Winter Magic in Svalbard with M/S Stockholm 2025

Day 1: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

We arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to our hotel.

Day 2 - 10: Expedition cruising

Explore Longyearbyen on your own before meeting up your fellow travellers and guides for lunch. In the afternoon we embark the small expedition ship M/S Stockholm and sail out through Isfjorden. We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our ambition is to head out on Zodiac cruises every day and to go ashore when the opportunity arises. Here are some examples of places we may visit:

Virgohamna, Danskøya

Two of the most courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. Swedish explorer Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. There are still interesting remnants from these expeditions left on this site.

Fantastic fjords

Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore a few of them. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculptured front of the 14th of July Glacier to the raucous greeting of the large number of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on the nearby cliffs. The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is situated in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by beautiful glaciers. It is also a favourite spot for seals and the bird cliffs are bursting with activity. 

Bellsund

At the beautiful Vårsolbukta in Bellsund little auks nest by the tens of thousands. We go ashore and walk across the snow-covered tundra to get a closer look at these charming birds.

Hornsund

The majestic Hornsund consists of several magnificent fjords along the west coast of Spitsbergen, where huge glaciers calve out shimmering blue ice. This is one of the favourite haunts of some of Svalbard's polar bears, and we may be lucky enough to spot one on the fjord ice.

North of Spitsbergen
In the direction of the North Pole, the goal is to reach the pack ice north of Spitsbergen. This floating and ever-changing habitat is a fascinating and powerful experience to say the least. Not many ships come here and we can enjoy the tranquillity of this magnificent icy landscape. We are constantly on the lookout for the exciting wildlife associated with the Arctic Ocean, such as polar bears, seals and ivory gulls. The pack ice around Svalbard is of great importance to the archipelago's ecosystem and climate. It is also a mainstay of life in the Arctic.

Day 11: Longyearbyen

Early morning we disembark our expedition ship and begin our journey back home.

All itineraries are for guidance only. Our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions, wildlife and government regulations. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximise your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!

Snowshoeing

For the active there is a chance to explore the areas we visit with snowshoes. This is an extra option that requires a good level of fitness. Please note: this activity is always dependent on weather, wind and other safety precautions.

About Christian Engelke

We are pleased to have Christian Engelke, one of PolarQuest's most knowledgeable and popular guides with extensive experience in our polar regions, as the expedition leader for this tour. Christian has spent a great deal of time in Svalbard during the early season and is also very experienced in working with photographers and photography enthusiasts.

Christian was born in Germany, but ever since his first vacation to Norway in 1996, Christian has suffered severely under the quite widespread “Scandinavia-fever”. He has been exploring both the mountains and coastal regions of Norway and Sweden by foot, on skis and in his sea kayak.

In 2008 while studying industrial engineering, Christian moved to Svalbard. Finally, after nearly three unforgettable years and experiences at 78 degrees North he moved “down South” to Tromsø in Northern Norway where he finished his Master’s degree in “Technology and Safety in the High North”.

Since 2009 Christian has been working as a freelance guide, kayak guide and expedition leader all year around on Svalbard and Greenland.

Christian loves the minimalistic landscapes, the quietness, wildlife encounters, and the heroic history of the high latitudes. Since 2014 he has also worked in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia.