We go ashore and walk across the tundra to get a closer look at these charming birds.

Hornsund

The majestic Hornsund consists of several magnificent fjords along the west coast of Spitsbergen, where huge glaciers calve out shimmering blue ice. This is one of the favourite haunts of some of Svalbard's polar bears, and we may be lucky enough to spot one on the fjord ice. 

Day 9: Longyearbyen

Early in the morning we disembark 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.