Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Iceland – Arctic Islands Discovery (Westbound)

Your trip starts with an evening flight from Oslo. If time allows, enjoy the museums, parks and trendy cafés of the Norwegian capital before your flight to Longyearbyen in the Svalbard Archipelago. Transfer to and overnight at your hotel.

Join an excursion after lunch to explore Svalbard’s capital, nestled next to the Isfjord and surrounded by rugged mountains. You’ll find it a surprisingly modern settlement with a small and welcoming international community running cafés, bars, restaurants, artisanal shops, and even a chocolatier and a micro-brewery. Board your ship in the afternoon.

Summertime in the Svalbard Archipelago is when polar bears trek along the coast’s drifting ice on the hunt for seals. With a bit of luck, we hope to spot one or more of these top predators in the national park.

Depending on the movement and thickness of the sea ice, we might visit Kongsfjord´s mighty glaciers and catch sight of icebergs calving into the sea. We may also call on Ny-Ålesund, a former mining town now transformed into an international science centre. Here, you’ll find 16 permanent research stations from 10 countries dedicated to the study of glaciology, wildlife, and climate change.

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea with onboard lectures while we set course towards Jan Mayen. Our Expedition Team will hold talks and workshops to share their knowledge and experience to enhance the next days of our journey.

The Norwegian island of Jan Mayen has two main areas. The north is dominated by ice-capped Beerenberg, the northernmost active volcano on earth. The south is flatter and unglaciated, and where 30 people live at a weather station. The island is a breeding site for large numbers of seabirds such as fulmars, auks, and guillemots.

Visits to Jan Mayen are extremely rare, and Hurtigruten are one of the few to attempt landings on this Arctic island.

Days at sea are an opportunity to wind down and watch the waves or enjoy a lecture or two from the Expedition Team.

Welcome to Iceland’s largest community outside of Reykjavík. Expect comfy cafés, restaurants, and chic art galleries. There are also various museums of interest, distinct churches, and the botanical gardens which will be in full bloom at the time of your visit. Akureyri is also close to natural treasures, such as lake Mývatn and Goðafoss waterfall.

The Arctic Circle currently runs through this green and grassy Icelandic island and you’ll have the chance to step across that geographic line. The North Atlantic Current brings warm water up here from the Gulf of Mexico, creating a mild climate on the island popular with nesting seabirds such as auks and Arctic terns.

Patreksfjördur is a charming settlement on the west coast of Iceland with around 660 inhabitants. The picturesque fjord offers scenic hiking trails if the weather allows. Patreksfjördur is also close to the spectacular waterfall of Dynjandi and to Látrabjarg, a renowned site for birdwatching.

The friendly town of Stykkishólmur has beautiful and well-preserved old houses in the town centre and is surrounded by wonderful scenery. Enjoy exploring the town´s interesting museums or join optional excursions to see the iconic sites of Snæfellsnes Penninsula such as the Lóndrangar basalt cliffs or the black sandy beaches of Djúpalónssandur.

Our voyage of discovery ends in Reykjavik. The name of Iceland’s capital means 'Smokey Bay', so called because of the columns of steam that rise from the many hot springs in the area. If you have the time, it is well worth booking a Post-Programme to explore the surrounding geysers, mountains, glaciers and geothermal baths.