Sail to the North of Spitsbergen on board MV Antarctic Dream. After many requests, we are offering this voyage as a Polar Bear Special, with an itinerary allowing for more bear encounters. The main difference is that we will not visit the Kongsfjord area (Ny Aalesund), but spend extra time in the pack-ice north of Spitsbergen.

50 Degrees North offers unique, small-group expedition voyages to the Arctic that allow you to enjoy the natural wildlife and scenery of some of the world’s most spectacular and pristine shorelines.

Countries visited

• Svalbard

Places visited

• Longyearbyen
• Ny Ålesund
• Krossfjorden
• Spitsbergen
• Alkefjellet
• Nordaustlandet
• Isfjorden

Transportation

M/v Antarctic Dream is a Dutch built ice-reinforced vessel that served under the name Piloto Pardo for the Chilean Navy. She was rebuilt as a passenger vessel and completely refurbished in 2005, and features a spacious dining room / observation lounge, bar, lecture room, fitness room plus sauna and an accessible passenger bridge. The vessel offers accommodation for 84 passengers in 42 twin cabins with private toilet and shower. 4 Suites, 16 Superior cabins and 20 twin private cabins have portholes or windows and either two separate lower beds or queen beds. 2 Additional twin private cabins have no portholes / windows (inside cabins). All cabins have furthermore a desk, closed circuit TV, and inter-cabin phone service. Satellite email and phone service is available on the bridge.

Included In Price

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary. All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea. All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac. Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff. All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme. AECO fees and governmental taxes. Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Meals Included

This tour includes 20 meals; 7 breakfasts 6 lunches 7 dinners

Not Included In Price

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post land arrangements; transfers to / from the vessel outside Spitsbergen; passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

It is agreed that if world fuel prices will reach or exceed US Dollar 80 per Barrel Brent 90 days prior to departure Oceanwide Expeditions reserves the right to levy a fuel surcharge of EURO 18 per passenger per night, to be paid by the contracting party of Oceanwide Expeditions.

Day 1: Arrive Longyearbyen

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Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the surrounding area of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plants have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Dinners

Day 2: Polar Bear search

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We visit Sallyhamna, where the last two years a Fin Whale carcass attracted Polar Bears. Later we sail to Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favoured by Ringed and Bearded Seals. The cliffs and shoreline of the fjord also support thriving seabird colonies and a surprisingly rich vegetation, which flourishes in sheltered spots.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 3: Liefdefjorden

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Depending on the weather we may now sail to the mouth of Liefdefjorden and go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favourite feeding spot for thousands of Kittiwakes and on previous voyages Polar Bears have been seen on the glacier, providing wonderful opportunities for photography.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 4: Hinlopen Strait

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Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to Bearded Seals, Ringed Seals, Polar Bears, and Ivory Gulls. We'll navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in our zodiacs and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet with thousands of Brünnich's guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopenstrait, we'll attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls, and Walruses.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 5: Phippsøya

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In the morning we will try to land at Laagoya, a haul-out place for Walrusses. We then reach our northernmost point at Phippsøya, in the Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here we will be at 81 degrees north, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar Bears inhabit this region, along with Ivory Gulls. We may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in our spectacular surroundings and seeing a Ross Gull, before we turn south again.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 6: Raudfjord

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Retracing our route westwards, we sail all the time through and along the pack-ice, on the watch for Polar Bears and the elusive Greenland Whale ( Bowhead).

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 7: St. John's Fjord

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We land at the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland near Fuglehuken, where Barentsz probably set foot on Spitsbergen for the first time. Seabirds nest on the cliffs and along the coast we see Harbour Seals, the only population found in Spitsbergen. Further we also will observe the remains of the Polar Bear hunting era, with demolished set guns and bear traps. At the opposite site of Forlandsundet at Sarstangen is a haul out place for Walruses. Alternatively we sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden and land at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on its cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks, while Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. In the night we arrive at Longyearbyen.

Accommodation

m/v Antarctic Dream

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 8: Disembark Longyearbyen

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We disembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for the flights south to Oslo and onward home.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts