Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel. Day 2 - 11: Expedition cruising Explore Longyearbyen on your own before meeting up your fellow travellers and guides for lunch. In the afternoon we embark the expedition ship and sail out through the spectacular Isfjorden - the Arctic expedition has started! We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our ambition is to head out on Zodiac cruises every day and to go ashore when the opportunity arises. Here are some examples of places we may visit: Northwest Spitsbergen The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is situated in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. Two other courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. There are still interesting remnants from these expeditions left on this site. Magnificent fjords Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore a few of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love”, is lined with snow-covered mountain peaks and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. Many common eiders and pinkfooted geese nest in the area. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculptured glacier front. Hinlopen The strait between the two largest islands in Svalbard, Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet, offers a range of interesting landing sites. Among them is Kinnvika – a research station built by Sweden and Finland during the International Geophysical Year of 1957/1958. From here, observations were made in various fields of geophysics, including meteorology, aurora borealis, and geomagnetism. Eastern Svalbard The island of Nordaustlandet is covered by an enormous ice cap and fascinates naturalists as well as historians. Here the giant glacier Bråsvellbreen stretches for 200 kilometres! Barentsøya and Edgeøya offer magnificent landscapes and vast tundra. Chances to encounter walruses, Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeer are good here. Southwest Spitsbergen The grand fjords of Hornsund offer spectacular glaciers and a breathtaking landscape of towering mountain peaks, often reaching above the clouds. On a clear day we can see the summit of the highest mountain Hornsundtind, measuring 1431 meters. Day 12: Longyearbyen Early morning we disembark our expedition ship and begin our journey back home. Please note All itineraries are for guidance only. Our exact route will depend on the ice, weather conditions, wildlife and government regulations. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximise your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!