Svalbard under the Arctic sun aboard Polarfront

Set off to discover the midnight sun aboard Polarfront

YOUR EXPEDITION

Dates: August 4 to 13, 2027 – 10 days / 9 nights – 11 places available
Cruise: Svalbard
Embarkation/Disembarkation: Longyearbyen
Average temperature: 5°C
Difficulty level: Easy

Leaving the port of Longyearbyen, you will leave civilization behind to experience a true expedition journey. You will discover the unique and magical feeling of being alone in the world.

The itinerary, defined day by day by the Captain and the Expedition Team, may evolve at any time depending on weather conditions, ice conditions, and the surprises offered by Arctic nature.

The two expedition guides, specialists in polar regions, will supervise your activities and lead lectures on various topics such as Arctic wildlife, glaciology, geology… They will also recount the great epics of polar exploration.

Highlights: Diverse polar wildlife / Midnight sun / Wide access to the archipelago

Activities: Hiking / Wildlife observation / Historical site visits / Zodiac excursions / Lectures / Water activities (fishing, polar pedal boat)

ITINERARY

DAY 1 – LONGYEARBYEN

Boarding at 5:00 PM and welcome aboard Polarfront.
Discover the ship and your living spaces during a welcome cocktail.
Departure at 6:00 PM.

DAYS 2 TO 9

PRINCE CHARLES ISLAND

Located at the western tip of Svalbard, this island is a resting place for walruses beneath its rugged peaks.

KROSSFJORDEN – Cross Bay

Cross Bay offers a magnificent summary of Spitsbergen: glaciers flowing into the sea (notably the majestic 7-km-long Lilliehöök glacier front and the 14th of July glacier), tundra, and historical sites.

KONGSFJORDEN – King’s Bay

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.

MAGDALENEFJORDEN – Magdalena Bay

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.

SMEERENBURGFJORD – Blubber Fjord

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!

MONACOBREEN – Monaco Glacier

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 rich in wildlife. It is not uncommon to encounter the king of the Arctic, the polar bear.

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 can navigate the most remote fjords to bring you closer to Arctic wildlife.

Key features:

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

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