East Spitsbergen - Home of the Polar Bear, incl. Long Hikes & Coastal Cleanup

This voyage starts and ends in Longyearbyen and visits several regions of Svalbard, including Hornsund, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, Freemansundet and Bell Sund. The programme includes landings and Zodiac cruises to glacier fronts, tundra landscapes, historic trapping sites and major seabird colonies. A key element is the long hike option for suitable participants, escorted by two armed guides and supported by a Zodiac scouting ahead along the coast for polar bears. In addition, a structured coastal cleanup is carried out in cooperation with AECO and the Governor of Svalbard, with groups rotating between cleanup and other excursions. As on all expedition cruises, routing and daily plans depend on ice, weather and wildlife conditions. Embarkation and disembarkation are in Longyearbyen.

East Spitsbergen - Home of the Polar Bear, incl. Long Hikes & Coastal Cleanup: The itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Longyearbyen and embarkation
You arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Svalbard on the archipelago’s largest island. Before embarkation there is time to explore the former mining town independently. The parish church and the Svalbard Museum are useful stops for context on local history and natural conditions. Even though the landscape can appear sparse, more than one hundred plant species have been recorded in the Longyearbyen area, which is a reminder of the region’s seasonal productivity. In the early evening MS Ortelius sails out into Isfjord. During the initial fjord transit, the expedition team keeps watch for marine mammals, and minke whales are sometimes seen in these waters. The evening is primarily for settling in on board while the ship continues toward the expedition area.

Day 2: Hornsund, glaciers and seabird cliffs
The day begins with a calm passage through the side fjords of the Hornsund area in southern Spitsbergen. The scenery is defined by steep mountain profiles, including Hornsundtind rising to about 1,431 metres. The peak of Bautaen illustrates why early Dutch explorers used the name Spitsbergen, referring to pointed mountains. The region contains fourteen substantial glaciers, and their fronts and valleys shape the fjord system. Hornsund is also an area where encounters with seals and polar bears are possible, so wildlife conditions are monitored continuously. On the nearby cliffs of Sofiakammen, thousands of pairs of black legged kittiwakes and little auks nest in dense colonies. In the evening, near Sørkapp, you may see large numbers of harp seals on ice floes, particularly during the mating period.

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Day 3: Long excursion in Diskobukta on Edgeøya
After sailing through drift ice in Storfjorden, where harp seals are sometimes observed, you land in the northwest of Edgeøya at the northern bank of the Rosenberdalen river. From an elevated beach you have the option to hike toward Rosenbergdalen, an area where grazing reindeer are often found in the more vegetated tundra sections. Continuing toward Stretehamna, the plan is to pass a cliff with nesting Brünnich’s guillemots, providing good opportunities for bird observation. Near an octagonal trapper’s hut from 1905, a herd of walrus is often present on the beach, allowing for careful viewing from a suitable distance. You may also see the remains of a nineteenth century Pomor house, as well as walrus bones that reflect hunting activity in earlier centuries. This day is designed as a longer excursion combining tundra terrain, historical traces and coastal wildlife.

Day 4: Freemansundet and trapping history, with Negribreen as an alternative
MS Ortelius enters the narrow channel of Freemansundet. A landing is planned at the tundra lowland of Sundneset on Barentsøya, where you can visit the hut of a German scientific expedition from about sixty years ago, known as the Würzburg Hut. The area is suitable for scanning for Svalbard reindeer and barnacle geese, and a walk across the tundra is planned. Afterwards, a Zodiac cruise is scheduled near the Freeman Glacier, combined with a visit to a black legged kittiwake colony in a nearby canyon. If heavy ice blocks Freemansundet, the ship will instead sail to Negribreen, one of the most extensive glacier fronts on the eastern side of Spitsbergen. Here a Zodiac cruise may also take place, and a landing on Walrus Island is possible, an area that became ice free only toward the end of the last century.

Day 5: Agardhfjellet, ivory gulls and fossils
Today the route leads to the eastern side of West Spitsbergen, on the western side of Storfjorden. A hike is planned to the breeding sites of ivory gulls at Agardhfjellet, which rises to roughly 300 metres. The approach follows a valley leading to ledges where nests are located. The valley floor is scattered with fossils, including belemnites and ammonites, offering a clear view into the geological history of the area. The day combines targeted bird observation with attention to the landscape and exposed rock formations typical for Svalbard. As with all landings, the exact route and timing depend on local conditions and wildlife safety.

Day 6: South Spitsbergen, Stellingfjellet and Isbukta
The plan for today is a landing at Stellingfjellet, close to the largest Brünnich’s guillemot colony in Svalbard. The focus is on observing the colony and the coastal setting that supports large breeding concentrations. Later in the day another landing is scheduled on the rarely visited coast of South Spitsbergen, in the bay of Isbukta. This area is less frequently approached and can offer quiet conditions for observing shoreline features and wildlife activity. The day’s sequence remains dependent on weather and ice, but it is designed to include both key bird sites and contrasting coastal sections in the south.

Day 7: Bell Sund, vegetation, wildlife and historical traces
The expedition continues into Bell Sund, one of Svalbard’s largest fjord systems. Ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than many other parts of the archipelago, which is reflected in relatively richer vegetation. This creates good opportunities to observe both flora and fauna while also visiting sites with historical context. One option is Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains from nineteenth century whaling are a direct reminder of the consequences of intensive exploitation. Belugas were not hunted to extinction, and you may still have good chances to encounter a group in the area. Alternatively, a cruise into Bell Sund’s side fjords may focus on tundra where reindeer commonly feed and on rocky slopes where little auks breed. The final plan depends on conditions and sightings.

Day 8: Return to Longyearbyen and disembarkation
In the morning MS Ortelius returns to Longyearbyen. The package ends after breakfast on board with disembarkation. You then continue your onward travel independently.

Included East Spitsbergen - Home of the Polar Bear, incl. Long Hikes & Coastal Cleanup

 
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes
- Complimentary Wi-Fi: each guest receives 1.5 GB of data per day, renewed every 24 hours
- Complimentary Dopper water bottle for use during and after your expedition
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