Autumn Lights in Spitsbergen aboard Polarfront

A journey in the wake of the great explorers

YOUR EXPEDITION

Dates: September 24 to October 4, 10 days / 9 nights – 8 places available
Cruise route: Svalbard (Spitsbergen) circumnavigation
Embarkation / Disembarkation : Longyearbyen
Average temperature: 0°C
Difficulty level: Easy

Two expedition guides, specialists in polar regions, will accompany your activities and host lectures on topics such as Arctic wildlife, glaciology, geology, and more. They will also share stories of the great polar expeditions and lead visits to historic expedition sites.

Highlights: Diverse polar wildlife / Exceptional lighting conditions / Extensive access to the archipelago
Activities: Hiking / Wildlife observation / Historic site visits / Zodiac excursions / Lectures / Water activities (fishing, polar pedalo)

ITINERARY

DAY 1 – LONGYEARBYEN

Boarding at 5:00 PM and welcome aboard Polarfront.

Discover the ship and your living spaces over a welcome cocktail.

Equipment at 6pm.

DAYS 2 TO 9

PRINCE CHARLES ISLAND

Prince Charles Island, located at the western end of Svalbard, provides a haven for walruses that come to rest under the various peaks that make up the island.

KROSSFJORD

Cross Bay offers a magnificent microcosm of Spitsbergen: glaciers falling into the sea (including the majestic 7-kilometer-long Lillihook glacier front and the July 14th Glacier), tundras, and historical sites.

KONGSFJORDEN

King’s Bay was the starting point for many attempts at polar exploration. Besides its rich historical past, the landscapes are magnificent: fjords choked with icebergs and shores covered in tundra.  You’ll hike to breathtaking panoramic views.

SMEERENBURGFJORD

The Smeerenburgfjord is known for its role in the history of Spitsbergen.  A whaling station was established there in 1616 before being abandoned in 1660. Steep, almost hostile, the fjord’s shores are covered in ice, preventing the growth of vegetation, but revealing spectacular landscapes!

MAGDALENEFJORDEN

Magdalene Bay owes its name to the patron saint of whalers. Indeed, this 10-kilometer-long fjord, surrounded by alpine peaks, provided excellent shelter for the whalers who flocked here in the 17th century. Today, the shores are dotted with remains that bear witness to the rich history of Svalbard.  Magdalene Bay is the starting point for a hike to the Great Glacier.

MONACOBREEN

At the bottom of the iceberg-filled Liefdefjord, you will come face to face with the superb Monaco Glacier (named in honor of Prince Albert Honoré Charles of Monaco (1848-1922) who was one of the fathers of world oceanography).

ICE FLOE

Polarfront will navigate through the ice, heading north and east, in search of sea ice and wildlife. This will take you to the Hinlopen Strait and its bird colonies.

ALKEFJELLET

Located in the Hinlopen Strait, Alkefjellet is Svalbard’s most spectacular bird colony. Thousands of birds nest in basalt columns plunging into the deep Arctic waters.  Polar bears and Arctic foxes sometimes venture onto these vertiginous cliffs in search of eggs or birds.

BRÅSVELLBREEN

Located south of Nordauslandet, this impressive ice cliff, the longest in the northern hemisphere, stretches for 180 kilometers and is about twenty meters high, with a series of waterfalls along its entire length.

FREEMANSUNDET

The Freeman Strait separates the islands of Barentsøya and Edgeøya, a nature reserve boasting diverse wildlife. Sightings of the king of the Arctic, the polar bear, are not uncommon there.

BELLSUND

Bellsund (20 km wide) is the entrance to a system of three branching fjords that open onto magnificent glaciers. Bellsund extends up to 80 km inland. On the south shore, you’ll find the remains of old 17th-century whaling stations, while on the north shore, you’ll discover the remnants of mining operations (zinc, gold, coal). Bellsund offers numerous hiking trails from which you can admire breathtaking landscapes typical of Svalbard.

DAY 10 – LONGYEARBYEN

This is where this wonderful adventure will end.

Disembarkation takes place at 9am after breakfast.

POLARFRONT  

A true expedition yacht, Polarfront navigates deep into hidden fjords for close encounters with Arctic wildlife.

Specifications: 12 passengers / 55 m length / 10 m beam / Hybrid propulsion / French flag and crew / 2 naturalist guides / French chef / Panoramic sauna / Nordic bath

Learn more