2012 Expedition: Realm of the Polar Bear (XVRPNX)
Countries Visited: Arctic, Norway
Trip Style: Expedition - Pack your parka and climb aboard the M/S Expedition for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Led by our extraordinary team of naturalists, biologists, anthropologists and historians, we cruise the world's most remote coastlines to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife and amazing scenery.
Physical Demands Rating: 2 - Light walking and hiking. Suitable for most fitness levels.
Group Size: Min 1, Max 126
Meals Included: All meals included on board the ship.
Accommodations: On board the M/S Expedition in quad, triple, twin-share cabins, or suites (all with ensuite bathrooms and porthole or window) (7 nts). Please note that all cabins consist of twin sized berths and are oceanview. Suites have one queen size bed.
Highlights
Spot whales and polar bears, explore incredible scenery, listen to and watch Arctic birdlife and glaciers, discover breathtaking ice-covered fjords, glimpse herds of Svalbard's unique reindeer, brave the Arctic waters for a polar plunge and take advantage of time spent with our expert guides.
Description
From close-up encounters with icebergs and glaciers to the region's plentiful wildlife, this is a voyage of nonstop highlights. Always on the lookout for wildlife you'll explore this landscape not only by ship but also on foot and by Zodiac. Roaming polar bears, lounging seals, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds all co-exist in this harsh land we dare only to explore a couple months of the year.
Trip Style: Expedition - Pack your parka and climb aboard the M/S Expedition for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Led by our extraordinary team of naturalists, biologists, anthropologists and historians, we cruise the world's most remote coastlines to get up close and personal with incredible wildlife and amazing scenery.
Physical Demands Rating: 2 - Light walking and hiking. Suitable for most fitness levels.
Group Size: Min 1, Max 126
Meals Included: All meals included on board the ship.
Accommodations: On board the M/S Expedition in quad, triple, twin-share cabins, or suites (all with ensuite bathrooms and porthole or window) (7 nts). Please note that all cabins consist of twin sized berths and are oceanview. Suites have one queen size bed.
Highlights
Spot whales and polar bears, explore incredible scenery, listen to and watch Arctic birdlife and glaciers, discover breathtaking ice-covered fjords, glimpse herds of Svalbard's unique reindeer, brave the Arctic waters for a polar plunge and take advantage of time spent with our expert guides.
Description
From close-up encounters with icebergs and glaciers to the region's plentiful wildlife, this is a voyage of nonstop highlights. Always on the lookout for wildlife you'll explore this landscape not only by ship but also on foot and by Zodiac. Roaming polar bears, lounging seals, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds all co-exist in this harsh land we dare only to explore a couple months of the year.
Call (813) 645-2255 for more information or to book today! Mention code 10525283
- Tour Operator
- G Adventures
- Duration
- 8 Days
- Escorted
- Escorted - Yes
| Day | Destination | Description |
| Day 1 | Longyearbyen | Day 1 Longyearbyen (D) Longyearbyen is the largest settlement on archipelago of Svalbard with a population of about 2,060 people and about as many snowmobiles. Most of the inhabitants are Norwegians, and some are Russians. Located in the Advent Fjord at the entrance of the Advent Valley, this community has an infrastructure fit for a much larger city. Within the islands, there are four inhabited settlements and some scientific stations. Barentsburg, a Russian coal mining settlement, has approximately 850 inhabitants. Sveagruva, the functional Norwegian mine has around 100 inhabitants and Ny Alesund, a scientific settlement has between 30 and 150 inhabitants, depending on the season. All settlements are found on the west coast, the part of Spitsbergen with the mildest climate due to the warm Gulf Current. Longyearbyen is located at 78 13′N 15 33′E. The Governor of Svalbard resides there. Due to its location far north of the polar circle, it is polar night from mid-October to mid-February and polar day from mid-April to mid-August. Longyearbyen has an arctic tundra climate. History and present day facilities: The settlement was founded in 1906 by John Munroe Longyear, main owner of the Arctic Coal Company of Boston. "Byen" is Norwegian for "the city". It was destroyed by the Germans in 1943 and rebuilt after World War II, with the old foundations still visible in some places. Until the early 1990's the coal mining industry was the major employer in Longyearbyen. The daily life revolved only around the mining business. Today, the community offers a wide range of activities and facilities. There is a bank, post office, hospital, public library, cafes/restaurants, tourist information, a swimming hall, a climbing wall, a big sports hall, a grocery store, three pubs, three hotels, one church, several tourists shops, there are various forms of lodging, from hostels to modern full-service hotels, a cinema (Sundays) and one night club. During summer, most of the people you meet here will be tourists or young people working to accommodate the visitors. A very friendly and international atmosphere reigns. And, of course, Longyearbyen has its own international airport. |
| Day 2-7 | Svalbard Archipelago / Spitsbergen | Day 2-7 Svalbard Archipelago / Spitsbergen (6B,6L,6D) Each day will be planned to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions. Distances are relatively short in the Archipelago and as there are no ocean crossings, the seas are normally calm. Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet that offers such a wealth and diversity of natural and cultural history sites. During these six days we will visit ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers flowing into the sea around us. We will spend time steaming through the ice in search of polar bears hunting seals. Ivory gulls will be a highlight for the birders, while we keep a constant lookout for walrus hauled out on ice floes or on sandy beaches. We will visit, ice permitting, spectacular bird cliffs filled with thousands of murres (guillemots), as well as kittiwakes and glaucous gulls. A little auk colony will also be on our agenda. Our shore stops will be highlighted with flowers nearing, or at the peak of, their bloom. We will have the opportunity to observe and discuss some of their adaptations to what we consider a harsh environment. At one or more of our stops, we hope to see Svalbard's unique subspecies of reindeer. They are much smaller than their southern relatives, but still carry impressive antlers. We also have the possibility of Arctic foxes. This is also a land of history: from whaling to reaching for the pole, to trapping, coal mining and war. We will visit some of these historic sites. We may cruise in Zodiacs along the ice edge viewing seals or walrus, in fjords with glaciers spilling down to the sea or in front of spectacular seabird cliffs. We will have opportunities to walk on shore, observe and photograph the Arctic flora and fauna. As we are in the land of the polar bear, your expedition staff will carry rifles and flare guns on shore for your protection. Krossfjord, Konigsfjord, Monaco Glacier, Hinlopen Strait, Northeast Land, Edgeoya, Hornsund and Bellsund are just a few of the places that we may visit. By not having a set itinerary, we take on an expedition spirit and are free to take advantage of the best that Svalbard has to offer. The evening of our last full day of adventure will find the expedition ship anchored off Longyearbyen. |
| Day 8 | Longyearbyen | Day 8 Longyearbyen (B) |
- Dates/Pricing
- Disclaimer
- Local Flights: Your local flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen are not included in this tour. We recommend arriving at least 1 day prior to the sailing of the ship to guarantee your arrival. While flight delays are not common sometimes they do happen. If you would like us to arrange your flights please speak with your travel agent or a G Adventures Adventure Specialist.
Dossier Disclaimer: The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer: While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
