15-day travel to the Arctic: An Odyssey to Svalbard, Greenland, and Iceland

Welcome to Oslo, which in 2019 was awarded the prestigious title “Green Capital of Europe.” We’ve arranged a comfortable stay for you at an Oslo Airport hotel so that you’re conveniently close to your flight to Longyearbyen on Day 2. If you’re adventurous and have the time, take the handy airport train into central Oslo – it’s a 20-minute ride, and trains depart and frequently arrive during the day. Near Oslo Central Station are shops, cafes, the Botanical Garden, cultural attractions, and the attractive waterfront area.

Today you have a flight to Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Svalbard and starting point of our Arctic expedition! At the Longyearbyen airport, you will be greeted by our staff and transferred to the pier, where we will warmly welcome you aboard the deluxe expedition vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during the extraordinary adventure to come. Once underway, a full schedule of events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board, step out onto the open decks to admire the gorgeous scenery in the endless evening light as we pass through the wildlife-rich waters of Isfjorden, one of the largest fjords in Svalbard.

Svalbard is a true High Arctic wilderness, and this part of the voyage is a real expedition. Our route and exploration opportunities here heavily depend on the weather and sea ice conditions we encounter. Our experienced captain and expedition leader decide the itinerary and continually adjust plans as conditions and opportunities warrant. You can be sure that the best possible advantage will be taken of the circumstances presented to us by Nature in this wild and remote corner of the Arctic. We anticipate exploring the northwestern part of the island of Spitsbergen. This area contains the archipelago’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Deep fjords and narrow channels are flanked by jagged snowy mountain peaks. Immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters. Fields of flowering tundra are home to grazing reindeer and playful Arctic foxes. Bountiful inshore and offshore waters are home to various marine mammals. Polar Bears can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Svalbard. Also in this area is Ny Ålesund, a former mining town now home to an international community of Arctic researchers, complete with a museum, gift shop, and post office. This was also a staging area for historic attempts to discover the North Pole.

From Svalbard, we head southwest across the Greenland Sea toward East Greenland. In these far northern latitudes, it is possible to encounter sea ice any time of the year. All along the way, we remain vigilant for sightings of marine mammals such as whales, seals, and the majestic polar bear. As we head south, darker nights create a high possibility of seeing aurora borealis.

This is expedition cruising at its most authentic. Our itinerary and exploration opportunities in East Greenland depend on weather and sea ice conditions. Again you can be sure that our experienced captain and expedition leader will take advantage of every opportunity to experience excellent wildlife viewing, to discover incredible scenery, and go ashore wherever possible. The Franz Josef Fjord and Kong Oscar Fjord systems are part of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. Scoresby Sund is the largest and longest fjord system in the world. We anticipate exploring these fjord systems to the extent made possible by ever-changing ice conditions. This whole area contains some of the Arctic’s most impressive scenery. Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by ice-clad peaks up to 2000 meters high, reach far into the mountainous heart of Greenland. Tidewater glaciers create colossal icebergs that float with wind and tide throughout the fjord system. On shore, fields of multicolored tundra are home to musk oxen and Arctic hare. The vast, open, and seemingly untouched landscape since the beginning of time is a hikers’ paradise. This area also finds ancient Thule archeological sites, historical trappers’ huts, and modern Inuit hunters’ cabins. The Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit is the only permanent settlement in the region. The community boasts an excellent museum, a gift shop, a post office, an abundance of Greenlandic sled dogs, and the opportunity to meet Inuit people. The days are filled with memorable excursions, sumptuous meals, presentations by our experts, and enough stunning scenery to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions. Each night brings new possibilities for incredible displays of aurora borealis—the Northern Lights. This is a perfect time and one of the world’s best places to experience this otherworldly celestial phenomenon.

After our fantastic time in East Greenland, we cross the Denmark Strait toward Iceland, crossing the Arctic Circle. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff and our range of onboard recreation facilities ensure that this day at sea is not idly spent. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks and exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

Our last expedition day is spent in Iceland's beautiful Vestfirðir (Westfjords). This remote and sparsely populated region of crenulated coastlines, voluminous waterfalls, and rugged mountains sees only 10% of Iceland’s visitors. Deep fjords are home to whales, while estuaries abound with seals and birdlife.

After breakfast, we say farewell in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, and the ending point of our expedition. We provide a transfer to the airport or the city center if you wish to spend another day or more in Iceland before flying home. Reykjavík is home to a wealth of cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, and the Hallgrímskirkja church. Leisure possibilities inside the city include parks, gardens, and thermal baths. You can also take advantage of Reykjavík’s wide range of shopping possibilities, excellent dining options, and famous nightlife. And, of course, the entire country of Iceland is accessible through day tours or longer journeys by rental car. The options for additional adventures are endless!