Spitsbergen Circumnavigation: A Rite of Passage 2027

A 15-day Arctic expedition aboard Ultramarine, attempting a full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen through Svalbard’s glaciers, fjords, sea ice, polar bear habitat, walrus sites, bird cliffs and remote High Arctic landing areas.

Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago and one of the most evocative frontiers of the European Arctic.

This 15-day expedition is designed around a rare objective: the attempted full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen. When sea, ice and weather allow, the journey may extend even farther into the outer islands of Svalbard, revealing a world of polar desert, immense glaciers, pack ice, tundra, basalt bird cliffs, historic whaling sites and remote wildlife habitat.

The voyage travels aboard Ultramarine, a technologically advanced polar vessel with PC6 ice classification, a strong expedition infrastructure and a specialist polar team trained for remote Arctic operations. Exploration is shaped by Zodiac cruising, shore landings, guided hikes, wildlife observation, scientific learning and the judgement of the Expedition Team in real time.

This is not a conventional cruise around an island. It is a High Arctic expedition where route, rhythm and access remain guided by nature.

Journey at a Glance

Expedition Name: Spitsbergen Circumnavigation: A Rite of Passage

Region: Svalbard, Spitsbergen, Arctic Ocean, Greenland Sea, Barents Sea and the outer islands of the Svalbard archipelago, conditions permitting

Duration: 15 days

Operational Start / End: Helsinki, Finland

Ship Embarkation / Disembarkation: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Ship: Ultramarine

Ship Capacity: Up to 199 guests

Staff and Crew: 140 staff and crew

Ice Class: PC6

Departure Date

30 June to 14 July 2027

Core Experience: Attempted Spitsbergen circumnavigation, Zodiac cruising, shore landings, hiking, polar bear habitat, walrus sites, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic seabirds, glaciers, fjords, pack ice, 16th-century maritime history, polar science and expert-led interpretation.

Pricing

Available on request, according to suite category, cabin availability and any special offers valid at the time of proposal or reservation.

Why This Expedition

This is the most comprehensive Spitsbergen itinerary in the Arctic portfolio.

Its distinction lies in the attempted circumnavigation. Many Arctic voyages explore selected parts of Svalbard. This journey aims to trace Spitsbergen in full, reaching a broader range of coasts, fjords, islands and wildlife habitats.

The expedition is especially suited to travellers who want the Arctic in its purest field-led form: less predictable, more remote and shaped by expert decision-making rather than fixed sightseeing.

Wildlife may include polar bears, walruses, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic foxes, bearded seals, puffins, Arctic terns, purple sandpipers, Brünnich’s guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, geese and other High Arctic birdlife.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

The journey begins in Helsinki, where guests arrive independently and check in at the included airport hotel.

The day allows time to rest before the High Arctic flight or, for those arriving earlier, to explore Helsinki’s museums, galleries, restaurants, Finnish sauna culture or Design District.

Day 2: Fly to Longyearbyen and Embark Ultramarine

The group boards a private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement and the administrative centre of Svalbard.

On arrival, guests transfer toward embarkation. As Ultramarine sets sail, the first view of Spitsbergen appears: glacier-topped mountains, austere slopes and cold northern waters, introducing the scale and mood of the expedition ahead.

Days 3 to 13: Exploring Svalbard

The expedition begins by heading north and around Spitsbergen, with the ambition of completing a full circumnavigation of the island. If conditions are favourable, the route may expand toward the wider Svalbard archipelago, including more remote outer islands.

Each day is adapted to sea ice, weather, wildlife and landing conditions. The Expedition Team selects the strongest available opportunities for Zodiac cruising, shore landings, hiking, wildlife observation and photography.

Possible sites may include 14th of July Glacier, Ny-London, Phippsøya, Alkefjellet and Kvitøya, among others. Each offers a different expression of the High Arctic: glacier fronts, tundra, bird cliffs, historical remains, polar desert or pack-ice habitat.

At 14th of July Bay, birdlife may include puffins, purple sandpipers, black-legged kittiwakes, pink-footed geese and barnacle geese. Alkefjellet is one of the Arctic’s great bird cliffs, with vast numbers of Brünnich’s guillemots nesting on basalt ledges.

Wildlife watching remains a constant thread. Ny-London, Sundneset and Alkhornet may offer opportunities to observe Svalbard reindeer, while Phippsøya and Isbukta are associated with sea ice, the preferred hunting habitat of polar bears.

History is also present throughout the route. Svalbard’s whaling past appears in places such as Smeerenburg, where remains of 16th-century outposts reveal the human history of this remote archipelago.

Day 14: Disembark in Longyearbyen and Fly to Helsinki

The voyage concludes in Longyearbyen. After disembarkation, guests transfer to the airport for the group charter flight back to Helsinki, where an included hotel night provides a more comfortable end to the expedition.

Day 15: Depart Helsinki

After breakfast, guests continue independently with onward flights or remain in Finland for private post-expedition arrangements.

Possible Expedition Sites

The final route is determined by ice, sea and weather. Possible areas of exploration may include:

Alkefjellet

One of Svalbard’s most dramatic seabird cliffs, home to an estimated 60,000 breeding pairs of Brünnich’s guillemots. The spectacle of birds moving between cliff, sea and sky is one of the defining wildlife moments of the itinerary.

Diskobukta

A bay on Edgeøya with a box canyon where black-legged kittiwakes raise their young. Arctic foxes may be seen searching for fallen scraps below the nests.

Isbukta

Meaning “Ice Bay,” this southern Svalbard site is associated with Arctic terns, skuas, bearded seals and possible polar bear activity.

Kvitøya

Also known as White Island, Kvitøya is almost entirely covered by ice and lies in the far east of the archipelago. Surrounded by pack ice until late summer, it is a High Arctic refuge for polar bears and walrus and carries the history of the ill-fated 1897 Andrée balloon expedition.

Lilliehöök Glacier

A dramatic glacier landscape where Zodiac cruising may bring guests among icebergs, brash ice and possible bearded seals.

Moffen Island

A protected walrus sanctuary around 80 degrees north, viewed from the ship with binoculars.

Monaco Glacier

Named in honour of Prince Albert I of Monaco’s early scientific work in Svalbard, this glacier front offers strong Zodiac cruising possibilities among ice, seals and sculptural glacial forms.

Nordaustlandet

The second-largest island in Svalbard and home to polar desert landscapes and vast ice. The Bråsvellbreen glacier face forms part of an immense ice system connected to Austfonna.

Hornsund

One of Svalbard’s most southerly and scenic fjords, known for calving glaciers, drifting ice, dramatic peaks, wildlife habitat and a Polish research station established in 1957.

Sjuøyane, Seven Islands

The northernmost land in Svalbard, austere, remote and often surrounded by pack ice. These islands bring the expedition closer to the North Pole than anywhere else in the archipelago.

Ultramarine: Built for Polar Exploration

Ultramarine is a purpose-built polar vessel designed to go beyond the familiar in expedition travel.

With 199 guests, 140 staff and crew and PC6 ice classification, the ship combines technical capability with refined onboard comfort. Its expedition design supports fast off-ship operations, wildlife observation, scientific learning and recovery between excursions.

Key features include:

PC6 ice classification

20 quick-launching Zodiacs

Spacious suites

Exceptional wildlife-viewing areas

Science Hub

Polar presentation spaces

Fine dining and relaxed dining venues

Panorama Lounge and Bar

Tundra Spa with VOYA treatments

Morning stretch classes

Sauna

Fitness centre

Health-conscious dining

Advanced sustainability systems

Although Ultramarine is equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, helicopters do not operate on Svalbard voyages. In this region, exploration is centred on ship, Zodiac, shore landing, hiking and optional paddling or kayaking.

Science & Discovery

A dedicated Science Hub gives the journey a deeper educational dimension.

Guests may interact with scientists, researchers and Expedition Guides, explore digital learning displays and participate in citizen science activities. These may include seabird surveys, whale observations, water sampling and field-based learning connected to Arctic ecosystems.

The programme is especially relevant in Svalbard, where sea ice, bird colonies, marine mammals, tundra, glacial systems and climate-sensitive habitats are closely connected.

Included Activities

Activities are always subject to weather, sea, ice, safety and landing conditions, but may include:

Zodiac cruising

Shore landings

Guided hiking

Presentations by polar experts

Science & Discovery programming

Photography guidance

Polar plunge, scheduled once per expedition if conditions permit

Wildlife observation from ship, shore and Zodiac

Optional Adventure Activities

Optional activities are subject to availability, weather and advance booking.

Possible options include:

Sea kayaking

Paddling excursion

Sea kayaking is designed for guests with prior kayaking experience and may operate multiple times during the voyage, weather permitting.

Paddling excursion offers a gentler one-time opportunity on stable sit-on-top kayaks, suitable for guests with minimal or no kayaking experience.

Inclusions

Rates generally include:

A 3-in-1 expedition parka to keep

Leadership throughout the voyage by an experienced Expedition Team

Zodiac transfers and cruising according to the daily programme

Shore landings according to the daily programme

Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping

All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board

Complimentary select beer, wines and cocktails during bar service hours and dinner

Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock

Formal and informal presentations by the Expedition Team and guest speakers

Science & Discovery programming where scheduled

Photographic journal documenting the expedition

Loan of waterproof expedition boots for landings and Zodiac cruising

Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin

Basic Wi-Fi access on one device, where service permits

Service taxes and port charges throughout the programme

Luggage handling aboard the ship

Transfers between Longyearbyen town centre, port and airport on embarkation and disembarkation days

The Charter Flight and Hotel Package generally includes:

Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights at Helsinki airport hotel, with breakfast

Charter flight from Helsinki to Longyearbyen

Arrival and departure transfers in Longyearbyen

Charter flight from Longyearbyen to Helsinki

Exclusions

Rates generally do not include:

International airfare

Arrival and departure transfers in Helsinki

Passport and visa expenses

Government arrival and departure taxes not specifically mentioned

Travel insurance, including baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical cover

Excess baggage fees on international and domestic flights

Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising

Laundry, bar, spa and other personal charges unless specified

Phone charges

Voluntary gratuities for shipboard staff and crew

Additional overnight accommodation

Optional adventure activities not listed as included

Extension Possibilities

Because the journey begins and ends through Helsinki, a private Finland extension can be arranged before or after the expedition.

Options may include:

Helsinki design and architecture

Finnish sauna ritual

Nordic dining

Nuuksio National Park

Glacial lakes and ancient forests

Medieval Porvoo

Private cultural or wellness arrangements in Finland

Exclusive Elite Travel Perspective

For Exclusive Elite Travel clients, Spitsbergen Circumnavigation: A Rite of Passage is one of the strongest Svalbard itineraries for travellers who want breadth, wildlife and a true Arctic objective.

Its distinction lies in the attempt to complete the full circle around Spitsbergen, with the possibility of reaching some of the archipelago’s more remote outer islands if conditions allow. The journey is defined by flexibility, polar expertise and the privilege of letting ice and weather shape the route.

This expedition is best suited to travellers who value serious wildlife observation, photography, remote geography, historical context and the discipline of expedition travel.

A request begins with suite category, physical comfort with Zodiac operations and hiking, optional kayaking or paddling interest, and any desired private arrangements before or after the voyage.

Available via Private Consultation