Itinerary

Svalbard 2024

We're travelling to the archipelago of Svalbard at the end of June 2024. Svalbard is the northernmost part of Europe, parts are 1000km north of the northern most parts of mainland Norway.

We fly from Heathrow to Oslo and then, the next day, to Longyearbyen the principal settlement on Spitsbergen, Svalbard. We board our small expedition ship the MS Quest, and, with about 50 other guests, look forward to seeing the flora and fauna of the high arctic.

Most of the time we are likely to be completely out of cellphone / wifi coverage with only a satellite phone on the ship to keep us in emergency contact.

But, just in case, I thought I would set up this blog and perhaps we will be able to get a few updates along the way. The two Naturetrek links tell you a lot about what we are hoping to do and see

Naturetrek tour description

https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/tours/spitsbergen-realm-of-the-polar-bear

Naturetrek presentation video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDbZ47ejdpE&t=5s

And this link should give you the location of our ship...

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/details/8913904

Introduction 

Spitsbergen is the largest of the five islands that make up the Svalbard Archipelago. 

It is a dramatic land of huge glaciers, snow-covered mountains and steep sided fjords, separated from the North Pole by a mere 600 miles of frozen ocean. This is the true ‘High Arctic’, an extreme land gripped by ice for over eight months of the year and by darkness for over four.  

Tour Itinerary  

Flexibility is the key to all Arctic voyages and our exact route and program will depend on ice and weather conditions, wildlife encounters, the experience of the expedition leader and the advice of the ship's captain and crew.  

Day 1 Fly to Oslo: Thursday 20th June

This afternoon we fly from London to Oslo where we transfer to a hotel near the airport for a one night stay.  

SK806 Depart LHR 15:35 arrive OSL 18:50

Day 2 Fly to Longyearbyen, embark MS Quest. Friday 21st June.

SK4490 Depart OSL 09:45 arrive LYR (Longyearbyen) 12:40

We now take an early morning flight to Longyearbyen and, after a couple of free hours exploring the town, we board MS Quest in the mid-afternoon, our home for the next 9 nights.

Days 3 – 10  Spitsbergen Voyage 

The exact route of our voyage will depend on the prevailing ice conditions. If ice conditions permit we may attempt to circumnavigate the island of Spitsbergen in a clockwise direction, north out of Isfjorden, round the island of Moffen, through the Hinlopen Strait that separates Spitsbergen and the ice-covered Nordaustlandet (North-east Island) and south around Barentsøya and Edgeøya before heading north once more to Longyearbyen. 

On most days we will also board inflatable zodiacs to go ashore and explore the tundra or steer to the foot of towering cliffs crowded with nesting seabirds. At other times when shore excursions are not planned, we can watch the magnificent coastline slip by from the deck of the ship safe in the knowledge that the warmth of the dining room is only a short flight of stairs away should we fancy a warming cup of coffee or a snack!  

No matter what the exact itinerary turns out to be, however, this is without doubt a holiday of a lifetime and a privileged opportunity to see one of the last unspoilt places on Earth! 

Day 11 Fly London, Sunday 30th June

Once back at Longyearbyen a spectacular flight over huge glaciers, braided river valleys and snow-capped peaks will bring us back to mainland Norway, from where we must continue our journey south away from the roof of the world and back to London's Heathrow Airport

SK 4499 Depart LYR 07:20 arrive OSL 10:15

SK 805 Depart OSL 13:15 arrive LHR 14:35

Hopefully the M25 will be kind to us on a Sunday afternoon.