Svalbard & The Arctic Circle - 8 Day Cruise

Description

This 7-night itinerary offers an in-depth exploration of Svalbard’s wild beauty, where drifting pack ice, vast glaciers, and frigid tundras shape the rhythm of life. Flexible by design, each voyage adapts to shifting weather and ice conditions, ensuring unique discoveries every day. Step ashore at historic whaling sites at Gravneset & Smeerenburg, follow reindeer trails across glacier-carved valleys at Raudfjord, and witness towering bird cliffs alive with thousands of nesting guillemots. Out on the water, some of the world’s rarest wildlife encounters await, with polar bears roaming the pack ice, walrus haul-outs along remote beaches, and seals resting on drifting floes.

Trip Name

Svalbard & The Arctic Circle - 8 Day Cruise

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Superyacht Passenger Capacity: 30 Length: 77 meters Aqua Lares is a 77-metre superyacht offering an exclusive way to explore the Seychelles and Tanzania, available for both full charters and individual cabin bookings. With just 15 bespoke suites and a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, it provides an intimate small-ship experience that blends five-star comfort with adventurous discovery. Purpose-built for exploration, the yacht visits biodiversity hotspots such as Aldabra and La Digue, as well as remote islands like the African Banks that are normally out of reach for larger vessels. Its interiors combine European sophistication with African craftsmanship, creating a relaxed yet refined atmosphere across six decks. On board, guests can enjoy fine dining, a spa, a jacuzzi, and inviting lounges while watching the Indian Ocean drift by. Days can be spent snorkelling pristine reefs, paddling secluded lagoons, or tracing the spice routes that once connected these shores. Evenings invite sunset cocktails on the Sun Deck or stargazing from a daybed on the Heli Deck. Whether seeking adventure or tranquillity, Aqua Lares delivers a world-class floating safari through East Africa’s most captivating seascapes.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 The Arctic Circle Longyearbyen & Alkehornet

Board Aqua Lares in Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world, and settle into your luxurious cabin. In the afternoon, we visit Alkehornet, a dramatic bird cliff where thousands of guillemots and kittiwakes nest. The tundra below often attracts grazing reindeer and, with luck, Arctic foxes on the prowl.

Day 2 - Day 2 The Arctic Circle Gravneset & Smeerenburg

We begin the day at Gravneset, a headland surrounded by glaciers and mountains, where a historic whaling cemetery tells tales of early Arctic explorers. In the afternoon, our adventure continues to Smeerenburg Fjord and Sorgattet, once the center of 17th-century Dutch whaling. Step ashore at the historic site, surrounded by Arctic terns, geese, and the stark beauty of the high Arctic coast.

Day 3 - Day 3 The Arctic Circle Pack Ice

After an overnight voyage from Smeerenburg, we venture into the drifting pack ice, a silent expanse stretching toward the horizon. Head out on a tender excursion in search of polar bears, bearded seals, and ivory gulls in their natural habitat — some of the rarest wildlife encounters on the planet. In the afternoon, take part in a polar plunge and immerse yourself in the frigid Arctic waters.

Day 4 - Day 4 The Arctic Circle Alkefjellet & Bråsvellbreen

Start the day exploring one of Svalbard’s most famous bird cliffs. Its basalt walls rise steeply from the sea and are home to over 60,000 pairs of Brünnich’s guillemots during the summer breeding season. The cliffs provide nesting ledges for the birds, while Arctic foxes and glaucous gulls are often seen below, preying on eggs or chicks. Later in the day, sail along the Bråsvellbreen glacier front, an outlet of the Austfonna ice cap. Stretching nearly 180 kilometers, this is one of the longest glacier fronts of the northern hemisphere. During summer, meltwater streams pour down its face in striking seasonal waterfalls, a distinctive feature of this vast ice wall.

Day 5 - Day 5 The Arctic Circle Hinlopenstretet & Torellneset

In the morning, we navigate Hinlopenstretet, the strait separating Spitsbergen from Nordaustlandet. The passage is bordered by steep cliffs and several tidewater glaciers, an important summer habitat for Brünnich’s guillemots, which nest on the cliffs, and the waters may hold bearded seals and drifting pack ice. Polar bears are often sighted in this region, particularly along the ice edge. In the afternoon we land at Torellneset, this gravel spit is a well-known walrus haul-out site, where groups of Atlantic walrus rest on the beach between feeding bouts in the surrounding shallow waters.

Day 6 - Day 6 The Arctic Circle Sorgfjorden

We arrive at Sorgfjorden, located at the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen. The fjord is famous for its dramatic historical events, most notably the naval battle of 1693, when French warships clashed with Dutch whalers. Along its shores, traces of the whaling era remain visible, including graves and blubber ovens from the 17th century. Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes are sometimes spotted along the shoreline, while walrus may gather at haul-outs near the fjord entrance. In summer, Arctic terns, geese, and other migratory birds add to the seasonal life of the high Arctic coast.

Day 7 - Day 7 The Arctic Circle Krossfjorden & Kongsfjorden

In the morning, we explore Krossfjorden, where the immense Lilliehöökbreen Glacier stretches for more than 12 kilometers. Seals often haul out on the drifting ice, and flocks of kittiwakes soar above. Later in the day, we head onwards to Kongsfjorden, one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks and sweeping glaciers, the fjord has long drawn explorers and scientists, its dramatic landscapes offering some of the most striking scenery in the archipelago.

Day 8 - Day 8 The Arctic Circle Longyearbyen

Bid farewell to Aqua Lares and the crew after a hearty breakfast on board.

Day 9 - Please note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Historic Arctic sites at Gravneset and Smeerenburg reveal the legacy of Svalbard’s early whalers.
Towering bird cliffs and glacier-carved fjords offer constant wildlife and scenic immersion.
Pack ice exploration brings chances to see polar bears, walruses, and seals in their natural habitat.