Arrive in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, the northernmost settlement in the world. This small town features the world’s northernmost airport, schools, bank, and supermarket. Experience the Arctic climate as the cold breeze greets you upon landing, with a signpost indicating how far north you are while reminding you to be alert for polar bears. Gaze at the snow-capped mountain Hjorthfjellet, which towers over the airport, and take in views of the jagged peaks and glaciers of northern Spitzbergen.

After arrival, board the Ocean Albatros. Attend the safety briefing and lifeboat drill. Then, step onto the outer decks and raise a glass of champagne as the vessel departs civilization and heads into the wild.

Northwest Svalbard, one of Europe's largest protected wilderness areas, became a national park in 1973. This region holds significant historical value, marking some of the earliest human presence in Svalbard. While Norse explorers may have glimpsed these shores during the Viking Age, the first confirmed arrival was by Dutch explorer William Barents in 1596. He observed abundant whales and seals, which quickly attracted English and Dutch whalers seeking to exploit the area's wildlife.

Once a prime location for harvesting marine life, sites like Smeerenburg contain remnants of 16th-century blubber ovens and building foundations. Nearby Ytre Norskoya reveals the tragic consequences of this industry, with many young men buried far from home. Today, only bones and ruins remain from this past. The Arctic environment is reclaiming the land, transforming it into a paradise for nature enthusiasts. In the brief summer, tiny Arctic poppies and purple saxifrage bloom, while geese, eider ducks, and seabirds return to nest. Walrus bask on beaches, and vigilance is essential for spotting wandering polar bears in this wild landscape.

In the morning cruise into the vast icy wilderness of northeastern Svalbard. This region does not receive the ocean currents that keep western Svalbard warm and wet, and thus the environment is radically different, with rocky polar desert landscapes. Vast glaciers flow from the mountains into the sea, which is often choked with ice, even in summer. 

While it may appear barren, the truth is it is anything but. Hardy animals such as Arctic foxes eke out a living on these chilly shores, constantly on the lookout for prey. In the cliffs above the sea, hundreds of thousands of seabirds crowd on rocky ledges, carefully tending their precious eggs. While the coastal waters of the area are cold, they are incredibly productive; shellfish are grown in abundance, and these in turn are preyed upon by walrus, which are common in the area. 
The exact locations you visit will depend on the sea, wind, and ice conditions in the area, which vary year on year, and can change rapidly even in summer - this is the essence of polar exploration, moving with the rhythms of Mother Nature, and taking the opportunities to explore which she provides! 

Now you reach some of the northernmost pieces of land on Earth - the northerly coasts of Svalbard, barren landscapes almost permanently beset by ice. With luck you may reach the island of Nordaustlandet and hopefully the seven (or nine, depending on how you count) smaller islands of Sjuoyane in the far north of Svalbard. The almost vegetation-free, rocky islands are located around 1000 km farther north than mainland Norway’s famous Nordkapp.

Weather permitting, you will land and walk upon these most northern landmasses. The high Arctic islands are quite barren, and only moss and lichens cover the stones. The birdlife is rich in this area, with flocks of grazing geese and some of the rarer gull species frequently seen on these islands. Bring your binoculars!
At the end of the day, you will start cruising towards the Arctic ice pack, which stretches from Svalbard to the North Pole.

An icy breeze touches your exposed cheeks. The scent of snow and sea fills your nostrils. Sunlight reflects off the floating ice, illuminating the clouds overhead. Enter an environment like no other, the vast shape-shifting realm of floating ice that crowns the planet. The vast ever-changing ice pack to the north of Svalbard stretches from this already isolated archipelago to the North Pole, and onwards across the Arctic Ocean towards the northern shores of Chukotka and Alaska.  The Arctic ice pack is one of Earth's largest habitats, although unlike most it varies hugely year on year, expanding in winter and retreating in summer. The location of the sea ice around Svalbard can also vary wildly - however, your Expedition Leader will work hard to maximize the chances of finding and exploring this impossibly remote environment. At first glance, this stark white wilderness seems barren, empty, and lifeless. This frigid wilderness holds on to its mysteries, and of course, wildlife sightings are at the whims of Mother Nature. With a little perseverance, however, the ice reveals its secrets.

As Ocean Albatros pushes through the narrow channels in the ice, tiny cod-like fish can be seen silhouetted against the ice in the clear water. Kittiwakes and Glaucous Gulls follow the vessel as it disturbs the water. Further out on the ice, black dots appear; moving closer, they resolve into seals, basking on the ice. A plume of water reflects the sunshine - a pod of belugas perhaps, or maybe even the vast gentle bowhead whale crushing the ice from below as its massive body surfaces. There, beyond the banks of rucked ice - a yellowish dot pads along the ice, the head swinging from side to side: the King of the Arctic continues his never-ending quest for prey. This is the kingdom of the polar bear, the vast icy waste at the top of the world. 

During the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never sets?), Ocean Albatros will have repositioned past the saw-toothed mountains of  Prins Karls Forland and arrived in magnificent Kongsfjord. Surrounded by craggy mountains, bounded by the magnificent Kongsbreen and Kongvegen Glaciers, and crowned by the Three Crowns (a set of pyramidal mountains said to represent the monarchies of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark).

Your first landing will be at the small settlement of Ny Ålesund. Situated further north than Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund is Earth's northernmost settlement, if a group of scientific stations, a post office, and a single shop open for a few hours can be described as such... You will have to judge for yourself! These islands' geographical location has made them the staging post for exploratory and scientific expeditions for centuries - a proud legacy that continues to this day. The setting is spectacular, and the scientific projects are as fascinating as the history of the town, which has hosted the Nobile, the Norge, and the Fram, Amundsen, Nansen, and Nordenskiold, all legends of polar exploration who passed this lonely outpost seeking to push the boundaries of humanity. The remnants of these expeditions (such as the mooring mast of the Norge) can still be seen today. 

On the final morning of the expedition, arrive in Longyearbyen, Svalbard - the world's northernmost... everything! Even this small town will feel like a metropolis after days of splendid isolation in the wilderness of the Arctic! After enjoying exploring Longyearbyen and a fond farewell to the crew and fellow guests of Ocean Albatros, return to Svalbard Airport and join your flight back to the Norwegian mainland.