Viking Journey through the North Atlantic

• Day 1 - Oslo/Longyearbyen

  Departs Oslo for Longyearbyen.

  Norway's capital Oslo is often referred to as "the blue, the green and the city in between". Forests, lakes, hills and a fjord surrounds this city. Downtown you will find unique architecture, a thriving cafe and bar culture, top-notch restaurants, endless shopping possibilities, and a large and visible immigrant community who add their own colourful touch to the city. You leave Oslo in the evening, heading for the High Arctic - Svalbard.

• Day 2 - Next to the North Pole: Embarkation Day

  Location: Longyearbyen

  The Svalbard Islands are located in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Norway and the North Pole. In the midst of this mighty wilderness, is the Norwegian settlement of Longyearbyen. After an overnight stay in one of our hotels, you join an excursion to learn more about this remote area before embarking the MS Spitsbergen.

• Day 3 - Fjords and glaciers

  Location: North West Spitsbergen National Park

  The first national park we visit covers the northwest corner of Svalbard. The area is characterised by enormous inland glaciers and a landscape of contrasts, both lush pastures and barren moraines. We continue into Kongsfjord and Magdalenefjord, offering spectacular scenery and interesting history. At 78º 55’ N, we visit Ny-Ålesund, the starting point for numerous expeditions towards the North Pole in the old Days. Today it is home to an advanced High Arctic research station.

• Day 4 - Looking for wildlife from deck

  Location: At sea

  Within the Svalbard Archipelago, there are about 3,000 polar bears – far more than the human population and probably one of the largest polar bear concentrations on Earth. That said; polar bears are solitary animals with no set colony or living area. They roam to wherever they can expect to find food. While there are no guarantees of sighting these top predators, the more eyes scouting through binoculars, the better chance we have of spotting the King of the Arctic. The polar bear is a marine mammal, so we are most likely to observe one close to or even in the water. Whenever close to drift ice, we will look carefully, because there is a chance that a polar bear uses this ice floe as a platform when at sea.

• Day 5/10 - The least-visited national park in the world

  Location: North East Greenland National Park

  As we arrive in the largest national park in the world, the splendid isolation of this journey begins to take hold. Apart from some abandoned trapping stations, a weather station and the traditional Sirius sled patrol, there are no traces of humans here. Within the borders of North East Greenland National Park there are only about 30 souls that overwinter. In the very short summer season, when the waters around are not frozen, only 500 expedition guests visit the park.

  Once inside the fjords of North East Greenland, your sense of distance, size and shape of landscapes will be challenged. These are the largest fjords in the world and the alpine landscape, with hanging glaciers and vertical granite faces reach as far as the eye can see.

  As well as wildlife like musk oxen, arctic fox, hare and wolf, we may see a variety of sea birds. And remember, where there is ice, there might be polar bears! We will call on the very isolated research station, Danmarkshavn. Sailing into fjords like Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord or Alpefjord is an unforgettable experience. The majority of our landings are performed as pure wilderness expeditions. We might meet the Sirius Patrol (The Danish Navy) that supervises the park using traditional methods, like mushing dogs. Before the Danes acquired sovereignty of this area, the Norwegians claimed it. A natural place to attempt a landing is Myggbukta (Mosquito bay), where the legendary Governor of North East Greenland had his base. Our expert guides and lecturers will safely lead you on hikes and small boat trips in addition to giving briefings and lectures about the places we explore.

• Day 11 - The most isolated settlement in Greenland

  Location: Ittoqqortoormiit

  In Ittoqqortoormiit you can visit the museum, church and a photo exhibition, or explore on your own. The trappers living in this town are the only people that are allowed to hunt within the North East Greenland National Park. You will probably see that they are drying animal skins and storing their dog sleds outside their houses.

• Day 12 - Lectures and wildlife spotting

  Location: At sea

  As we leave Greenland, we sail towards the western coast of Iceland. This is an excellent Day to attend to lectures and prepare for our return to “civilisation”.

• Day 13 - Iceland in a Nutshell

  Location: Stykkíshólmur

  As we reach the west region of Iceland, you will understand why this area is dubbed “The Sagaland”. Take your time to explore Stykkishólmur’s diversity with lava and rock formations, glaciers, volcanic activity, and hot and cold springs. Participate in a range of exciting excursions such as kayaking, hiking and horse riding.

• Day 14 - The world’s northernmost capital: Disembarkation

  Location: Reykjavik

  Iceland's capital offers visitors a rich urban life. Relatively close to Reykjavik you will find glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and mountains. Reykjavik itself hosts fine restaurants, museums and shops. We will arrive in the morning hours, and this is where our voyage ends.

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.