Itinerary
ARCTIC WILDLIFE SAFARI
DAY 1 (6 July)
Longyearbyen, Svalbard
If you are joining the optional dog sledding, you will have arrived the day before and be ready to go sledding this morning. The inclusive/conference itinerary welcomes you to Longyearbyen today, the administrative capital of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard and starting point of our expedition. After arriving via scheduled commercial flight service, you are free to explore this fascinating Arctic settlement. Be sure to see the excellent Svalbard Museum and take advantage of quality shopping and dining opportunities in the town center. Your hotel for the night is included in the price of the voyage.
(Inc: Accommodation [A] and Dinner [D])
DAY 2 (7 July)
Embarkation
After a morning briefing, we will conference for half a day before departing for the expedition ship M/V Sea Spirit in the afternoon. Explore the ship and get comfortable in your home away from home for the extraordinary adventure to come. Savor the anticipation of your Arctic dreams coming true as we slip our moorings and sail into a true wilderness where wildlife abounds. The scenery as we sail through Isfjorden on our first evening is spectacular and there is already the possibility of marine mammal encounters.
(Inc: Accommodation [A], Breakfast [B], Lunch [L] and Dinner [D])
DAY 3 - 11 (8 - 16 July)
Outside of the conference sessions, the goal for this voyage is a circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago.
During our expedition we hope to experience the many facets of this incredible High Arctic territory. Our exact schedule and route will be shaped by weather and ice. At the peak of the summer season, we expect ice conditions to be favorable for a circumnavigation, so we will make an attempt to go around Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. We also expect there will be enough sea ice around to support ice-dependent animals such as polar bears and walrus. The pristine nature places of Spitsbergen are protected by a system of national parks, and we will try to visit some of them during the voyage. Below you may find what to expect from each of these places.
South Spitsbergen National Park is a vast region of varied landscapes including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges. The centerpiece of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless mighty glaciers cascade from soaring mountaintops into icy inlets. The park also includes the southern shores of Bellsund, a picturesque bay where we find the remains of historical whaling operations, including wooden boats, cabins, and thousands of whale bones—a scene from the distant past, literally frozen in time. Throughout the park, there is always a high probability of wildlife sightings. There are also plenty of possibilities for world-class hiking through wild polar landscapes with fascinating geology. Wildflowers will be at their peak during this time.
Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve is truly a pristine and rarely visited wilderness containing hundreds of uninhabited islands. On the large islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya, broad tundra valleys support the territory’s densest population of endemic Svalbard reindeer. The valleys are also important breeding areas for ground-nesting birds such as geese, eiders and sandpipers. Arctic foxes prowl the vast landscape, seeking to provide food for their young cubs, who are just now emerging from their dens. Shallow, murky seas are ideal feeding grounds for walrus, which can be seen resting in large numbers on gently sloping beaches. Historical sites throughout the islands provide glimpses into the region’s bygone era of trapping and hunting.
(Inc: A, B, L, D)
During this voyage, we expect to encounter significant sea ice concentrations in the enormous Northwest Svalbard Nature Reserve. In this remote and isolated region, ice can persist very late into the summer, giving it a truly polar character. This reserve covers the rugged northwestern parts of Spitsbergen and the entirety of Nordaustlandet, the second largest island in Svalbard. Here we find the massive Austfonna ice cap, part of which meets the sea along the 45-kilometer ice cliff known as Bråsvellbreen—one of the great wonders of the Arctic world. The polar desert environment supports little in the way of vegetation but hosts prodigious numbers of seabirds at breeding sites such as the spectacular sea cliffs of Alkefjellet. The probability of encountering polar bears and walrus in this icy wilderness is very high.
At this time of year, we expect to find the edge of the polar pack ice not too far from Nordaustlandet. We hope to sail along this dynamic boundary between solid sea ice and open ocean. Here we have an unparalleled opportunity to witness the dramatic interplay between polar bears and seals. We will take the ship as close as safely possible to the jumbled and constantly shifting ice floes in the hope of observing polar bears in their preferred habitat.
Northwest Spitsbergen National Park is the crown jewel of Svalbard’s scenic wonders. Here we find deep fjords flanked by serrated mountain ranges and immense tidewater glaciers calving icebergs into turquoise waters. The skies are filled with millions of murres, guillemots and little auks, whose eggs are just now hatching at countless breeding colonies located on small islands, mountainsides and sea cliffs within the park. This is also a great time to encounter marine mammals, including beluga whales and various Arctic seals. Set among this incredible scenery and wildlife activity, we also find evidence of Svalbard’s earliest sealers and whalers.
Human habitation along our route can be found at Ny Ålesund, a former mining town and airship base that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers. This is one of the world’s most northerly settlements where we find a museum, gift shop and post office.
The ambitious Svalbard and Polar Ice Edge route offers a comprehensive view of the Arctic’s many faces. Every day offers something new and exciting. We will not miss a single opportunity to encounter amazing Arctic wildlife, to witness incredible polar scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of historic expeditions that came before.
DAY 12 (17 July)
Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
After breakfast we disembark the ship and head back to the Radisson Blu Hotel (where we began our journey). We have another half day of conferencing, before we join together for a final night dinner and opportunity to recap on what will have been an amazing 2 weeks.
(Inc: A, B, L & D)
DAY 13 (18 July)
Departure
Breakfast is at your own time this morning before you head off for future travels or to return home.
As you look back on your wonderful experience in Svalbard, you may already be looking forward to where COMM will be taking you in 2025!
(Inc: B)
COMM Conference Secretariat
PO Box 3049, Bonnells Bay, NSW 2264
Tel: 02 4973 6573
Email: lwills@secretariat.com.au