Ten Days of Arctic Wonder and Wildlife
Set sail on this Svalbard expedition cruise to experience the captivating wildlife and striking scenery of the Arctic. Setting off from northern Norway’s largest city, Tromsø, your luxury Arctic cruise vessel wends its way northward through fjords and around islands, before reaching the Svalbard archipelago. Thrilling wildlife sightings abound. Adorable puffins, lounging seals and free-roaming reindeer are just a few of the species you’ll get to witness.
Trip highlights
- Explore Tromsø, the culturally rich capital of the Arctic
- Enjoy a luxury Arctic cruise alongside naturalist guides
- Learn about the Sámi way of life
- Search for seabirds like guillemots, gannets and puffins
- Watch the astonishing drama created by a calving glacier
- Spot seals and beluga whales as you cruise
Bespoke trips with Jacada
We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:
- Luxury accommodation throughout
- Privately guided tours
- Private transfers
- Meticulously selected experiences
- Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Itinerary in detail
Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.
Days 1–3
Welcome to Tromsø
Often called the ‘Paris of the North’, Tromsø isn’t just a gateway to the icy Arctic: here is a city of arts and fascinating culture. Spend your days here wandering its streets lined by houses with colourful cladding, or visit the Polar Museum to learn about the important expeditions that set off from this city centuries ago, including those led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. In Tromsø, you’ll spend two nights in some of our favourite hotels before you board your luxury Arctic cruise to set sail for the world’s northernmost reaches.
Days 4–6
Cruising northern Norway
As you explore the coastline and islands of northern Norway, experience a sense of isolation found in few places on this Earth. Rugged scenery glides by as you cruise between the country’s Northern Cape. On Zodiac excursions set foot on remote isles, meet local reindeer herders and spot puffins in the wild.
Highlights of northern Norway
Nordkapp
Reinøya island
Bear Island
The Northern Cape
Near Norway’s northernmost reaches, the Northern Cape or Nordkapp, teems with wildlife. You’ll set out by tender to Gjesværstappan, a series of grassy and rocky outcrops home to one of Europe’s largest seabird colonies. The main attraction here is puffins, but you’ll also spot gannets, kittiwakes and even white-tailed eagles circling above, searching for prey. Afterwards, you’ll land in Skarsvåg – Europe’s northernmost fishing village. Here reindeer graze on the outskirts of the village and your expert guides will show you how to capture their majestic form.
Sámi country
This small but striking island has long been used by the Sámi as a summer grazing ground for their reindeer herds. It’s also a fascinating geological site streaked with dolostone and fringed by a series of raised beaches left behind after glacial ice melt.
Seabird central
Set at the southern reaches of the Svalbard archipelago, Bear Island has a flat, unassuming landscape at its northern end, filled with lakes and barren rocky plateaus. Meanwhile, in the south, it’s all dramatic mountains and rocky sea cliffs. Here you’ll see colonies of puffins, guillemots and graceful fulmars, whose acrobatic flight is a mesmerising thing to witness.
Incredible wildlife
Puffins
Reindeer
Pretty puffins
Around 50,000 pairs of puffins have been counted at Gjesværstappan. You’ll spot them nesting in the grass on the rocks or bobbing about in the water. In the air, these birds are less than graceful as they flap frantically to keep aloft, but the moment they enter the water to hunt for fish, they take on a whole new air of elegance. Swift and skilled beneath the surface, they capture herring and sandeels to bring back to their nests.
Roaming reindeer
It’s not uncommon to see these impressive antlered creatures wandering around Skarsvåg. They love to graze around the grassland just beyond the village centre, but will sometimes come into the residential areas to snaffle the flowers growing in the residents’ gardens. Their antlers can grow up to 1.4 metres in length, making them a striking sight through the lens of your camera.
Days 7–8
Glaciers and guillemots in Svalbard
As you reach the Svalbard Islands, wildlife-spotting opportunities abound. These isles are home to more polar bears than people and with Arctic tundra revealed during the summer months, reindeer roam free as they graze and Arctic foxes slink across the landscape of this otherworldly polar destination.
Highlights of Svalbard
Wildlife
Glaciers
Wonderful wildlife
It’s on the ice floes left by the Samarinbreen glacier where you might spot bearded seals hauling out of the ocean, while guillemots, king eiders and little auks flit about. Beluga whales can sometimes be seen in these parts, too, their bulbous foreheads bobbing above the surface as they breach.
Calving glaciers
There is nothing quite like watching a glacier calving, plunging great chunks of ice into the sea before you. In Samarinvågen, the shelf of the Samarinbreen glacier regularly sheds in the ocean, leaving large turquoise and white icy islands to float around the bay.
Days 8–10
Two nights in Oslo
Say a slow goodbye to the Arctic in Norway’s capital, Oslo. This pretty city is a walkable delight with galleries, museums and design stores to enjoy, and a coffee and pastry culture that’ll have you lingering in lovely cafes by the harbour. Spend two final nights here in one of our favourite hotels as you reminisce about your Arctic expedition.
Jacada from the beginning was responsive and really listened to details of the adventure we were hoping for, and did experience! My husband and I embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip to Iceland and Norway, curated by Meg and Sabina. We felt supported the whole trip, with real time updates and adjustments if needed. We received 5 star service…
Why book with Jacada
Why book with Jacada
We’ll plan your trip around your personal interests, tastes and preferences, providing honest advice based on first-hand knowledge.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant Concierges are hand-picked for their ability to bring your destination to life with care and passion.
Positive Impact
We seek out unforgettable experiences that benefit both local communities and the environment.
