Jewels of the Arctic: Svalbard & East Greenland

Having made your way to Oslo, walk the short distance to your group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information about where to dine, withdraw cash or purchase last minute items from a local pharmacy or supermarket.

The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before walking to the airport for our charter flight to Longyearbyen for embarkation. Any valuables or personal items should be kept on you throughout the day. In Longyearbyen, explore the town on a guided tour.

After the tour, you will be transferred directly to the pier to embark in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail.

Note: the excursion is contingent on the arrival time of our charter flight to Longyearbyen.

Early-season Svalbard is defined by light, snow and ice. Our experienced Expedition Team will shape each day around weather, sea ice, wildlife and the latest local information. Rather than follow a fixed sequence of landings, we remain free to spend time where conditions are strongest—whether that means exploring a glacier-filled fjord, approaching the pack-ice edge or changing course for an unexpected wildlife encounter.

On shore, snow-fringed beaches and newly exposed tundra reveal reindeer tracks, fox trails, fossils and the first hardy plants of the season. Migratory birds return in vast numbers, filling cliffs and scree slopes with guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins and little auks. At sea, we watch for walrus and seals around ice and coastal haul-outs, and for whales feeding in productive waters. Polar bears may be encountered anywhere in Svalbard and are observed only from a safe distance without changing their behaviour.

The human story is equally compelling. Weathered huts, whaling remains and scientific outposts speak to centuries of survival, ambition and research in the High Arctic. Our guides will bring these places into context while ensuring fragile cultural remains are left exactly as found.

If you have selected an optional activity such as kayaking, we will aim to offer it whenever conditions allow. Zodiac cruising, guided walks and the possibility of a polar plunge add different perspectives to a voyage driven by discovery rather than a timetable.

As we sail away from the coast of Svalbard, we may encounter whales feeding in the rich waters of the north. Be prepared to encounter more pack ice and perhaps spot seals and a variety of seabirds, including the northern fulmar and Brünnich’s guillemot.

The strong, icy currents have isolated East Greenland from the Polar Basin, attracting large numbers of fish, seals and whales. Climatic conditions and the concentration of ice in the vicinity often create thick morning fog that only vanishes in presence of the midday sun. Our experts will inform and entertain us with fascinating discussions on plants, animals, ice and heroic tales of exploration.

Early-season exploration in East Greenland is governed by sea ice. Rather than following a fixed list of sites, our Expedition Team will study satellite imagery, local information and the conditions encountered to build the best route day by day. Landings, Zodiac cruises and ship-based exploration remain subject to weather, ice, permits, quotas and local access arrangements.

At this time of year, the ship may spend more time among the southern fjords around Tasiilaq, where steep mountains, glaciers and ice-choked waterways create a powerful setting for exploration. If the coast opens, opportunities may extend north through Scoresbysund and towards Kong Oscar Fjord.

Wherever the ice leads us, the scale is extraordinary. Vast bergs drift from glacier-fed fjords, brash ice gathers beneath rock walls and the changing light reveals bands of ancient geology. Zodiacs allow us to move quietly through sheltered water, while suitable shores may offer walks across tundra and viewpoints over the fjords.

Wildlife encounters are never predictable, but we will remain alert for whale blows, seals, seabirds, arctic hare and musk oxen where their range and conditions coincide. The pack itself can be a habitat, so time spent navigating its edge may bring some of the voyage’s most memorable observations.

East Greenland is also a homeland shaped by generations of Inuit knowledge and resilience. Archaeological traces, hunting traditions and contemporary life place the landscape in a human context. Any community visit depends on invitation, local agreements and the operational circumstances of the voyage.

This is expedition travel at its most authentic: the precise route may span possibilities from Tasiilaq in the south to Kong Oscar Fjord in the north, but the ice decides what is possible. Flexibility gives us the freedom to turn changing conditions into discovery.

In the Denmark Strait, we cruise towards Iceland. We will be on the lookout for whale blows and the many seabirds that trail our ship, riding in the constant winds. In our lecture theatre, enjoy informative and entertaining presentations from our experts on topics such as seabirds, wildlife and ice, or catch up on some rest after long days of travel.

During the early morning, we cruise into Reykjavik and disembark at approximately 8.00 am. Farewell your Expedition Team and fellow passengers as we all continue our onward journeys. Transfer to Keflavik airport.

Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, we recommend booking flights departing after 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.