Svalbard Landing Sites

Monacobreen sits at the head of Liefdefjorden and is one of Svalbard’s most memorable glacier fronts. Named for the Duke of Monaco, its broad wall of blue ice regularly calves with thunderous impact. It is an excellent spot for rare gulls like ivory and Sabine’s gulls, which glide over the floes or rest on the ice.

When conditions allow, Zodiac cruising among the bergy bits is magical, with crackling ice, shifting colours and close-up views of the glacier face. The combination of wildlife, serenity and explosive drama captures the essence of an Arctic expedition.

Alkefjellet is one of Svalbard’s most exhilarating wildlife spectacles. Sheer dolerite cliffs rise straight from the water, hosting more than 100,000 Brünnich’s guillemots packed onto narrow ledges.

From a Zodiac or kayak, you drift beneath a living wall of birds, surrounded by constant calls and the rush of wings. Arctic foxes sometimes appear along the shoreline, adding tension as they wait for fallen chicks or eggs. The scale, noise and energy make Alkefjellet an unforgettable highlight of any expedition.

One of the northernmost islands of the Svalbard archipelago, at a latitude of 81° degrees north of the equatorial plane, Phippsoya is only 540 nautical miles from the North Pole. Due to its proximity to the permanent pack ice, Phippsoya offers the potential for great polar bear sightings and has certainly lived up to expectation over the years.

Whether you’re fortunate with bear sightings or not, navigating through heavy ice is a thrilling experience and you really do get a sense of being off the map. Being so northerly it’s worth noting that access to Phippsoya can’t be guaranteed, even during the summer months, particularly earlier in the season (May - early July).