Day 1 - Longyearbyen, Svalbard; Embarkation Day
After arriving in Longyearbyen, the ‘capital’ (actually the administrative centre) of Spitsbergen, you may wish to visit the Svalbard Museum which has an interesting collection on the history of Spitsbergen, the mining industry and polar exploration In the evening we sail, setting course for Trygghamna where we will see the remains of a 17th century English whaling station and an 18th century Pomor hunting station, which we will visit the next morning.
Day 2/7 - Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen - Ski & Sail
The Ski & Sail program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who can master skiing techniques in ascent and descent in challenging snow covered alpine terrain.
A typical day will involve ski climbs on mountain tops which are in average 700-850 m high and downhill skiing from there (actual accumulated altitude climbed over the course of a day can exceed 1000 m and more). An accurate routing cannot be determined in advance because weather, sea conditions and avalanche situation will influence the final layout of the program which will be in the benefit of all passengers onboard.
The map outlines a possible (but not final) route in the greater region Kongsfjorden, Isfjord and Prins Karls Forland. This route plan serves as a rough guide only. The (ski) program and the itinerary of the vessel will be adjusted to the prevailing conditions, thus the daily program may differ considerably from the illustrated directions sketched.
The complete program (at sea and on land) is dependent on the local weather, sea ice and snow conditions, the availability of landing sites, encounters with wild animals (polar bears) on land, and the avalanche situation.
On board the ship the expedition leader makes the final decision on the necessary program adjustments on the day of the excursion. Flexibility is paramount in expedition cruises. Ski mountaineers bring their own equipment.
Day 8 - Longyearbyen, Svalbard; Disembarkation
Departure by scheduled flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo.
Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your captain and expedition leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
Ready to go further? Gain higher vistas? Explore where almost nobody has ever gone before? Our ski mountaineering excursions will take you where you want to go. You’ll explore rugged peaks and majestic mountains in a rugged fjord system.
This special interest will appeal to ski mountaineers, snowshoe hikers and nature lovers. Ski mountaineering will be led by officially recognized mountain guides and parallel to that we offer snowshoe walking to non-skiers.
Svalbard is the Arctic North as you always dreamed it existed. This wondrous archipelago is a land of dramatic snow-drowned peaks and glaciers, of vast icefields and forbidding icebergs, an elemental place where the seemingly endless Arctic night and the perpetual sunlight of summer carry a deeper kind of magic. One of Europe's last great wildernesses, this is also the domain of more polar bears than people, a terrain rich in epic legends of polar exploration.
To many people, the polar bear is the Arctic. The sight of such an impressive silky white bear wandering the frozen Arctic seas in search of seals symbolizes the cold, isolated nature of the Arctic so well. Polar bears are marine mammals because they spend so much of their lives away from land. In the high Arctic where there is always some sea ice to travel on, polar bears range over ice floes in the pack ice hunting seals all summer. In some areas (e.g. southern Hudson Bay, southern Svalbard) they are simply forced to come ashore. Polar bears rarely venture inland.
Onboard your expedition all meals are included and prepared by our chefs. Meals are prepared to a restaurant standard and to cater for most diet requirements.
During the course of your expedition, you will have direct access to our onboard expedition team. Our expedition team members are a wealth of information, they have backgrounds in exploration or science based backgrounds. Our teams will usually comprise of naturalists, historians, geologists and ornithologists.
Your expedition team members will expertly guide you off the ship and provide you with firsthand knowledge about the geology and wildlife of the region. Back onboard the vessel, team members hold lectures about their studies or the wildlife that was seen during the course of the day.
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NOORDERLICHT
The ‘Noorderlicht’ was originally built in 1910 in Flensburg, Germany as a three-masted schooner. For most of her existence she served as a light-vessel on the Baltic. In 1991 the present owners purchased the hull and re-rigged and refitted her thoroughly, under the rules of “Register Holland”. The ‘Noorderlicht’ now has a well-balanced two-masted schooner rig and is capable of sailing the seven seas, and is therefor well suited for expedition cruising among small islands and offer good open deck viewing areas, also when under sail. The 2 inflatable rubber crafts (zodiacs) enable landing and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise inaccessible areas. The qualified captains have a great experience of the oceans. Together with the rest of the crew, they will do everything possible to ensure that you have a wonderful and unforgettable journey. The ‘Noorderlicht’ provides accommodation for 20 travellers in comfortable twin cabins. All cabins have upper and lower berths, a cupboard and wash basin with hot and cold water. Shared shower (4) and toilet (5) facilities are conveniently located. All cabins have a small hatch in the ceiling which vary in size, except cabin 6 which has a small, locked porthole in the ceiling but ventilation slots in the door. On occasion and depending on weather situation those hatches will be opened by the crew to allow fresh air ventilation of the complete lower deck (including cabin 6) while passengers go ashore.
| Luxury star rating: | 3 |
| Guests #: | 20 |
| Crew #: | 5 |
| Ice Class: | |
| Speed: | 7 |
| Refurbished: |
| Year built: | |
| Length: | 46m |
| Width: | 6 |
| Draft: | |
| Tonnage: | 300 |
| Registry: | Netherlands |
| Elec Outlets: | 220V / 2 Round Pin |
We understand that the trip of a lifetime takes planning, so we make the financial commitments easy to manage.
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