
Title: | East Spitsbergen, Home of the Polar Bear - Summer Solstice |
Dates: | |
Tripcode: | PLA04-24 |
Duration: | 7 nights |
Ship: | m/v Plancius |
Embarkation: | Longyearbyen |
Disembarkation: | Longyearbyen |
Language: | English speaking voyage |
More about: | |
20%
Combination
Discount

15 Days Extended North & East Spitsbergen - Summer Solstice
We’ve linked two of our most exploratory Spitsbergen trips, one of which cruises the island’s northern shores for pack ice and polar bears, and the other that ventures into the scenic eastern shorelines during the summer solstice. The result is this Arctic extravaganza of wildlife and immersive outdoor excursions.
Tripcode: | PLA03d24 |
Dates: | 13 Jun - 27 Jun, 2024 |
Ship: | m/v Plancius |
Embarkation – Disembarkation: | Longyearbyen – Longyearbyen |
Duration: | 7 nights |
Price: | 6400 USD |
20% off from individual cruises | |
More info |

Cruises included:
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife
The best opportunity to get active while spotting exotic Arctic wildlife!
East Spitsbergen, Home of the Polar Bear - Summer Solstice
Discover the highest peaks, largest seabird colonies, and best places to spot polar bears along the eastern shores of Spitsbergen
20%
Combination
Discount

15 Days Extended East and North Spitsbergen
North Spitsbergen is among the top spots on Earth to encounter polar bears, while the eastern islands of Svalbard offer some of the Arctic's best birdwatching opportunities. What happens when you merge these areas? A combination cruise that gives you the best of Svalbard, offering not only great chances to see polar bears but many other far-north animals: walruses, seals, and so many seabirds.
Tripcode: | PLA04c24 |
Dates: | 20 Jun - 4 Jul, 2024 |
Ship: | m/v Plancius |
Embarkation – Disembarkation: | Longyearbyen – Longyearbyen |
Duration: | 7 nights |
Price: | 6400 USD |
20% off from individual cruises | |
More info |

Cruises included:
East Spitsbergen, Home of the Polar Bear - Summer Solstice
Discover the highest peaks, largest seabird colonies, and best places to spot polar bears along the eastern shores of Spitsbergen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife
The best opportunity to get active while spotting exotic Arctic wildlife!
All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.
Experience the high Arctic summer solstice with an expedition that visits some of the top sites of eastern Spitsbergen. Our goal is to take you to amazing glaciers, fascinating historical sites, bountiful seabird colonies, and sprawling fjord systems in which there is a good chance of spotting whales, seals, and possibly even polar bears.
Summer solstice: midnight sun, and 24-hour day
The midnight sun is a phenomenon that occurs during the Arctic summer, when the sun is visible for a full 24 hours in fair weather. The summer solstice in Longyearbyen falls on 21 June, The term solstice (Latin solstitium) means “sun-stopping” and describes the point on the horizon at which the sun appears to rise and set, stopping and reversing directions after this day. On the solstice, the sun does not rise precisely in the east but rather north of east, then later sets to the north of west, making the sun visible for a longer period of time. It will not be until late August that the sun fully goes down again, and then only for a few minutes.Join us in experiencing this fascinating phenomenon during this voyage through the Arctic wilderness of Svalbard.
Day 1: Largest town, biggest island
You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions.
Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.
Day 2: Spectacular Hornsund
We start the day by quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area in southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of towering mountain peaks. The mountain of Hornsundtind rises to 1,431 meters (4,695 feet), while the peak of Bautaen testifies to why early Dutch explorers gave this island the name Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains.”
There are 14 magnificent glaciers in the area, and we have a fair chance of encountering seals and polar bears.
The nearby cliffs of Sofiakammen are also home to thousands of pairs of nesting kittiwakes and little auks, and in the evening, we might see thousands of harp seals rutting on ice floes at Sørkapp.
Day 3: Long excursion at Diskobukta
After navigating the drift ice of Storfjorden, where we sometimes see harp seals, we land in northwest Edgeøya at the northern bank of Rosenberdalriver. Here on the raised beach, we have the opportunity of walking to Rosenbergdalen, which is teeming with grazing reindeer.
Afterward we plan to walk by a cliff with nesting black guillemots on our way to Stretehamna, where we often find a herd of walruses on the beach near an octagonal trapper’s cabin built in 1905.
We can also see the remains of a 19th-century Pomor house as well as the bones of walruses hunted in previous centuries.
Day 4: Trapper´s history in Freemansundet
Sailing into the waterway of Freemansundet, we plan to land at the tundra lowland of Sundneset, on the island of Barentsøya.
Here we will visit the hut of a German scientific expedition (Würzbugerhütte) from sixty years ago, then take a brisk walk across the tundra in search of Spitsbergen reindeer and barnacle geese. After that, we plan to go on a Zodiac cruise near Freeman Glacier and visit a kittiwake colony in a canyon close by.
In case of heavy ice in Freemandundet, however, we will instead sail to Negribreen, one of the most extensive glacier fronts on the east side of Spitsbergen. Here we can take a Zodiac cruise and land on Walrus Island, which became ice-free at the end of last century.
Day 5: Ivory gulls in Agardhfjellet
Today we sail to the east side of west Spitsbergen (west side of Storfjorden).
Here we plan to walk to breeding places for ivory gulls in Agardhfjellet, which stands about 300 meters (980 feet) high.
The valley leading to the outcrops that house the nests is littered with fossils of belemnites and ammonites.
Day 6: South Spitsbergen
Today we aim to land at the mountain of Stellingfjellet, near the largest colony of Brünnich’s guillemots in Spitsbergen. Later in the day, we will make landings at the rarely visited coast of south Spitsbergen, at the bay of Isbukta.
Day 7: Bell Sund’s flora, fauna, and haunting history
We continue our voyage in Bell Sund, one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation.
Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife.
A possibility is Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th-century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of rampant exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction, and you have a good chance of coming across a pod.
Alternately, while cruising the side fjords of Bellsund, we can explore tundra where reindeer like to feed as well as rock slopes where little auks are breeding.
Day 8: There and back again
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Longyearbyen, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
Highlights you might experience
m/v Plancius
Our most longstanding vessel, Plancius is a classic choice for some of our most popular polar voyages. Full ship info »
Cabins & Prices
Quadruple Porthole
- 1 porthole
- 2 upper & lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Ample storage space
- Safe deposit box
- This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
Complete cabin
16000 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing berth
4000 USD
Share your cabin with others for the best price
Triple Porthole
- 1 porthole
- 1 upper berth & 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
- This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin
Complete cabin
15000 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sharing berth
5000 USD
Share your cabin with others for the best price
Twin Porthole
- 1 porthole
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Complete cabin
11200 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Single cabin
9520 USD
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Sharing berth
5600 USD
Share your cabin with others for the best price
Twin Window
- 1 window
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Complete cabin
12100 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Single cabin
10285 USD
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Sharing berth
6050 USD
Share your cabin with others for the best price
Twin Deluxe
- 2 windows
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Ample storage space
- Safe deposit box
- These cabins are corner cabins and are slightly more spacious than the normal twin porthole/window cabins
Complete cabin
12800 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Single cabin
10880 USD
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Sharing berth
6400 USD
Share your cabin with others for the best price
Superior
- 2 windows
- 1 double bed
- 1 sofa bed
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Refrigerator
- Coffee & tea maker
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Complete cabin
14600 USD
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Single cabin
12410 USD
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).