Spitsbergen Circumnavigation with Kvitøya

Day 1: Arrival in Longyearbyen

Welcome to the heart of Svalbard and the starting point of your Arctic adventure. 

After you land at Longyearbyen Airport, you will be met and transferred to a comfortable hotel for a complimentary night’s stay. Once you have checked in, you’re free to explore the charming town centre at your own pace. 

Stop by the excellent Svalbard Museum for an introduction to the region’s natural and cultural history and to browse a great selection of polar-themed books and maps. Then, in the evening, enjoy dinner at one of Longyearbyen’s cosy restaurants. 

If you’re still out at midnight, you’ll notice something strange – the sun hasn’t set. In fact, it won’t disappear at all during your time in Svalbard.

Day 2: Embark on your ship

After breakfast at your hotel, spend the morning soaking up the mountain views and Arctic atmosphere of Longyearbyen. There’s time to pick up souvenirs or any last-minute items; though remember, you’ll receive your own expedition parka to keep and waterproof boots on loan once you’re on board.

For lunch, why not try the world’s northernmost pizza or kebab?

In the afternoon, you’ll be transferred to the pier and welcomed aboard your ship for the voyage ahead. Once settled into your spacious suite, join the expedition team for briefings, introductions and the first of many delicious dinners.

Later, step out on deck to enjoy the golden light and sea breeze as you sail through wildlife-rich Isfjorden under the Arctic sun.

Days 3 to 5: Starting your circumnavigation of Svalbard

The goal is to attempt a full circumnavigation of the Svalbard archipelago over the course of your voyage, including a visit to remote Kvitøya, home to polar bears and steeped in Arctic exploration history.

Early highlights often include Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, known for its deep fjords, dramatic mountain ranges and massive glaciers that calve into turquoise waters.

Watch for seabird colonies teeming with guillemots, little auks and murres – especially now, as their chicks begin to hatch. You might also spot beluga whales, seals and even reindeer grazing on shore.

You’ll visit places like Signehamna Bay and Kongsbreen (King’s Glacier), and may call at Ny-Ålesund, one of the world’s northernmost settlements, with a research station, post office, and museum.

Day 6: Travelling north to the ice edge

Today, you’ll push farther north toward the edge of the polar pack ice – a land of silence, sea and ice floes.

If conditions allow, you’ll navigate toward Nordaustlandet and beyond to Kvitøya (White Island), one of the most remote islands in the archipelago. This region is steeped in exploration history and known for its stark, beautiful landscapes, as well as its wildlife.

As always, the exact route will depend on weather, ice and wildlife activity, but your expedition team will take full advantage of whatever nature offers.

Days 7 & 8: Tracing the path of Arctic explorers

As you explore the eastern and northern reaches of the archipelago, you'll experience some of Svalbard’s most remote and rarely visited landscapes.

You’ll attempt to reach Kvitøya – nearly completely ice-covered and one of the closest islands to Franz Josef Land. This island was the final resting place of Swedish explorer Salomon August Andrée’s ill-fated balloon expedition.

Kvitøya is rarely accessible, but if you make it, it may offer another rare opportunity to spot polar bears in their natural habitat.

Days 9 & 10: The wonders of Northwest Svalbard

Expect to encounter significant sea ice in the vast Northwest Svalbard Nature Reserve, which includes all of Nordaustlandet and rugged parts of Spitsbergen.

In this remote and windswept corner of the Arctic, the Austfonna ice cap rises like a white wall above the sea. You may approach Bråsvellbreen, a 28-mile (45 km) ice cliff and one of the Arctic’s most impressive sights.

While vegetation is sparse here, birdlife is abundant. The seabird cliffs of Alkefjellet are alive with pink-footed geese, glaucous gulls, little auks, snow buntings and more. This region is also known for regular sightings of polar bears and walruses.

Day 11: Wild south and the tundra valleys

In the Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve, you’ll discover hundreds of islands and sweeping tundra valleys.

On Edgeøya and Barentsøya, endemic Svalbard reindeer roam across the grassy plains, while Arctic foxes emerge from their dens to hunt. Ground-nesting birds like geese and eiders gather in numbers, and walrus often haul out on gently sloping beaches.

Historic sites dot the coastline, revealing stories from the days of whaling and trapping.

Later, explore the dramatic landscapes of South Spitsbergen National Park. Visit glacier-fed fjords like Hornsund, and perhaps sail into the quiet bay of Bellsund, where relics from old whaling stations – wooden boats, cabins and thousands of bones – lie preserved in the Arctic cold.

Days 12 & 13: West Coast wonders

As you complete your circumnavigation, your ship will return to Spitsbergen’s west coast, where more discoveries await.

One potential highlight is Alkhornet, a dramatic coastal cliff home to more than 10,000 pairs of seabirds. The area around the cliffs is a magnet for Arctic foxes and reindeer, drawn in by the nesting activity.

Day 14: Disembark in Longyearbyen

Enjoy a final breakfast on board before saying farewell to your expedition team and fellow travellers. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight (or into town if you're planning to stay longer in Svalbard).

By now, the Arctic has likely left its mark on you, and you might already be thinking about your next polar adventure.

NOTE: This itinerary is for guidance only as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions, and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is key and all part of the adventure of an expeditionary cruise.