Norway & Svalbard
14 days Luxury Yacht Charter Experience
This wondrous archipelago is a land of dramatic snow-crowned peaks and glaciers, of vast icefields and forbidding icebergs, an elemental place where the seemingly endless Arctic night and the perpetual sunlight of summer carry a deeper kind of magic.
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen, where you will be welcomed by the yacht's crew, and possibly a friendly polar bear! Longyearbyen is the largest settlement in Svalbard and is the administrative centre. Longyearbyen is located on the western shore of Spitsbergen Island and is home to the only airport in Svalbard that is permitted to serve aircraft from off the archipelago.
Spend the afternoon and evening getting settled on board and familiarise yourself with the many adventures that lie ahead.
Cruising and exploring Svalbard
Day 2 to 8
Svalbard is the northernmost tip of Europe and, a few research bases aside, its settlements are the northernmost permanently inhabited spots on the planet. Located between the 76° and 81° parallels, they are far more northerly than any part of Alaska and all but a few of Canada's Arctic islands. In fact, they would be permanently locked in by ice if not for the moderating influence of the Gulf Stream, and it is this comparative warmth that makes them habitable. The islands cover a total of 62,050 km2, the largest of which are Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya .
This wondrous archipelago is a land of dramatic snow-drowned peaks and glaciers, vast icefields and forbidding icebergs.
It is an elemental place where the seemingly endless Arctic night and the perpetual sunlight of summer carry a deeper kind of magic. One of Europe's last great wildernesses, this is also the domain of more polar bears than people, a terrain rich in epic legends of polar exploration.
Bear Island
Day 9
Bjornøya (or Bear Island) is the southernmost island of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago.
The island is located in the western part of the Barents Sea, approximately halfway between Spitsbergen and the North Cape.
The only indigenous land mammals are a few Arctic foxes. Despite its name, Bear Island is not a permanent residence of polar bears, although many arrive with the expanding pack ice in the winter. Occasionally, a bear will stay behind when the ice retreats in spring and remain through the summer months.
Bear Island offers spectacular landscapes with amazing sea cliffs and caves, that can be visited by tender.
North Cape
Day 10
From Bear Island, cruise to the North Cape or Nordkapp. The Nordkapp is a 307m high cliff rising above the Arctic Ocean. Nordkapp is promoted as the northernmost point of Europe.
This is however not true; the neighbouring point, Knivskjellodden, is actually 1,457m (4780 ft) further north, which can also be visited, weather permitting.
Pay a visit to the Sami people who are the only indigenous people in Scandinavia that are recognized and protected under the international conventions of indigenous peoples, and are hence one of the northernmost indigenous people of Europe.
Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding.
The Finnmark Coast
Day 10 to 12
Spend a couple of days cruising and exploring the fjords of the Finnmark coast, passing the Svaerholdtklubben Bird Colony and the unbelievable rock formation of Finnkjerkja.
Head ashore for wilderness hikes amongst the most stunning landscapes, turquoise glacier lakes and waterfalls with the most impressive colonies of nesting seabirds.
Troms County
Day 13
Continue cruising south into the Troms County. Due to the long distance to the more densely populated areas of the continent, this is one of the least polluted areas of Europe. Troms has a very rugged and indented coastline facing the Norwegian Sea. However, the large and mountainous islands along the coast provide an excellent sheltered waterway on the inside. Take the tender or kayak among the thousands of islands. This region is also great for hiking and fishing, and encounters with wildlife such as Otters, Harbour Porpoises, Ptarmigan, Sea Eagles and Lynx. Also recommended is a visit to Tromsø. In this modern city, nature and culture go hand in hand. Tromsø - has many activities on offer, from an aquarium and several quality museums, to the world's northernmost botanical garden.
The city is a popular place to observe the northern lights and is known for its lively night scene a range of restaurants specialising in fresh Arctic ingredients.
The Lofoten Islands
Day 14
The Lofoten archipelago is located north of the Arctic Circle in the county of Nordland, Norway.
The archipelago is known for its exceptional natural beauty, the picturesque fishing settlements, the
Rorbu (fishermen' s cottages) and the stockfish.
Lofoten has a very high density of sea eagles and millions of other sea birds, among them the colourful puffin. This rare wilderness outpost offers an untrammelled landscape of majestic mountains, deep fjords, squawking seabird colonies and long, surf-swept beaches.
The area' s diverse landscape affords many recreational activities; hiking trails, skiing, fishing, ocean rafting or scuba diving.
Lofoten is also one of Norway' s best sites for surfing.
Bodo
Day 15
Located just north of the Arctic Circle, Bodo is the largest city in Nordland County and the second largest in northern Norway. Time to bid farewell to the Captain and crew then disembark in Bodo. Hopefully, having enjoyed the adventure of a lifetime.
