Spitsbergen is a remote and spectacular archipelago of immense glaciers, narrow fjords and abundant wildlife. Let our small 25-passenger expedition ship M/S Origo take you on a memorable journey into the realm of the polar bear under the midnight sun.

Our goal on this expedition is to explore the spectacular ice-crowned archipelago of Spitsbergen and the surrounding pack ice. In Spitsbergen there are twice as many polar bears and walrus as there are people. The polar bear population is estimated to more than 3 000, and we hope to encounter a good number of them during this trip. We go ashore on beaches covered by massive walrus and we hope to encounter whales. Seabirds, such as ivory gulls, guillemots, little auks and puffins will be our constant companions during the trip. We may even see the rare Ross` gull. The tundra flowers are in full bloom and the bird colonies are bustling with life. We experience our ship breaking large floes of pack ice, home to seals and their predator - the polar bear. On the later departures we have good possibilities of exploring the eastern parts of the archipelago and landing on fantastic Storöya, east of Nordaustlandet and a favourite area for both polar bears and walrus. We travel carefully through Spitsbergen`s sensitive environment in a small group of only 25 people and have minimal impact on its nature and animals. Photographs and memories are all we bring home and we leave nothing behind. This is ecotourism at its best.

Day 1: Oslo - Longyearbyen
We arrive in Longyearbyen under the midnight sun and transfer to Radisson SAS Polar Hotel, with a magnificent view of the Ice Fjord.

Day 2 - 7: Spitsbergen
We start our week in Spitsbergen by exploring the High Arctic capital of Longyearbyen founded in 1906. We also pay a visit to the excellent Svalbard Museum. Embark the M/S Origo in the afternoon and sail out through the Ice Fjord. Our exact itinerary depends on weather, ice conditions and the wildlife we encounter. Each day we make several landings with our rigid Zodiac craft and thanks to the midnight sun we can go ashore day and night. Here are a few of the many places we hope to visit:

Barentsburg
We plan to visit the Russian enclave Barentsburg. A local guide shows us around this fascinating coal mining settlement founded here in 1932.

Ny Ålesund
This is a unique opportunity to send a card from the world`s northernmost post offi ce. Svalbard reindeer roam through this town seemingly unaware of our presence and Arctic terns nest along the roads. It was here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole by airship.

Danes` Island
Two of the most courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started here. Swedish balloonist Andrée made an attempt with hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started out with airship. We are guided around the site, which is littered with remnants from the heroic era.

East Spitsbergen
Heading east we meet the massive pack ice border. We are now off the beaten track in a wilderness virtually untouched by man. We enjoy the silence and the grandeur of this icy landscape. Here our odds of finding polar bears are the greatest, and we will keep a constant lookout from the bridge during our time in the ice.

Nordaustlandet
We cruise along a massive icecap stretching down to the sea where it forms a long glacier front intersected by hundreds of melt-waterfalls. This is a favourite area for seals and bears.

Hinlopen Strait
It is exciting sailing though this strait, an area of very heavy ice concentrations. The waters here are especially nutritious, which explains the large quantities of sea birds. We visit a colony of 600 000 guillemots nesting on vertical cliffs.

Day 8: Homeward bound
We retrace our route back to Longyearbyen and land on Prins Karls Forland. In the evening we anchor in a sheltered bay and celebrate the completion of the expedition with a farewell dinner.

Day 9: Longyearbyen - Oslo
Today we reach Longyearbyen and fly back to Oslo.

Please, read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program will vary depending on ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to a successful expedition.