Rembrandt van Rijn Itinerary
Around Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer15 days / 14 nights
About Rembrandt van Rijn
- Charming sailing schooner enhanced for polar exploration
- Voyages to the world’s wild frontiers with just 33 guests
- Comfortable social spaces and ample views above-deck
- Daily excursions lasting between three and six hours
Rembrandt van Rijn is a stunning three-masted schooner evoking an atmosphere of genuine exploration thanks to its old-world charm and ability to navigate under sail. Despite its classic aesthetic, this vessel has been fully renovated making it fit to sail in some of the world’s most challenging conditions, enabling safe, comfortable, and exhilarating adventure cruises. So, if you’re looking for an authentic exploration cruise in the Arctic, look no further than Rembrandt van Rijn.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 15 days / 14 nights
Number of dives 0
Experience No experience required
Insurance Not Required
Highlights
- Circular trips around Spitsbergen in the Arctic Summer
- Enjoy wildlife, whaling history, and stunning landscapes
- Spot minke whales around Isfjorden
- Watch seabirds scout out breeding places at the cliffs of Alkhornet
- Large colony of kittiwakes nesting in a canyon in Diskobukta
- Chance of spotting polar bears around Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta
Day 1: Largest town, biggest island
You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre 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. In the evening you sail for Trygghamna, where you see the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and 18th-century Pomor hunting station, both of which you can visit the next morning.
Day 2: Foxes, seabirds, and grazing reindeer
From Trygghamna you walk to Alkhornet, a large seabird cliff where the birds are scouting out breeding places. Below the cliffs is a common place to spot Arctic foxes, and you may also see reindeer grazing on the lush vegetation if there’s not too much snow.
Day 3: Remains of the whalers
You sail into Fuglefjorden amid views of Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, both breeding areas for great skuas as well as likely spots to see a polar bear. On Birgerbukta you can see 17th-century Basque ovens once used for cooking whale blubber. The aim next is to visit Ytre Norskøya, a small island that served for many years as a Dutch whaling lookout.
Here you can still follow the whalers’ tracks to the summit of the island, passing popular bird cliffs on the way. On shore are the remains of more 17th-century blubber ovens, while Arctic skuas and common eiders breed among the graves of some two hundred Dutch whalers.
Days 4-14: The many sights of Svalbard
Today you start by sailing either to Sorgfjord or Murchison Bay, on the north side of which lies an extensive polar desert that is home to numerous reindeer as well as a Swedish research station. You then continue through Hinlopen Strait, surrounded by lofty ice caps.
Over the following days, you may visit the following sites:
Lomfjord – This is a beautiful fjord fringed by towering mountains offering great opportunities for a hike.
Wilhelmøya – A tundra landscape in which polar bears can possibly be seen, Wilhelmøya is also a good area for shoreline, inland, and altitude-gaining hikes.
Svartknausflya – You may take an excursion to this stark polar desert, which is almost devoid of vegetation but rich with invertebrate fossils and whale skeletons along its raised beaches.
Heleysundet – A narrow but picturesque waterway between Spitsbergen and Barents withthis route can only be made against the current.
Freemansundet – Depending on conditions, you may also sail through this waterway. A walk at Kapp Lee may introduce you to a few new reindeer and walruses, and you might also visit a large colony of kittiwakes nesting in a canyon in Diskobukta. Arctic foxes and polar bears with their young often roam this canyon, scavenging for birds that fall from the ledges. Sub-fossilized whale bones are scattered across the raised beaches.
Hornsund – You continue your Spitsbergen voyage by sailing into the labyrinth of side fjords around Hornsund. At Brepollen rests a large glacial deposit at the head of the fjord. Sailing along the glacier front will afford you good chances of spotting bearded seals and polar bears. The geological formations in this area are vibrant and mesmerising.
Bellsund – En route to Longyearbyen, you may reach Ahlstrandhalvøya. More fascinating geological formations can be seen here, as well as the remains of 20th-century beluga hunting. (This is still a good area to see beluga.)
Day 15: There and back again
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
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/rembrandt-van-rijn/itn-2311100656531-around-spitsbergen-arctic-summer