Fly from the UK to Tromso, where you’ll enjoy two pre-cruise nights and a chance to explore this fascinating city deep inside the Arctic Circle. You'll then board your all-inclusive luxury expedition cruise with Swan Hellenic, sailing north, to Bear Island, to discover its impressive birdlife and sea stacks, before continuing to the main Svalbard archipelago. Across the following days you'll explore this awe-inspiring polar wilderness in great depth, with your Expedition Team planning your itinerary as you go to make the most of the weather conditions and potential wildlife sightings, which might include the likes of polar bears, whales and walruses. Back in mainland Norway, you’ll stop in Skarsvåg for yet more incredible birdlife encounters and sail past the North Cape, Europe's northernmost point, before returning to Tromso.
Tromso, Svalbard & the North Cape with Swan Hellenic
To book call us on:
At a glance…
A spectacular expedition to the Arctic landscapes and wildlife of northernmost Norway
» 13 day expedition cruise
» Accommodation: Deluxe Outstanding accommodation with top-of-the-range facilities and excellent service, usually in a fantastic location (typically 5 stars)
Special offer
50% off the cruise fare for the second guest
» Price from: £7,915 pp incl. flights
Day by day itinerary
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Day 1 » Depart for Tromso
Fly from the UK to Tromso, the largest city in Arctic Norway. On arrival, transfer to your hotel, where you’ll be staying for the next two nights. You're sure to enjoy this ultra-modern hotel’s city centre, waterfront location. Be sure to make time to head up to the city’s only sky bar, located at your hotel, for staggering views overlooking Tromso and the out towards the surrounding mountains. This is the perfect way to settle in on your first evening.
Stay: Clarion Hotel The Edge
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Day 2 » Exploring Tromso
Enjoy today exploring Tromso at your leisure. Owing to its compact centre, the city is easily explored on foot, and is home to several interesting museums including the Polar Museum, as well as Polaria (the world's northernmost aquarium) and the world's northernmost botanical garden. You might also take a walk across the bridge that connects the island of Tromsoya with the mainland, which will bring you to the Arctic Cathedral, Tromso's most recognisable architectural landmark. A little further on is the ground station of the Fjellheisen cable car, which is well worth taking for spectacular views from Mount Storsteinen. Tromso is also home to a burgeoning culinary scene geared around sustainably sourced ingredients from the surrounding Arctic nature, showcased at an array of superb restaurants in the city centre.
Stay: Clarion Hotel The Edge
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 3 » Embark on Swan Hellenic expedition cruise
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel followed by a relaxed morning. This afternoon, you’ll be transferred to the port to board the SH Diana for your Swan Hellenic expedition cruise. Dinner will be served onboard this evening as you depart Tromso.
Stay: SH Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 4 » Bear Island
As you sail north towards Svalbard, you'll first reach Bear Island. Svalbard’s southernmost island (which has no permanent human population) is home to the greatest bird cliff in the Barents Sea. Atlantic puffins, northern gannets, glaucous gulls, great skuas, little auks, black-legged kittiwakes, common guillemots, and Brünnich's guillemots all nest on the steep cliffs near Kapp Kolthoff. Aside from its abundant birdlife, you will also spot the sea stack rock columns, sea caves, and tunnels (the most notable of which is at Perleporten), all sculpted by the battering ocean waves over time. Weather permitting, you’ll head out in the Zodiacs with your Swan Hellenic Expedition Team for an exhilarating boat ride to spot the birds and rock formations.
Stay: SH Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Days 5-10 » Exploring Svalbard
You'll soon arrive at the main archipelago of Svalbard, and your days here will be designed as you go based on the current weather conditions and potential for wildlife sightings. Your expert Expedition Team is best placed to do this, maximising your experiences and encounters in this remote, magical polar land. Depending on the conditions, you might head out on the Zodiacs or sea kayaks to explore. Svalbard is renowned as the land of the polar bears and lies around half-way between the northern tip of mainland Norway and the North Pole. Expect to be captivated by the dramatic, unspoilt landscapes, which range from majestic mountains and deep fjords to gigantic glaciers and barren tundra. The majority of the human population here lives in Longyearbyen, a town of around 2,500 people, but you'll be venturing far beyond the limits of human civilisation to experience Svalbard at its most remote.
The wildlife viewing opportunities here are practically endless and truly breathtaking. As well as polar bears, which inhabit the surrounding sea ice as well as Svalbard itself, this spectacular archipelago is home to walruses, reindeer, Arctic foxes, ringed seals and numerous species of whale. While your guides will use their expert knowledge to make your experience as rich and rewarding as possible, it's important to remember that any polar bear sightings are by chance and always from a safe distance, as it is strictly prohibited to track or approach these magnificent creatures.
Stay: SH Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 11 » Day at sea
Enjoy a day at sea reflecting on your Svalbard adventures and enjoying the onboard amenities as you make your way back south towards mainland Norway.
Stay: SH Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 12 » Skarsvåg & the North Cape
Located on Magerøya Island, Skarsvåg – Europe’s northernmost fishing village – is only a short journey from Nordkapp (the North Cape). This is Europe’s northernmost point, a distinction marked by a striking globe monument. The only thing standing between Skarsvåg and the North Pole, in fact, is Svalbard. Along the coast, you’ll discover yet more impressive Arctic birdlife. Atlantic puffin colonies and over a million seabirds nest here, including razorbills, white-tailed eagles, arctic skuas, northern gannets, common eider ducks, and great cormorants.
Stay: SH Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 13 » Return to UK
You’ll arrive back in Tromso today, where you’ll disembark your expedition ship and transfer to the airport. Fly back to the UK, arriving home the same day.
Meals: Breakfast
To book call us on:
At a glance…
A spectacular expedition to the Arctic landscapes and wildlife of northernmost Norway
» 13 day expedition cruise
» Accommodation: Deluxe Outstanding accommodation with top-of-the-range facilities and excellent service, usually in a fantastic location (typically 5 stars)
Special offer
50% off the cruise fare for the second guest
» Price from: £7,915 pp incl. flights
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