Compare Land of the Polar Bears by National Geographic Expeditions
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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| Duration | 11 days |
| Price From | $ 9,440 |
| Price Per Day | $ 858 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small ship cruise |
| Lodging Level | Luxury |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions | N/A |
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
8 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 7 Dinners |
| Description |
A high Arctic archipelago situated between Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is a place of deep fjords, snow-capped mountains, massive sheets of ice, and magnificent polar bears. Travel under the midnight sun aboard the National Geographic Explorer and experience nature in its purest form. |
Days 1 & 2: U.S./Oslo, Norway
Depart on an overnight flight to Oslo. Upon arrival, check into our hotel. On an afternoon tour of this charming city, stroll among the famed Vigeland sculptures—hundreds of life-size human figures set in terraced parklands. Visit the Fram Museum, showcasing the polar ship Fram and dedicated to one of the explorers and wooden vessels that navigated the Arctic Sea in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This evening is free to explore Oslo on your own from the Thon Hotel Bristol.
Day 3: Oslo/Longyearbyen
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Depart Oslo on a private charter flight, and enjoy breath taking vistas en route to Longyearbyen. Embark the National Geographic Explorer, your base for the next six days.
Days 4 to 9: Exploring Svalbard
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner ( Daily)
This voyage is undertaken in the spirit of discovery, and our travel in the archipelago is exploratory by design. In a region ruled not by humans but by polar bears, we let nature guide our course. Svalbard lies north of the Arctic Circle, where the summer midnight sun never sets. With our fully stabilized ice-class expedition ship, we are able to probe the ice in search of wildlife; our exact day-to-day itinerary remains flexible, depending on local ice and weather conditions. Zodiacs and kayaks take us closer to experience the region's geologic features and wildlife and wildflowers that flourish during the summer months.
With our National Geographic photographer and a seasoned naturalist staff, venture to the foot of stunning tidewater glaciers, kayak among sparkling icebergs, and explore fjords that split the rugged coastlines. Hike through miniature gardens blooming on the tundra; and search the edge of the pack ice for polar bears, walruses, seals, reindeer, and arctic foxes. Nowhere can the polar bear be seen more reliably in its natural environment than here.
Day 10: Longyearbyen/Oslo
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel
In Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard, disembark and enjoy time to explore. Founded by an American coal executive in 1906, this is one of the northernmost human settlements on Earth. Fly back to Oslo this afternoon.
Day 11: Oslo/U.S.
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return flight home.
