Svalbard Odyssey

Having made your way to Oslo, walk the short distance to our 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.

Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. Our experienced Expedition Team will tailor each day around weather, sea ice, wildlife and the latest local information. There is no fixed chain of landings: a sighting, a newly accessible fjord or a change in wind and ice may reshape the plan and create the most memorable moments of the voyage.

With more open water and a longer operating window, summer can support broader exploration. Depending on conditions, we may range through the fjords of western Spitsbergen, investigate the northern islands or seek a route towards Hinlopen Strait and Nordaustlandet. Places such as Alkefjellet, the Bråsvellbreen ice front or the far north may become possibilities, and a full circumnavigation is always aspirational.

Summer brings the tundra fully to life. Guided walks may cross flower-dotted valleys, raised beaches and fossil-rich ground, with chances to see Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. Bird cliffs remain busy with guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins and little auks, while offshore waters may hold walrus, seals and feeding whales. Polar bears can occur anywhere in the archipelago and are observed responsibly from a safe distance.

Historic whaling stations, trappers’ huts and remains from scientific and polar expeditions add a human dimension to the landscape. Our guides will interpret these fragile sites without disturbing the stories preserved there.

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 ensure that the long summer days are used to their fullest.

During the early morning, we cruise back into Longyearbyen. Farewell your Expedition Team upon disembarkation and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for our charter flight back to Oslo.

Note: the arrival time in Oslo is contingent on the approved allocated slot for our charter flight to and from Longyearbyen, which we expect to receive in March 2028. We recommend allowing flexibility when arranging onward travel.