Circumnavigating Svalbard - The Ultimate Expedition

Your journey begins with a flight from Oslo, Norway’s fjord-side city surrounded by forested hills and lakes. The high number of electric cars you’ll see on the roads speaks to the city’s commitment to sustainability that led to it being awarded the title of European Green Capital in 2019. As you explore this green city, you’ll discover its booming arts scene, modern beauty and culinary delights.

Thanks to an efficient and well-connected public transport system, every area is accessible without needing a car, so make use of the buses, trains and trams while you’re here! You can even tour the city on an Oslo city bike, admiring the work of Oslo’s world-renowned architects out in the open air.

With no shortage of cultural experiences, you can spend the day visiting some of the many excellent museums and contemporary art galleries. Soak up the history of Norwegian Polar exploration at Fram Museum, which has many displays and the chance to step aboard a polar exploration vessel. Discover what it must have been like to live and work on it as you explore the decks and cabins.

When you need to rest, you’ll find plenty of options for enjoying traditional Norwegian dishes or New Nordic cuisine. Choose from cosy cafés, hip coffee shops, modern fine dining, hot dog stands or maybe even a microbrewery.

Surrounded by nature, Oslo offers a variety of activities. If you have time, you might take a walk in the forested hills that frame the city. Or you could simply spend the time you have relaxing in one of the many parks before your flight to Longyearbyen in the Svalbard Archipelago.

After an overnight stay in your hotel, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the colourful frontier town of Longyearbyen on your own before boarding your ship in the afternoon. An excursion is included in your voyage – or, choose from a selection of optional adventures before your cruise begins.

Longyearbyen is a small town on the island of Spitsbergen, where the 2,000 inhabitants are outnumbered by snowmobiles. During your stay, walk up to the church just a few minutes away. Maybe you will encounter the Svalbard reindeer that are often walking around town minding their own business. Although wild, you’ll find them quite curious and tame. Stroll the main street, admiring the colourful buildings and picking out souvenirs and gifts from the shops of the world’s northernmost town.

Before entering most public buildings, make sure to remove your shoes! This is a custom that originated in the mining days to prevent people from trekking coal dust indoors, and is just one way the town’s mining history continues to affect its culture.

Polar bears live outside Longyearbyen, and while it’s rare to see one in town, keep an eye out for art inspired by these iconic Arctic bears. See if you can find the polar bear statue, or the giant mural in the centre of town.

Once aboard the ship, you’ll pick up your complimentary expedition jacket, locate your cabin and attend a mandatory safety drill. Seek out the restaurants, Science Center, Observation Deck and Explorer Lounge & Bar - you’ll be spending a lot of time here. We’ll then say a fond farewell to Longyearbyen as we start our journey of discovery.

Leaving behind what little civilisation there is, we now enter full exploration mode. In these beautiful yet remote areas, there is no internet, nor are there telephone masts to provide a mobile phone signal. Free from emails and text messages, this is therefore your rare opportunity to disconnect and detox from the modern world. It's time to really get back in sync with what truly matters.

North West Spitsbergen National Park embodies Arctic beauty in all its rugged, untouched glory. This is a wilderness of steep mountains, stark glaciers and eerily beautiful offshore islands. It’s also one of those rare parts of the world where natural beauty and fascinating history combine. Here, you’ll find the largest concentration of graves, blubber ovens and other cultural relics from Svalbard’s first explorers.

Weather and sea conditions will determine which areas we’ll attempt to visit. Kongsfjorden is one of the most beautiful fjord areas in Spitsbergen, with panoramic coastal views and a lush alpine tundra. Framed by dramatic mountain formations, you might catch sight of glaciers calving icebergs into the sea.

We may also call on Ny-Ålesund, a culturally rich former mining town now transformed into an international science hub. With a picturesque mix of old and new buildings, it hosts a variety of research stations from different countries dedicated to the study of glaciology, wildlife, and climate change.

The north-west corner of Spitsbergen is a magnet for birdwatchers in the summer months. You’ll also scan for wildlife, including whales, bearded seals, walruses, Svalbard reindeer and the ‘Lord of the Arctic’ himself, the mighty polar bear. With a bit of luck, you’ll be able to spot one or more of these apex predators as they trek along the coast’s drifting ice on the hunt for seals.

The stunning terrain of this region makes it ripe for outdoor adventure. We’ll attempt to take full advantage of any opportunities that come our way. Activities might include using our expedition boats to come ashore for hiking, participating in a beach clean-up or launching our kayaks.

Eastern Svalbard boasts the highest population of polar bears in the archipelago. We have high hopes that over the next three days in this region, you’ll spot the elusive ‘Lord of the Arctic.’

In this part of Svalbard, the Arctic Ocean is full of drifting ice, and its frozen seascape changes constantly. Being modern-day explorers, the captain and the Expedition Team will carefully analyse the sea ice’s density and movements using advanced sonar and live satellite imagery. They’ll determine which part of this Arctic wilderness we’ll explore in landings, hikes and optional kayaking opportunities.

If conditions are favourable, we will cross 80° N, sail through the Hinlopen Strait and head south, scouting for walrus and seabirds along the way. This region is home to thousands of Brünnich’s Guillemots, gulls and kittiwakes.

As we cruise through Freemansundet, you’ll marvel at the sight of seabirds soaring against a panoramic backdrop. Not to be confused with its cousin, the fjord, Freemansundet is a sound separating Barentsøya, to the north, from Edgeøya.

We’ll attempt landings along the coasts of Edgeøya or Barentsøya. We might explore Kapp Lee, an excellent site where you will find cultural heritage from all eras of human exploration of Svalbard. If we are lucky, we may meet some of the marine mammals of Svalbard as we head towards the South Cape Land.

Our aim for today is to reach the southernmost tip of Spitsbergen. Explore the wonderfully varied landscape and geology of Hornsund, a part of the South Spitsbergen National Park. For many, this is Svalbard’s most beautiful fjord.

Hornsund’s rugged, steep mountains, stunning fjords, and rich, colourful vegetation make it one of the world’s most scenic natural corners. As we cruise along the 30-kilometre fjord, you might catch sight of glaciers calving ice in the waters. On a clear day, you may also see the towering Hornsundtind, reaching 1,431 m above sea level. After exploring this area, we’ll sail north towards Bellsund.

If you guessed that the name Bellsund means beautiful sound, we wouldn’t blame you. It features snowcapped mountains, glaciers and striking geological formations formed by the converging of tectonic plates. However, Bellsund actually borrows its name from the bell-shaped mountain Klokkefjellet at the mouth of the sound.

Large colonies of auks, guillemots and Northern Fulmars have made the large cliffs in the area their home. You might spot migrating geese, and Svalbard reindeer grazing the lush vegetation fertilised by droppings from the seabirds above - talk about the circle of life!

Bellsund has a long hunting and trapping history, starting with whaling at the beginning of the 17th century. One of the stories the expedition team may recount in the available hunters and trappers lecture, is that of Wanny Woldstad. She was a taxi driver from Tromsø who became the first female arctic trapper.

Cultural remains from other periods of Svalbard’s history can be seen throughout Bellsund. The ruins from the mining settlements are still visible. You might see them as we spend the day exploring the area.

Today we sail into the remarkable Isfjord, the most prominent fjord system in the Svalbard archipelago. Leading out to many smaller fjords, it forms a lush and beautiful system rich in wildlife and vegetation. Prepare to explore immense U-shaped valleys carved out of the mountains by giant glaciers some ten thousand years ago.

To the north of the fjord, Alkehornet is a prominent landmark. It’s an imposing example of carbonate rock, with a horn-shaped mount at its peak. Naturally, the surrounding wildlife has conquered it. Arctic fox might be spotted here, as well as Svalbard reindeer and thousands of guillemots and kittiwakes.

It is noticeable how well traces of early human presence have been preserved in Isfjorden. You can find cultural remains of Svalbard’s whaling and hunting heritage along the beaches and bays, such as hunting stations and tryworks.

A more modern cultural icon is further south of the fjords. Here lie the buildings of the famous Isfjord Radio station, a former radio and weather station established in 1933 that now serves as undoubtedly, one of the most beautifully situated hotels in the world.

The landscape of the inner parts of Isfjorden is constantly changing. Still, we have several good landing sites in this area, and we will decide where to go and what to do based upon weather and ice conditions when we arrive.

Your Arctic adventure around Svalbard is over for this time. As you wind down from your expedition, you’ll have some time to look back on all your new memories, still holding onto that elated feeling of having just been quite literally near the “top of the world.”

After saying goodbye to the ship and its crew, you’ll take a transfer to the airport for your flight back to Oslo.

In Longyearbyen, you’ll often find many places hold the record for being the most north anything. The world’s northernmost cinema, church, library, high school, supermarket – they’re all here. You can chalk off each landmark with a customary selfie.

If you have the time, grab some souvenirs from the local shops before heading home. A toasty Svalbard sweater or a box of local handmade chocolates would make a wonderful gift for family and friends. Svalbard is a duty-free zone and Longyearbyen has a selection of sports and outdoor clothing shops, so you could stock up on supplies for your next expedition cruise. Whatever’s next for you, we wish you a safe onward journey and look forward to seeing you again! Post-programme

Guests sailing aboard MS Fram have the option of extending their stay in Longyearbyen with one of our unique Post-Programmes. Please enquire for further details.