Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland from Reykjavik

Voyage Overview

Experience stunning scenery, big icebergs, an Inuit village and the chance for wildlife on this well rounded Arctic expedition.

This comprehensive voyage starts in Reykjavík, Iceland sailing to the East Coast of Greenland. In stunning Scoresby Sund, we discover incredible scenery, enormous icebergs, historical sites, a modern Inuit village, and a wonderful setting for northern lights. Then explore part of the vast and unspoiled Northeast Greenland National Park. In Svalbard we experience the stark beauty of Spitsbergen’s mountainous northwestern coast while searching for polar bears, marine mammals, and other quintessential Arctic wildlife.

Trip Details

Duration: 14 Days

Ship: Sea Spirit, Premium Ship, 114 Guests

Start: Reykjavik, Iceland

End: Longyearbyen, Norway

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive into Reykjavik, Iceland (hotel night)
Welcome to Reykjavík, the world’s northernmost capital city! We’ve arranged a hotel accommodation where you can rest after your flight and get ready for our upcoming Arctic adventures. Still have some energy left? Then use this opportunity to explore the city, which offers various points of interest and attractions for visitors. Enjoy the panoramic city view from the Perlan observation deck, the futuristic Hallgrímskirkja church towering over the city, cozy houses with colorful tin roofs, narrow streets, historic relics of the Viking era and breathtaking landscapes surrounding Reykjavik. We bet you’ll fall in love at first sight! Walk along Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, or visit the Whales of Iceland exhibition and the National Museum. For dinner Reykjavík offers countless options to enjoy an authentic Icelandic meal.

Day 2: Embarkation in Reykjavik
After breakfast at your hotel, the morning is yours to explore the city. Our expedition starts in the afternoon. You’ll be transferred to the pier where our expedition team will offer a warm welcome aboard our comfortable vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled into your spacious cabins and explore the ship — It’ll be your home away from home during the extraordinary adventure to come. After departure, we’ll kick off our adventure with a full schedule of info briefings and introductions from the expedition staff. After a sumptuous dinner, step out onto the open decks to admire the spectacular views as we sail through Faxaflói. And keep your eyes open for whale encounters!

Day 3: At Sea across the Denmark Strait
From Iceland we head toward East Greenland, crossing the Arctic Circle on the way. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff, as well as our range of onboard recreation facilities, ensure that this day at sea is not idly spent. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks as well as exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

Days 4-9: East Greenland Adventure
This is expedition cruising at its most authentic. Our itinerary and exploration opportunities in East Greenland are dependent on weather and sea ice conditions. Again you can be sure that our experienced captain and expedition leader will take advantage of every opportunity to experience excellent wildlife viewing, to discover incredible scenery, and to go ashore wherever possible. The Franz Josef Fjord and Kong Oscar Fjord systems are part of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. Scoresby Sund is the largest and longest fjord system in the world. We anticipate exploring these fjord systems to the extent made possible by ever-changing ice conditions.

Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by ice-clad peaks up to 2000 meters high, reach far into the mountainous heart of Greenland. On shore, fields of multicolored tundra are home to musk oxen and Arctic hare. The landscape—vast, open, and seemingly untouched since the beginning of time—is a hikers’ paradise. Throughout this area we also find ancient Thule archeological sites, historical trappers’ huts, and modern Inuit hunters’ cabins.

The Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit is the only permanent settlement in the region. The community boasts an excellent museum, a gift shop, a post office, an abundance of Greenlandic sled dogs, and of course the opportunity to meet Inuit people.

Day 10-11: At Sea
After our amazing time in East Greenland we head toward Svalbard. All along the way we remain vigilant for sightings of marine mammals such as whales and seals.

Days 12-13: Exploration of Svalbard
In Svalbard, the High Arctic wilderness comes alive, offering an authentic expedition experience. Our route and exploration opportunities depend on the ever-changing weather and sea ice conditions. With our skilled captain and expedition leader, we adapt the itinerary to seize the best opportunities presented by Nature in this remote and untamed corner of the Arctic.

We anticipate exploring in the northwestern part of the island of Spitsbergen. This area contains the archipelago’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters. Fields of flowering tundra are home to grazing reindeer and playful Arctic fox. Bountiful inshore and offshore waters are home to a wide variety of marine mammals. Polar Bears can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Svalbard.

Also in this area is Ny Ålesund, a former mining town that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers, complete with museum, gift shop, and post office. This was also a staging area for historic attempts to discover the North Pole.

Day 14: Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
After enjoying one final breakfast buffet on board, we bid you farewell in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard and final destination of our expedition. After disembarkation, a captivating sightseeing tour awaits you, showcasing some of the most interesting locations in the world’s northernmost city. We provide transfers to the airport or to the town center in case you plan to stay longer in Svalbard.

Important: Itinerary, landings and all other activities during the cruise depend strongly on ice and weather conditions and are subject to the decisions of the Expedition Leader and the Captain of the vessel. Encounters with any mentioned wildlife cannot be guaranteed.

Effective January 1, 2025, new regulations by the Norwegian Government require a minimum distance of 300 meters from polar bears in Svalbard at all times, except from March 1 to June 30 – minimum distance is increased to 500 meters. If a polar bear is spotted closer than the distance limit, it is required to move away to observe the legal distance. The distance limit does not apply in inhabited areas and outside Svalbard territorial waters (12 nautical miles of the shore). Our cruise operations have adapted well to the new regulations while delivering the most memorable experience to our adventure travelers.