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Enjoy the best of Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs, and beluga whales rise from the sea. Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers, keep watch for arctic fox, and discover historical camps of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to find walrus and bearded seals, and delight in the breathtakingly beautiful fjords.
Day Place Highlights
Day 1 Oslo Arrive in Oslo transfer to your hotel and enjoy your free time
Day 2 Longyearbyen Charter flight to Longyearbyen for embarkation
Days 3-11 Svalbard View Polar bears, walrus, seabirds and incredible landscapes and choose an optional activity and participate in a polar plunge
Day 12 Longyearbyen Disembark the ship in Longyearbyen, fly to Oslo
The Greg Mortimer is a purpose built, polar expedition vessel taking 130 guests whose maiden voyage was in 2019. This vessel has been designed in close consultation with Antarctic expedition specialists and was the first expedition cruise ship designed with the ULSTEIN X-BOW hull. This cutting edge nautical technology allows for gentle travel and motion at sea, improved comfort and safety on-board, reduced vibrations, lower fuel consumption and emissions and ‘virtual anchoring’ which means the ship can float anchor-less while launching the Zodiacs without disturbing delicate sea floor areas. There are four sea-level launching platforms for fast and efficient access to and from Zodiacs.
Having made your way to Oslo transfer to your hotel. The remainder of your time is at leisure.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for our charter flight to Longyearbyen for embarkation. In Longyearbyen, explore the town on a guided excursion tour.
Drive to Camp Barentz, located in Advent Valley and enjoy a presentation and the opportunity to meet the friendly huskies and perhaps pick up some souvenirs. A visit to the Svalbard Museum is included back in town before embarking the vessel in the late afternoon.
Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. Our experienced expedition team their expertise to design our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options based on weather, sea-ice conditions and wildlife encounters.
Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges and a polar desert rich in fossils set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, stretch our legs on walks across tundra coming out in brightly-coloured wildflowers. We visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies. Most memorable are encounters with the majestic polar bear on pack ice.
If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you’ll have the option to enjoy the activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you’ll hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating plunge, a memory you’ll savour for years to come.
During the early morning, we cruise into Longyearbyen and disembark at approximately 8.00 am. Farewell your Expedition Team and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for your return charter flight to Oslo to continue your journey.