Svalbard Explorer Best of High Arctic Norway

Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

Your Svalbard Explorer Expedition begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.

Included Meals

Meals on your own today

Accommodations

Airport hotel

Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard & embark

This morning, it’s wheels up as we board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, the heart of Spitsbergen and your gateway to the Arctic wild. Once aboard the ship, get ready for a moment you’ll never forget—your first glimpse of glacier-draped mountains rising from icy blue waters like something out of a dream. Your Svalbard Explorer Small Ship Expedition Adventure has begun!

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Explorer

Exploring Spitsbergen

You’ll cruise around this magical island on a constant search for wildlife. Your expedition will cover western Spitsbergen as well as stunning fjords to the north. From polar flora to immense glaciers, the natural landscape here is just as varied as the wildlife.

Each expedition presents new opportunities and different weather and ice conditions. Consequently, there is no fixed itinerary. However, some of the places we may visit include the 14th of July Glacier, Smeerenburg, Alkefjellet and the Hinlopen Strait. The destinations we visit will be selected for optimum wildlife viewing with an appreciation of the history and geology of Spitsbergen.

The island offers multiple opportunities for wildlife photography. Since most of Svalbard’s Arctic ecosystem is uninhabited and well-protected, this remote archipelago is one of the world’s best places to spot polar bears against stunning natural backdrops of mountains and ice. The towering cliffs of Alkefjellet provide homes to thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Coming across a walrus haul-out is a moment you won’t soon forget. Get a chance to witness the intimate gatherings of giant pinnipeds as they haul out together on small coastal strips.

On our Svalbard expedition, we’re not just getting you close to nature—we’re taking you into it. Picture this: boots on Arctic tundra, fresh polar air in your lungs, and a landscape so wild and untouched it practically hums with possibility.

We’ll get you off the ship and onto land as much as possible—with small-group hikes tailored to what you’re craving. Want to take it slow and soak it all in? There’s a contemplative group for that. Into photography, medium treks, or heart-pumping hikes? We’ve got those too. You choose your pace, your path, your kind of adventure.

Every hike is interpretive, meaning our guides will bring the landscape to life—from the tiniest alpine flower to soaring seabirds and the rock formations that tell stories millions of years old. And yes, we’ll be on the lookout for polar wildlife every step of the way.

When you return to the ship, we’ll gather to share what we saw, what we felt, and the moments that took our breath away. Because in Svalbard, discovery isn’t just what you see—it’s what awakens inside you.

If you’re itching to experience a more intimate view from the water, you can book the sea kayaking or paddling excursion adventure options.

In Spitsbergen, there is no shortage of natural beauty. The tundra can be surprisingly colorful in summer, with wildflowers bursting for a taste of
sunshine.

Each day, you’ll see something interesting, whether it is an ever-changing gallery of spectacular icebergs, a polar bear resting between hunts, or an abandoned historical site from centuries ago.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Explorer

Disembark in Longyearbyen & Fly to Helsinki

All great adventures must come to a close—and our Svalbard Explorer Expedition ends where it began, in the legendary Arctic outpost of Longyearbyen. It’s time to say goodbye to your expedition crew and the incredible shipmates who’ve become like family. The wild may be behind you (for now), but the memories? They’re yours forever.

From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the transfer package.

Included Meals

Breakfast

Accommodations

 Airport Hotel- TBD

Onward Flight Home

After breakfast, you can make your way to the airport for your onward flight home, or stay to explore Finland’s culturally-rich capital on your own if you’ve made prior arrangements.

Included Meals

Breakfast