SVALBARD, ICELAND & EAST GREENLAND
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16 DAYS
On this Arctic voyage visit Svalbard, East Greenland and Iceland. See polar bears, sea birds, 16th century whaling sites, beautiful landscapes, bays filled with icebergs, glaciers, towering mountains and remote villages.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
| Day 1 | Oslo, Norway | Explore the capital city of Norway |
| Day 2 | Embark Longyearbyen | After a flight to Longyearbyen embark on your voyage |
| Day 3-15 | Explore Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland | View Polar bears, walrus, seals, seabirds, glaciers and incredible landscapes |
| Day 16 | Reykjavik, Iceland | Disembark the ship in Reykjavik, Iceland |
SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
National Geographic Explorer
National Geographic Explorer was completely redesigned and rebuilt prior to being relaunched in 2008. The ship is equipped with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment making it ideal for Antarctic expeditions, and offers a well-appointed interior with vast expanses of glass for an unprecedented connection to the regions explored. The Explorer accommodates guests in 81 spacious outside cabins, most with feature windows and some with balconies. Public areas include a lounge and bar, a spa, fitness centre and sauna, and a choice of dining options that offer regionally inspired cuisine.
Day 1 Oslo, Norway
Arrive in Oslo, the capital city where each year the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the presence of the King of Norway.
Arrive in Oslo, the capital city of Norway. Enjoy a stroll amoung the Vigeland sculpture, hunderds of life-sized human figures in a park. Continue on the Polar Ship Fram Museum which is dedicated to Norwegian explorers Nansen and Amundsen. You have the evening at your leisure to enjoy a good night’s rest and perhaps visit one of the nearby restaurants.
Stay overnight at the Thon Hotel Bristol, or similar.
Day 2 Embark Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Take a charter flight to from Oslo to Longyearbyen where you will board the National Geographic Explorer and set sail. Enjoy the beautiful mountains surrounding the small town of Longyearbyen as you pull out into the waters surrounding Spitsbergen. As you cruise around Svalbard you will be spoiled with deep fjords, snow-capped mountains, huge sheets of ice, and the opportunity to view Polar Bears up close in their natural habitat.
Days 3-15 Exploring Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland
As with all polar expeditions the itinerary is kept flexible as it is determined heavily on weather. Our main focus is to find Svalbard’s amazing wildlife: polar bears, reindeer, walrus, seals, arctic foxes and sea birds. Spend your days on board Zodiacs cruising around icebergs or on kayaking getting an up-close view of hard to access areas of the region. Visit the foot of tidewater glaciers and see the wildflowers that give colour to this remote region in the High Arctic.
On the east coast of Greenland your crew will aim to enter Scoresbysund, it will all depend on weather conditions. If the ice is impenetrable the ship will explore alternative fjords. Either way you will be enchanted by Greenland as you cruise through dramatic landscapes where the ship is merely a spec in its surrounding.
The finale of the journey is the west coast of Iceland. Home to some of nature’s wonders the ship will pass the immense Látrabjarg cliffs, home to a huge population of razorbills, Flatey Island, a former trading post, and Ísafjörður, a picture postcard of Icelandic life.
Day 16 Reykjavik, Iceland
Your cruise comes to an end in Iceland’s lively capital city, Reykjavík. Have a guided overview of the old town, and visit the famous Blue Lagoon thermal baths, prior to your flight home.