Swoop says
Nothing prepares you for the rush of adrenaline when a polar bear is spotted on the horizon. Scanning the vast, empty sea ice in the freezing wind from the deck of your expedition ship, and then suddenly you see it. A truly unforgettable experience.
Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Arctic
Our most popular Arctic trips
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
This popular introduction to Svalbard is keenly priced and, with numerous early season departures, guarantees plenty of ice. Sail onboard one of the newest ships in polar waters and spot bears from the plentiful deck space. Optional kayaking and hiking…
- 11 Days
- $9,761
Truly escape the modern world and explore Svalbard on board a schooner. Sail north through the melting spring ice, spot wildlife and learn about the archipelago’s rich history. Highlights include the Monaco Glacier, 17th century whaling settlements, close encounters with…
- 11 Days
- $6,000
Travelling in luxury aboard an outstanding expedition ship, we love this trip for its unusual combination of Svalbard and Norway’s northern tip, plus its focus on top-notch service and cuisine. After a hassle-free flight from Oslo to Svalbard, spend seven…
- 11 Days
- $17,600
Reach the top of the world in serious comfort onboard a state-of-the-art luxury, hybrid-powered icebreaker. Travel north through icebound waters and join the exclusive list of intrepid explorers who have visited the geographical North…
- 13 Days
- $38,798
The big ice and small towns of West Greenland provide a stunning start to this trip before you sail across the Davis Straight to Baffin Island and enter the Northwest Passage. Blend history, scenery and wildlife; pay your respects at…
- 17 Days
- $13,297
Spending time exploring Canada’s historic Northwest Passage and West Greenland, we like this voyage’s balance and variety as much as exploring little visited spots such as Thule, one of the northernmost towns in the world, and Smith Sound. Big ice,…
- 17 Days
- $23,790
Exploring East Greenland’s wild, dramatic coastline on board a small, custom-built polar ship, this is expedition cruising at its very best. Hike the autumnal tundra in search of musk oxen during the day, with a strong chance to see the…
- 11 Days
- $13,995
Sailing in August or September, explore the massive fjords of East Greenland and their legendary icebergs, spot musk oxen and visit ancient and modern Inuit settlements. Late summer provides a great chance of spotting the Northern Lights. A choice of…
- 10 Days
- $6,250
This might be a short trip but it packs a huge amount in. Sail among the ice of Disko Bay and spot humpbacks hunting herring; trek to the look out over Jakobshavn Glacier; explore the settlements of Sisimiut and Itilleq…
- 8 Days
- $8,836
Encounter the King of the Arctic up close, with an exceptionally high chance of sightings in October and November. Small groups explore the tundra in exclusive vehicles with a specialist guide when the bear migration peaks. You'll also learn about…
- 6/7 Days
- $8,495
Land-based mammals
Polar bears
Undoubtedly the King of the Arctic, the mighty polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large mammal, growing up to 2.7m long and 720kg in weight. Their thick insulating fur allows them to camouflage with the snow, whereas their skin is black, to allow for better absorption of heat from the sun.
Typically, males are solitary, and are often territorial and aggressive, whereas females will live with their young for up to 28 months, spending time to teach the young important survival skills. In Churchill, there is the opportunity to get up close with bears in large tundra buggies, giving a chance for that once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot.
Polar bear with cubs, Spitsbergen
Arctic fox
Otherwise known as Vulpes lagopus, this small, omnivorous land mammal has adapted to the far North, with the ability to survive frigid temperatures as low as -50°C.
It can be found in Svalbard, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Iceland making its appearance on your trip highly likely.
They can often be seen tunnelling into snow to create burrows as a way to evade predators, though its seasonal blue/grey fur allows for superb winter camouflage when it's out on the hunt.
They tend to live in small family groups, rather than larger packs. During the breeding season in the summer, you could expect a monogamous adult pair to be living with the current litter of kits.
Arctic fox
Reindeer
The reindeer is an Arctic tundra mammal, which is found largely in Svalbard and some areas of the Canadian Arctic. Though they are permanent residents of the Arctic, some herds in the Canadian Arctic do migrate vast distances as the seasons change.
Their meat and warm pelts make them important domesticated animals for many Arctic peoples.
Contrary to popular belief, both males and females have antlers, with the bull of the herd usually boasting the largest.
During the winter, they rely on lichen for food, sniffing it out below the deep snow.
Reindeer at Svalbard
Musk ox
Noted for its thick coat and stocky stature, the musk ox is a common sight in both the Canadian Arctic and Greenland where they live year-round.
The average ox stands at about 1.5m tall and can weigh anywhere from 180-410kg, depending on season and age.They are able to run up to 37mph and can live up to 20 years.
They are social beasts, living in groups of 10 to 20 animals in the summer months when they graze in low river valleys.
During the long, harsh winter, they can gather in larger groups of around 70 for warmth and protection and will move to higher land where the strong winds expose meagre food.
Arctic hare
This small mammal lives on the tundra of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Unlike other similar mammals, it does not migrate or hibernate, but instead adapts both physiologically and behaviourally to the seasons in order to survive the deep cold of the Arctic winter.
They sometimes dig shelters where they can gather together in large groups to conserve heat, and in winter they can be seen gnawing on wood, mosses, and lichens for nutrition.
During the summer months, they prefer berries and plant roots.
Those that live in the far north stay white year-round due to the ever-present snow cover. Further south, in places like Newfoundland, they have a grey or brown summer coat.
Walrus and seals
Walrus
The Atlantic Walrus is present in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Svalbard, while the Pacific sub species is found from the Bering Sea to the East Siberian Seas.
This iconic Arctic mammal is instantly recognised by its long and curved tusks which can grow up to a metre long and weigh 5kg.
Brown in colour, walrus can appear white after diving, or even pink when they are warm due to a variation in their blood supply to the periphery of their body under different circumstances.
They live in the Arctic year-round though are most commonly seen during the summer months when the retreating sea ice force large herds onto beaches and ice floes. The haul outs can be quite a raucous and noisy spectacle.
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Walrus resting on an ice floe
Bearded seal
The bearded seal is a medium-sized earless seal, well known for its dull brown colour and big bushy beard. Large beasts, they can grow between 2.1-2.7m long and can range from 200 to 430 kg in weight.
It is hardly surprising therefore, that a bearded seal can have a body fat content of up to 40%!
Living in the Arctic year-round, tracking the seasonal ice movements, they are a major food source to both polar bears and Inuit people on the Arctic coasts.
Their skins are also traditionally used to make shoes, dog sled harnesses and in the construction of summer tents.
Ringed seal
The great Phoca hispida is the most common seal throughout the Northern hemisphere and feed largely on Arctic cod and crustaceans.
The ringed seal is also the smallest seal, growing up to a maximum of 1.65m and up to 70kg in weight – a similar size to most humans.
They live in colonies and spend most of their time near shore ice but are physiologically adapted such that they can dive up to 90m deep for up to 45 minutes.
They also tend to blow bubbles before they reach the surface, to evade their number one predator, polar bears.
A ringed seal in Arctic waters
What our customers think of Arctic animals and wildlife
Whales
Bowhead
Measuring up to a gigantic 15–18 metres and over 100,000kg in weight, the bowhead is an incredibly powerful sea beast.
As if to prove this, they use their large heads and powerful bodies to break through sea ice at least 20cm thick, with some reports of bowheads breaking through ice up to 60cm thick!
The key identification marker of this species is its large symmetrical skull, which composes a massive 30% of its body length, and paired blowholes. In addition, bowhead whales don't have dorsal fins.
They stay near pack ice all year round and are generally solitary, though do sometimes form small groups when feeding or migrating.
Bowhead whale
Narwhal
The narwhal is a porpoise found in Arctic coastal waters and, occasionally, in rivers. These visually striking 'Unicorns of the Sea' are largely carnivorous, feeding on fish, shrimp, squid and other aquatic wildlife.
They have two teeth, with the prominent tooth growing through the upper lip up to 2.7 metres long in the male. This presents itself as the large horn that makes narwhal so memorable.
In the winter they generally form close groups of two to ten animals, whereas in the summer they form large herds for their seasonal migrations towards coastal bays and ice-free fjords.
These migratory herds of narhwals can often number in the hundreds, or even thousands.
Narwhal tusks break the surface in the Canadian Arctic
Humpback
With flippers up to 30% of its total body length, the humpback truly is the king of the sea. Each individual has a unique white pattern on the underside of its belly and they can weigh anywhere between 25.4 and 35.5 tonnes.
Lengthwise, they measure between 11–19 metres, with males generally being smaller than females.
They are only migratory visitors to the Arctic in warmer months, often found in the coastal waters and fjords of Greenland, Alaska and Iceland. They will feed here, before heading to their tropical breeding grounds in the winter.
Beluga
The Beluga's bright white appearance make them easily distinguishable to the keen whale spotter.
Unlike most whales, the beluga whale has a flexible neck which allows it to turn its head in all directions. This is a useful trait as, given their small size, they're prey for polar bears and killer whales.
They are very sociable animals, and live together in small groups in the coastal waters and deep ice edges of Svalbard, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Alaska,
Some groups stay in the Arctic year-round while others migrate thousands of kilometres, following the advance and retreat of the sea ice.
Arctic Birds
Despite the harsh conditions in the Arctic, there are around 200 bird species to be found, primarily during the summer breeding season when literally millions of birds nest here.
Coastal cliffs are dominated by enormous seabird colonies, with millions of Atlantic puffins, thick-billed murres and black-legged kittiwakes nesting alongside each other.
On the tundra, and in the wetlands, huge numbers of waterfowl gather such as eider ducks and brent geese. Shorebirds like plovers and sandpiper carpet the coast, hoovering up the insects.
There are also some birds that live here year-round – snowy owls, gyrfalcons and ptarmigans.
Atlantic puffins
Swoop says
The numerous regions which make up the Arctic each have differing fauna and so the area you choose to visit, either on a cruise or on a land excursion, will dictate the wildlife you're likely to see.
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