Svalbard Arctic Wildlife - Polar Bear Cruise Expedition

In the remote northern reaches, between Norway and the North Pole, lies one of the world’s northernmost inhabited places, comprising a vast area of icebergs, ice-fields, fjords and unspoilt Arctic wilderness. Literally meaning ‘Cold Coast’, Svalbard is home to the magnificent ‘King of the Arctic’ - the mighty polar bear. Journey through the fjords, each inlet revealing historical mining settlements, magnificent glaciers and a wealth of wildlife inhabiting the tundra; including walrus, seals, seabirds and whales. Marvel at the white-capped mountains fronted by desolate tundra, glittering glaciers under a constant midnight sun and brilliant blue skies in the summer months. As the ice begins to melt, the wildlife of the archipelago is joined by wildflowers, flora and fauna. 

Focused on putting you in the right place at the right time to maximise your wildlife opportunities, our expert expedition leaders have extensive experience working in the Polar regions. Our expert team is on hand throughout to make sure you get the best out of your time in the land of the polar bears.

July or August is one of the best times to cruise through the Svalbard archipelago. You still have the nesting bird colonies, Blue Whales are there, and most importantly the more remote areas around Svalbard will be accessible for better wildlife viewing. August is also the time when you still have 24 hours of light along with colorful sunrises and sunsets.

The Ship - MS Origo

This exclusive small ship charter will navigate through the Svalbard wilderness and icy waters of the High Arctic. We will focus on photographic opportunities, but our expeditions are well suited for anyone interested in wildlife experiences. The guides aboard the small vessel MS Origo are Norwegian and Swedish, all of them have years of experience hiking and exploring the Norwegian landscape and Svalbard nature. The expedition ship MS Origo is a best suited ship among all other ships to do expeditions in Svalbard. It is also the best ship to photograph low angle pictures. It is like made for photography. It hosts only a small group of guests of maximum 12 pax unlike other ships which might have 30 or even more guests.

Whilst the Polar Bear is undoubtedly a highlight of any Svalbard Expedition, there is also a surprising myriad of other Arctic wildlife, despite the harsh cold weather. Arctic foxes, countless seals and piles of blubbery walruses; there is an extensive amount of wildlife to be encountered on your frozen adventure. Spot different types of whales such as humpbacks, minke, beluga and orcas, breaching from the water. Listen to the bewildering number of nesting birds twittering from the cliffs and flying in clouds of shifting patterns; the Atlantic puffin, arctic terns and guillemots.

We assemble for this Tour at Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and depart from the same place. 

Day 1: You are expected to arrive in Longyearbyen before evening. We meet at a designated location and will be transferred to our ship around 5pm in the evening. After completing all required paper work we will board our ship and leave from Longyearbyen. After settling down, we meet for an introductory dinner and discuss the plans for the rest of the days while our ship will cruise steadily in a northwesterly direction.

Day 2-10: 

From this day onwards, there is no set itinerary for the rest of the Tour until our return to Longyearbyen after 10 days.

The progress of the expedition will be largely dictated by the prevailing weather conditions and the sea ice distribution. Every day your tour leader, along with other expedition leaders and the support crew, will monitor the conditions closely using ice maps and other tools, and determine the best strategy and routes to move forward in a safe and enjoyable way. Our guides and travel leaders know how to handle the constantly changing weather, drifting ice conditions and wildlife on the move, 24 hours a day. Every day is different, every year is different, and the High Arctic nature is in constant change.

For most of our day, we will stay on the deck and look out for all kinds of wildlife and landscape observation and photography opportunities. We focus on seeing all the different wildlife around Svalbard at this time of the year, among them of course are polar bears, blue whales, walruses and seals. Landscapes and scenery is also outstanding for photographic opportunities if you know where to look and what to look for. 

When any wildlife is spotted, after getting some preliminary photographs, we will attempt to approach it by climbing onto a Zodiac, if the leadership team finds the situation safe to do so for all parties concerned. Using our Zodiacs we can sometimes come very close and most times on eye level to wildlife like polar bears, walruses, seals, and sometimes even arctic foxes. Svalbard is a vast wilderness and the wildlife follow the drifting ice. 

When you are not watching and photographing wildlife, the ship’s solidity and comfort will ensure you have a smooth time relaxing. Scrumptious buffet meals feature elaborate vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. We will have interactive sessions and photography tips and tricks discussion and also review the pictures made during the course of the day, making your time indoors as productive as when you’re out spotting wildlife. Meanwhile the crew will work hard to keep everything running smoothly.

Day 11: On this day we return to Longyearbyen at around 09:00 a.m. from where we take our flights for home.

Please note: Please book your flights keeping in mind the trip start time on Day 1 and end time on Day 11. In case you have to stay an extra day at Longyearbyen before or after the trip, the hotel booking has to be made by you.

To register for this photography tour/expedition you may send us your query/information through the ‘Contact Us’ tab or directly write to us at info@wildwondersexpeditions.com. We will revert soon with further details and the mode of payment. You may also give us a call at the below numbers.

+91 9874847774 / +91 7439705797