UNDISCOVERED SVALBARD High Arctic Adventure - 8 Days
Journey to the Svalbard Archipelago in the high Arctic, in a summer adventure tour of spectacular Spitsbergen island. Svalbard s pristine arctic landscape and its stunning wildlife is a photographer s dream. Guests will experience a true arctic adventure with a fjord boat safari along the gigantic glaciers that descend from the dramatic summits into the Greenland sea, trekking across valleys and canyons, and looking for a passage between majestic multi-coloured mountains. In Spring and Summer, Svalbard s wildlife is in abundance: wild reindeer grazing in spectacular valleys, seals and walruses basking on the ice oes, and the polar bear, reigning over this pristine Arctic wilderness. This expedition is designed for true adventurers. Over 8 days, guests journey by open boat around the island through the stunning bays and fjords of Spitsbergen. Following the paths of Arctic explorers, take a fascinating journey through Svalbard s Soviet ghost towns with comfortable hotel style accommodation and delicious full board catering. All the major wonders of Svalbard in a breath-taking fjord safari See the majestic glaciers of Esmark and Nordenskjøld and the spectacular fjords and mountains of Svalbard: Isfjord, Grønfjord, Alkehornet, and Pyramiden. Visit the legendary Isfjord radio weather station and the Russian ghost towns of Pyramiden and Grumant. Program duration: 8 days / 7 nights Fitness Requirements: Moderate Age Limit: 15 years (Minimum)
Day 1 Arrival. Sea trip Longyearbyen Barentsburg Arrive at Longyearbyen Transfer from the airport to the Arctic Travel Centre in Longyearbyen for a tour brie ng on our itinerary, equipment, safety and all-weather clothing. With waterproof clothing we start our Arctic journey from the harbour aboard our open boat Polarcirkel. Our rugged go anywhere boat is a safe and exhilarating way to explore Spitsbergen s magnificent fjords. Departing at around 10pm with the aid of continuous summer daylight, we set out for a fjord safari journey towards Barentsburg, a little piece of Russia on Svalbard, located on the eastern side of Grønfjord. Our route takes us through picturesque Isfjord which is teeming with wildlife during the summer. There are opportunities to view arctic bird colonies, walruses, belugas and polar bears. The journey will take around 2 hours. Once in Barentsburg we check-in to the Barentsburg hotel and enjoy a delicious light dinner served to the room.
Day 2 A piece of Russia Barentsburg. Boat & Trekking tour to Bride s Waterfalls. 10 am Guests can enjoy a late breakfast before joining a relaxed sightseeing tour around Russian mining settlement Barentsburg and a visit to the Arctic Art Gallery's exhibits about the discovery of the Arctic and Spitsbergen from the 15th to the 19th century. 2 pm - Guests enjoy a delicious lunch at Barentsburg Hotel restaurant. 3 pm - We set out on fjord safari into the Arctic wilderness towards the spectacular Bride s Stream waterfalls on the opposite side of Grønfjord. The round trip from Barentsburg will take around 5 hours including an optional 6-8 kilometre trek. 8-9pm Our evening starts with a beer tasting event at the Red Bear, the northernmost brewery in the world. Guests will enjoy a Russian themed dinner with menu specialties based on fresh fish caught in Grønfjord. Overnight in Barentsburg.
Day 3 Lakes and Trappers History: Barentsburg- Linné Lake- Starostin Hut- Festningen Cape- Barentsburg 6.30 - An Optional early morning underground tour of Barentburg s working coal mine to experience the daily life of an Arctic miner. You will be provided with miner s clothing and a safety helmet, and sign yourself in, like all miners starting their shift. As you approach the entrance of the mine and light from the outside fades away, you will embark on a fascinating underground journey. 9.30AM - Breakfast at the hotel followed by another journey on the open boat to the east side of Grønfjord to Starostin Cape. We go ashore and continue with a gentle 2 km walk to picturesque Linné Lake. Following a short briefing you will have the option of a short kayak trip for up to 2 hours along Linné Lake. Alternatively, you may choose to join a guided walking trip in fascinating surroundings around the lake. 3 pm We sit down for an expedition lunch at the authentic Cape Starostin cabin listening as our guide recount the history of the Pomors - Russian hunters who came from the White Sea and trapped for fur on Svalbard from 1700 to 1850. The most famous Russian trapper Ivan Starostin spent 39 winters on Svalbard, including fifteen in a row. After lunch there s the option of a hike around Russekaila Bay to Festningen Cape. The cape is the location of the lighthouse marking the entrance to Grønfjord. The trek is around 6 km. Alternatively guests may choose travel to Festningen Cape by open boat. We return to Barentsburg aboard the open boat. Dinner at the hotel and overnight in Barentsburg.
Day 4 Boat safari Barentsburg-Ymerbukta- Esmark Glacier- Trygghamna- Alkehornet- Isfjord Radio-Barentsburg and husky shelter 8 AM - Meet for breakfast at the hotel before embarking on an exciting open boat safari to the west side of the fjord. First we travel to Ymerbukta to see the amazing Esmark Glacier which is 15 kms wide. We continue to Trygghamna and go ashore to see the remains of the Pomor hunter settlements from the 18th century. We also visit the mighty bird cliffs of Alkehornet with thousands of nesting birds. On this safari we have an excellent chance of viewing whales, seals and even the king of the Arctic, the polar bear. We stop for an expedition lunch along the way. On our return journey we stop at the cozy cafe Isfjord Radio located on Linné Cape, for hot fragrant drinks and delicacies. 6 PM Dinner at Barentsburg restaurant. In the evening we offer an optional guided tour to the husky shelter with all breeds of Russian sledge dogs used in the Russian Arctic. You can also take an optional dog-trekking tour to Cape Heer. Alternatively guests may opt to hire a snowmobile and follow the same route.
Day 5 Ghost Towns of Svalbard: Barentsburg-Coles Bay-Grumant Longyearbyen-Pyramiden Breakfast. Today we leave Barentsburg and continue our exploration of Svalbard s spectacular wildlife. First, we start on our boat safari towards the abandoned settlement of Grumant on Coles Bay. Grumant is a high Arctic ghost town tucked between the mountains and Coles Bay. In the 1950 s Grumant was the largest settlement on Svalbard with up to 1200 people. The USSR-owned Arcticugol Company was running the mine in Grumant and a port in nearby Coles Bay. Between the town and the port a narrow gauge railway line still exists. The settlement was abandoned in the early 1960's. There is the option of a hike up the mountain to a height of around 500m. At the the top we are rewarded with an epic view over Isfjorden and all the surroundings. After a visit to Grumant and Coles Bay we hike down to the Rusanov cabin. The trekking route is around 5 kms. We continue by open boat alongside the Adventdalen valley and arrive in Longyearbyen in around 30 minutes. After a light lunch at the Guesthouse Russkiy Dom, we continue our journey to the high Arctic Soviet ghost town of Pyramiden located north of Isfjord. The journey will take around 90 minutes. After arriving in Pyramiden we have dinner and stay overnight at the Soviet-style Pyramiden Hotel.
Day 6 Ghost town of Pyramiden and the Nordenskjold glacier We meet for breakfast and then set off in our open boat for a wildlife photo-safari on the Nordenskiøld glacier along valleys and canyons. Steadily we make our way closer to the glacier, known as the jewel of Svalbard, the most stunning and largest glacier in the archipelago. We will pass slowly along its magnificent front to give guests the maximum opportunity to observe and take photographs of the surrounding icebergs and the wildlife that we are likely to encounter. After returning to Pyramiden we enjoy dinner and a guided introduction tour around the settlement which retains its Soviet ambience. This community was founded by Sweden in the beginning of the 20th century and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. The town was a showcase to the West exhibiting to the world the excellence of the communist system. In the late nineties, Pyramiden was closed and remained virtually abandoned with all its infrastructure preserved intact. All the buildings are in excellent condition and although the hotel is inhabited, silence reigns over Pyramiden, as the settlement itself remains empty. Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in Pyramiden.
Day 7 Trekking to the top of Pyramiden Mountain (Optional) We meet for breakfast in the Soviet-style dining room of the hotel. Today guests are offered a challenging opportunity to walk to the top of Pyramiden Mountain (937m). After passing along the roads left from the mining development the route continues along the hiking path. The terrain steadily becomes rugged and steep, and relatively challenging. The final part of the climb which is a few meters right to the top requires special equipment provided by the guides. Whether you choose to climb to the top or not, the tour is truly an awesome endeavour with incomparable views over the majestic Arctic landscape past the ghost mining settlement of Pyramiden, across the magnificent Billefjord and the surrounding glaciers running to Lomonosov plain. Near the summit we will enjoy a well-deserved lunch with a spectacular view. Day 8 Boat safari Pyramiden-Skanska bay- Longyearbyen. Departure After a delicious breakfast, guests are given the option of a walking tour or a bicycle tour through Pyramiden s spectacular surroundings. After lunch we leave Pyramiden and take the open boat for our journey back to Longyearbyen. Along the way we are likely to encounter whales in Isfjord. By late afternoon we arrive to Longyearbyen and a farewell dinner at Kroa restaurant. Later guests are transferred to the airport and their evening departure to Tromso or Oslo.
The Barentsburg Hotel is a newly built 4-level hotel facing the Olaf mountain. Has 43 European style rooms,from single and twin rooms to luxury suites.the Hotel features a restaurant with spectacular views of Grønfjord Bay. Each oor has its own drying room for guests outdoor clothing and boots. The Pyramiden Hotel is located near the impressive Nordenskiöld glacier. Featuring 23 Twin/Double rooms, in both European and Soviet style rooms. European style rooms are each equipped with toilet and shower. Soviet style rooms have a toilet and a sink with shared shower facilities on each oor. The hotel has a Restaurant and a souvenir shop. Grumant Hostel in Longyearbyen is a new and modern 2-level Chalet style building located on the shore of the Adventfjorden. 12 people can be accommodated in 3 basic rooms with partly shared facilities that offer terri c value for money. There is a large breakfast room with a good kitchen and Wi-Fi throughout. Barentsburg s Pomor Hostel is modern 2-level budget hotel style accommodation with views to Mount Olaf and beautiful Grønfjord Bay. Has 30 refurbished rooms, incl. double rooms and triple rooms with shared facilities on each floor. Each floor has a fully equipped kitchen and there is Wi-Fi access throughout the building.
Inclusions All accommodation and all meals; Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; All Airport transfers from Longyearbyen; All activities listed in the itinerary including Kayaking, Cycling and Hiking; Open Boat journeys and fuel; Rental of Polar Expedition survival Kits and safety equipment including first aid, portable emergency radio set, satellite phone, GPS-navigator, and emergency rescue beacon ; An English-speaking guide; TOUR PRICE From $3,999 AUD Per Person Twin / Share Single room supplement 450 AUD Guaranteed Departure... Barentsburg Pyramiden Longyearbern Barentsøya The Price does not include Flights to/from Longyearbyen Any optional tours Alcohol drinks Gratuities / Tips for guides Extra nights in Longyearbyen Guest House AUD 190 per night Please note all prices are subject to currency fluctuations
DATES 2018 JUNE 11-18 18-25 25-2/07 JULY 2-9 7-16 16-23 23-30 30-7/08 AUGUST 6-13 13-20 20-27 27-3/09 SEPTEMBER 3-10
DATES 2019 JUNE 10-17 17-24 24-1/07 JULY 1-8 8-15 15-22 22-29 29-5/08 AUGUST 5-12 12-19 19-26 26-2/09 SEPTEMBER 2-9
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