Trip Highlights
Venture close to 80° North, navigating dramatic Arctic fjords and glaciers under the midnight sun, with scenic cruising through ice-sculpted landscapes.
Search for iconic Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, walrus, seals, whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, and vast colonies of seabirds.
Explore by Zodiac and on foot during guided shore landings, offering close-up exploration of remote coastlines, tundra landscapes, bird cliffs, and polar desert terrain.
Learn from expert naturalists and expedition leaders through engaging lectures and hands-on interpretation focused on Arctic ecology, wildlife, history, and climate.
About This Trip
Journey deep into the High Arctic on a 12-day Svalbard expedition cruise, sailing from Norway into the Arctic Circle aboard the state-of-the-art Sylvia Earle, an expedition ship with just 71 guest cabins.
Experience the best of Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs, and beluga whales rise from the sea. Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers, keep watch for arctic fox, and discover historical camps of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to find walrus and bearded seals, all set against the dramatic backdrop of Svalbard’s fjords and glaciers.
Your journey through Svalbard is guided by an experienced Expedition Team who tailor each day’s activities to current weather, sea-ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities. Through a combination of scenic arctic cruising, Zodiac excursions, shore landings, and expert-led lectures, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of this extraordinary region and the forces that continue to shape the High Arctic today.
Conservation Impact
Established in 1969, Oceanic Society is America’s oldest ocean‑conservation nonprofit, pioneering eco‑travel that directly supports marine research and protection. Through Oceanic Society's Expedition Impact Program, every traveler directly contributes to ocean conservation grants, coral restoration, and the removal of 200 lbs of marine trash. In partnership with Aurora Expeditions, a Certified B Corporation committed to responsible travel, this expedition to the Svalbard Archipelago Hope Spot lets you explore remote ocean wilderness while contributing to real conservation outcomes. Aurora’s purpose‑driven approach uses its ships as mobile research platforms, partners with scientists on citizen science and data collection, and integrates regenerative ocean programs that fund habitat restoration and the removal of ocean‑bound waste for every guest who travels.
Together, Oceanic Society and Aurora offer travelers the chance to witness extraordinary marine life and participate in efforts that protect fragile ecosystems and advance global conservation.
Dates & Prices
What's Included
What's Not Included
*A $15 USD per person/day crew gratuity is automatically added to your onboard account; it can be adjusted or removed at your discretion. Suite Benefits include this gratuity.
Itinerary
Sample Itinerary
After arriving in Oslo and checking into your included hotel, you’ll visit the hospitality desk to collect your cabin luggage tags and connect with our ground operations team. They’ll be available to share any important pre-embarkation updates and can offer recommendations on nearby dining, ATM locations, or places to pick up last-minute essentials from a local pharmacy or supermarket.
The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardermoen
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for our charter flight to Longyearbyen for embarkation. In Longyearbyen, explore the town on a guided tour.
After the tour, you will be transferred directly to the pier to embark in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail.
Note: the excursion is contingent on the arrival time of our charter flight to Longyearbyen.
Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. The members of our experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife.
Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils, set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, we stretch our legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly coloured wildflowers. We visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies.
If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory you will savour for years to come.
During the early morning, we cruise into Longyearbyen and disembark at approximately 8.00 am. Farewell your Expedition Team and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for your return charter flight to Oslo to continue your journey.
Note: the arrival time in Oslo is contingent on the approved allocated flight slot of our charter flight to Longyearbyen.
Ship
The Sylvia Earle
A floating ambassador for the planet. The Sylvia Earle is Aurora Expeditions’ flagship state-of-the-art expedition vessel, purpose-built for discovery, comfort, and responsible travel to some of the world’s most remote natural environments. A floating…
Attachments
Naturalist(s)
Your expedition will be led by one or more of the following expert naturalist guides:
