Fantastic experience

by Graham Pither

Departure in July 2023

Region: The Arctic

Destinations: Svalbard

Ship: m/v Hondius

Highlights: Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Arctic Tern, Barnacle Goose, Fin Whale, Kittiwake, Minke Whale, Polar Bear, Atlantic puffin, Walrus, Bearded Seal, Little Auk, White-Beaked Dolphin, Thick-billed Murre, Svalbard reindeer, Glaucous Gull, Black Guillemot, Fulmar, Parasitic Jaeger

This was an amazing trip which exceeded my expectations. The crew were superb and the guides were fantastic being knowledgeable, friendly and excellent at spotting wildlife and driving the zodiacs. The expedition leader, Sara, was brilliant, dealing with all that came her way be it requests from passengers or short notice changes to the itinerary due to polar bears, mist and/or ice conditions. Her briefings were clear and contained all the information that we needed to know. The ship was comfortable, the food excellent and the lectures interesting, showing the passion the presenters had for their specialist subjects. Chloe certainly infected us all with her enthusiasm for plankton, and we shared in her joy at catching a sea angel. We were lucky with the weather and sightings, including a polar bear that swam right up to the ship and arctic fox cubs playing only feet away from us. The itinerary was well planned and the scenery was wonderful. The slideshow presented on the last evening was great and its hard to believe that Charlotte was able to put it together so quickly from the photos taken. This was an experience that we will never forget.Text

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