Realm of the Polar Bear in Depth | MS Expedition

Get a first glimpse of the midnight sun in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen's capital. There are no planned activities so feel free to explore or rest up for the excitement ahead. A local representative can provide general information about the town or your embarkation process.
In the late afternoon, join your fellow passengers to take your group transfer and begin embarkation for your journey on the Expedition.

Each day is planned to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions. Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet to offer such a plethora of natural and historical extravaganzas. Spend the next nine days exploring the remote polar regions. Visit ice-sculpted fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery, and glaciers crashing into the sea. Spend time exploring pack ice edges in search of polar bears hunting seals. At one or more of the stops, it's possible to encounter Svalbard's Arctic fox and the region's unique reindeer.

Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet that offers such a wealth and diversity of natural and cultural history sites. During these nine days, visit ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery, and glaciers flowing into the sea. Spend time moving through the ice in search of polar bears hunting seals. Ivory gulls will be a highlight for the birders. Keep a constant lookout for walrus hauled out on ice floes or on sandy beaches. Ice permitting, visit spectacular bird cliffs filled with thousands of murres (guillemots), as well as kittiwakes and glaucous gulls. Shore stops will be highlighted with tiny tundra flowers. The Expedition team will be on hand to answer any questions about this spectacular wilderness. Attend lectures hosted throughout the day on anything from local wildlife to the history and exploration of the Arctic.

On departure day, transfers to the Longyearbyen airport will be offered to all passengers with flights scheduled.

Please Note: While it is our intention to adhere to the route described, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The itinerary is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered.