Our Natural History, expert led, Sailing Voyage Around Spitsbergen provides our longest exploration of this polar archipelago, with its mountains, fjords, ice flows and wildlife.  With time on our hands, you will find plenty of  opportunities to photograph Arctic wildlife that might  include: polar bears, walrus, reindeer, Orca, beluga whales, bearded and harbour seals and an abundance of seabirds as well as this truly vast unoccupied region of our planet and its stunning scenery!

Your expedition leader and knowledgeable skipper are permanently on hand, offering a comprehensive guiding experience with some opportunity for sailing involvement.



Our base throughout this voyage is a stunning sailing schooner, which is reminiscent of the kind of ship explorers of the late eighteenth century might have used to explore this Arctic wilderness.  She is perhaps more comfortable than the likes of Scott would have expected, with bunked cabins, hot showers, central heating, good food and two wood panelled salons to relax in.  The spacious pilot house provides excellent all round visibility from the comfort of the sheltered indoors.  She also has plenty of deck space to find your own peace and space to absorb the sheer drama and scale of this Arctic wilderness.

We are running this voyage at the beginning of August when we can expect the ice flows to have receded to their maximum, allowing the often unreachable East coast to become accessible and when the migrating birds are still to be seen in good numbers.
 On the western coasts of the island group, the waters and vegetation are influenced by the Gulf Stream, glaciers plummet into deep fjords.  The fjords can be explored to their maximum now; locations we will aim for are Lomfjord, a beautiful fjord surrounded by high mountains peaks and the scenic bay of Augustabukta where a crevasse free glacier allows us to take another trek across the ice without difficulty.

The eastern islands feel little effect of these warmer waters, with a cooler current bringing ice south in its flow. A true High Arctic experience can be had in this flatter, more remote region and the contrast between the landscapes dues to their geomorphology can be seen and understood, close up.

Please click HERE for a draft itinerary

Voyage Dates (15 nights / 16 days Longyearbyen - Longyearbyen) 2009: Aug 12th - 27th Price: £2,950 p/p twin sharing non private cabins. All prices are subject to exchange rate variations Single supplement: This supplement can be avoided if you are willing to share with someone of the same gender.  Single occupancy price is 1.8 times the per person cabin price. Included: Voyage as indicated in draft itinerary Group airport transfers to & from the vessel (when arriving/departing on recommended group flight) All meals, snacks, coffee and tea All shore excursions and zodiac activities Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff All miscellaneous services taxes and port charges throughout the programme Comprehensive pre-departure material Excluded: Airfares. Pre and post land arrangements. Transfers to and from the vessel (except when arriving/departing on recommended group flight). Cancellation and personal insurance. Passports and visas. Arrival and departure tax. Meals ashore. Baggage. Items of a personal nature (alcohol, laundry etc). Tips. Embarkation:      Longyearbyen  Disembarkation:  Longyearbyen  Activity Level: Medium