Great discovery of Spitzberg and Svalbard

On board the polar yacht Le Nanook

• Navigations between glaciated peaks, glacier fronts, and ice floe.
• A festival of polar wildlife: polar bears, walruses, seals, reindeer, polar foxes, whales…
• Polar history: whalers, trappers, explorers, expeditions of Prince Albert I of Monaco.
• Head towards the East and the North, the country of cold deserts and large polar caps.
• A very complete and varied polar journey.

Grands Espaces

• An expedition cruise on one of the smallest expedition boats in Svalbard.
• 25 years of Polar expertise, an itinerary completely oriented towards wildlife observation and the discovery of the polar environment
• A 100% French-speaking cruise (passengers and team)
• Outings and conferences supervised by our team of naturalist guides

Your program

DAY 1 | Paris > Longyearbyen (Spitzberg)

Arrival at Longyearbyen and free time in the city. Boarding around 5 PM aboard the Exploreur. Navigation in the isfjord with its Russian settlements.

DAY 2 et 3 | Land Albert 1st

Impressive glacier fronts in a series of spectacular fjjords. Large colonies of birds and regions full of history in their impressive setting of alpine peaks and glaciers. Navigation towards the island of Moffen, beyond 80° North.

Visit of the Raudfjord.

DAY 4 et 5 | Hinlopen Strait and Northeast Land

The fjord of Murchinson hosts an old scientific station from 1958, as well as colonies of walruses and traces of the presence of the Pomors. There is also Alkefjellet, the most impressive colony of birds in the archipelago, where polar foxes are common. The Hinlopen Strait is renowned for whale watching. If the ice allows it, one can admire the colony of 300,000 birds of Alkefjellet nestled in basalt organs.

DAY 6 et 7 | Ice floe and Northeastern Land

In the land of galces, ice caps and the largest barrier of ice in the Northern Hemisphere, impressive icebergs. The country of cold deserts and bears: 250 people walk there in summer. You will try to reach the northernmost archipelago of the Seven Islands, probably caught in the ice pack. Nelson Island named after the famous admiral hosts a colony of birds and on Phipps Island there is a colony of walruses.

DAY 8 et 9 | Smeerenburg, bays of the King and the Madeleine

The whale-watching fjord. The glacier front sinks into the sea and its mountains are carved into lace. Colonies of walruses. In King’s Bay, the peaks of the Three Crowns dominate this superb bay and are steeped in an exceptionally rich history.

Several receding glaciers calve their large icebergs. Bird colonies, botanical reserves, scientific stations. Rennes and polar foxes will be at the meeting.

DAY 10 | Longyearbyen

Landing at 9 am.

©Photos-Grands Espaces

THE NANOOK

✔ A reinforced hull boat, ice class 1B, intended for large expeditions and long crossings

✔ 12 passengers maximum

✔ 2 zodiacs for excursions

✔ Lounge, bar and panoramic restaurant, sauna and jacuzzi, Scandinavian style interior

Built in 1968 in Denmark to face the North Seas, this 53.5 m ship, classified as ice 1B, is designed for oceanic expeditions. With two 2,200 HP engines, it reaches 12 cruising knots. It accommodates up to 12 passengers in 9 comfortable cabins (8 to 16m 2), each equipped with single or double beds, a workspace, storage and a private bathroom and it has two zodiacs for outings.

Fully restored between 2020 and 2024, it benefits from redesigned cabins and a panoramic lounge. This robust and elegant boat will sail in the Arctic from 2025.