Discover Franz Josef Land, one of the most raw and remote archipelagos in the world, on this incredible 13-day cruise on the Sea Adventurer! Navigate around this magnificent set of islands and search for seals, Arctic foxes, polar bears, walruses, beluga wales, and many different species of birds. A trip of a lifetime!
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Begin your Arctic journey in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. Take in beautiful views of Spitsbergen's amazing glacier topped mountains. As you set sail towards Franz Josef Land, join the Quark Expedition Team in learning about the history of the archipelago's discovery and wildlife.
Day 2: Ny-Ålesund / 14th of July Glacier
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Take a zodiac trip around the incredible ice cliffs of the 14th of July Glacier. Keep an eye our for purple sandpipers, common eiders, Arctic terns, barnacle geese, and more. Then visit Ny-Ålesund, an old marble mining town that many indigenous Svalbard reindeer and Svalbard ptarmigan call home.
Day 3: Torellneset / Alkefjellet
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Start today in Torellneset, where you may be able to spot walruses before taking an amazing snowshoe. Then sail to Alkefjellet, a gorgeous area full of towering cliffs and nesting auks, kittiwakes, and Brünnich’s guillemots. Take a zodiac ride around the sheer rock faces while searching for Arctic foxes and polar bears.
Day 4: Andreeneset / Kraemerpynten
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The morning, sail around the easternmost part of the Svalbard archipelago. Here, the crew will attempt to land on Andreeneset and Kraemerpynten islands to view the beautiful ice caps and look for walruses and other wildlife.
Day 5: Alexander Land
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today explore the remains of Germany's Schatsgräber station on Alexander Land, as well as the abandoned Russian station Nagurskaya.
Day 6: Cape Fligley / Cape Norway
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Start the day at Cape Fligley, the most northern point of the archipelago, reaching farther North than Spitsbergen! Then the ship will attempt to travel to Cape Norway, where there is a beautiful variety of Arctic flora. Cape Norway is also a beautiful spot to look for belugas, polar bears, and narwhals. If the weather permits, you may get the chance to visit Rudolf Island.
Day 7: Champ Island / Alger Island
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Spend the morning on the picturesque Champ Island, surrounded by ice and snow-capped mountains. In the afternoon, head to Alger Island to explore the remains of the important Arctic expedition base, Camp Ziegler.
Day 8: Hooker Island
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Spend the day on Hooker Bay, home to Rubini Rock. Have your cameras and binoculars ready, for Rubini Rock is home to thousands of sea birds. You may also visit a derelict polar station in the bay. Be on the lookout for bowhead whales.
Day 9: Cape Flora / Bell Island
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The goal of today is to reach Cape Flora on Northbrook Island to explore the still largely intact settlement of the Jackson expedition. In the afternoon, head towards Bell Island, where you may have the opportunity to hike to the well preserved house built by the Lee Smith expedition of 1881.
Day 10: Vibubukta
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Spend today hiking through the polar desert of Vibubkta, a very different landscape from any that may have been previously on this voyage. You may even find the skeleton of a whale a kilometer from shore.
Day 11: Sundneset / Dolerittneset
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Discover another landscape change as the ship sails towards Sundneset. Take a hike around beautiful polar ponds. You may even spot more walruses!
Day 12: Gashamna / Isbjornhamna / Brepollen
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today, the crew will ask permission to visit the Polish Polar Station Hornshund, where scientists are currently working on studies around Earth's electric field, glacier dynamics, and the detection of climate change.
Day 13: Disembark in Longyearbyen
1 Breakfast
In the morning, arrive in Longyearbyen and disembark.
Dates & Prices
Per person starting at
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Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.