Svalbard: Arctic wildlife - 10 days

Photogallery "Svalbard"

This small-group arctic expedition is a “must do” for explorers, photographers and film makers. We will visit some of the most fascinating and remote areas in the northeast of Svalbard. This is polar bear land and every day you have to be prepared to meet the biggest land living predator of our planet. Luckily, being close to a curious bear is save, as long as we stay on the boat. But, of course, it is nature – so the animals decide what we get to see and not the other way! Every single expedition is different from the other – also for us, working in the arctic for many years.

Our route on board the SY Skydancer will take us north after leaving Longyearbyen, along the island of Prins Karls Forland with its walrus colonies and a lagoon where we hope snorkel with seals.

North of Kongsfjord we will enter the true arctic wilderness which is covered by sea ice most of the year.

Our tour schedule will depend on the weather conditions. But every day we can decide doing land/photo excursions, searching for wildlife while cruising along the coast and fjord and visit various dive sites.

 

Highlights

  • Walrus colonies and walruses in the water (for security reasons, diving with walruses is only permitted in areas where we see only female / young animals)
  • Bearded seals, harbor seals, harp seals and other seals (diving with seals is usually possible)
  • Many polar bears in the north and east
  • Good chances of spotting beluga whales, humpbacks and minke whales
  • Occasionally it is possible to see a blue whale, bowhead whale, or narwhals
  • Clifftop bird colonies bustling with nesting seabirds
  • Polar foxes, reindeer (a special species, very small in stature), ptarmigan, king eider, ivory seagull and other bird species
  • Magnificent landscape and glaciers
  • Bright days and nights thanks to the midnight sun
  • Unique high arctic underwater world