Your arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, where you may arrive at any time today. Known for its extraordinary architecture, Helsinki is a great place to spend time, exploring the many museums, galleries and restaurants. Perhaps relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.

This morning, transfer to the airport and board your private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, where you’ll have some time to explore before boarding the ship. You may want to visit the Svalbard or North Pole museums to learn more about the local history, or perhaps grab a beer at the Svalbard Brewery. After you board the ship and set sail you’ll be able to enjoy great vistas of the mountainous landscape that serves as a backdrop for this historic town.

For the next few days you’ll sail around the shores of Spitsbergen, searching for polar bears and other natural wonders. Covering western Spitsbergen, your expedition will afford ample opportunities to view immense glaciers, deep fjords, soaring mountains and unique flora and fauna. Today you’ll sail north into Krossfjord, so have your camera handy, ready to capture some of the best glacier calving in Spitsbergen. Deep in the fjord, the highly active Lilliehöök Glacier awaits. Listen in awe to the growling as big chunks break off into the icy waters below. A Zodiac excursion to nearby Ny London, an abandoned mining settlement, provides an ideal place for a guided walk. Encounters with wildlife, such as the indigenous Svalbard reindeer, are possible here.

The time to say goodbye has come. This morning, your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, transfer to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, Finland.