Wildlife watching cruise around Spitsbergen

Polar Bears (seen every time) and more in the Arctic wilderness - join our latest unforgettable cruise. 

• Get within 600 miles of the North Pole
• Aboard the ice-reinforced, small-group, "MV Ortelius"
• Cruise right round the island of Spitsbergen
• Ivory Gull, Grey Phalarope and millions of Little Auks
• Arctic Fox, Reindeer and big white bears
• Ice-floes with walrus, seals and Belugas
• Generally mild and settled weather and the sun doesn't set

Svalbard and Spitsbergen, one of Speyside Wildlife's most awe-inspiring and popular trips - we've taken over 100 guests to this truly amazing part of the high Arctic - and look at what we’ve found - Polar Bears, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Reindeer, Belugas, Fin Whales (we’ve even seen Blue Whale!), and magical birds of the far north: Ivory Gull, Red Phalarope, King Eider, Sabine’s Gull, Pomarine and Long-tailed Skua.We've enjoyed the comforts and pioneering spirit, of Oceanwide Expedition ships before and their MV Ortelius is an excellent, ice-reinforced modern vessel, 91 metres long, with a leader, captain and highly experienced crew. There are up to 120 passengers in cabins with outside views, excellent cuisine prepared by international chefs, plus a lecture room, bar/lounge area and sauna. She's the ideal combination of size, stability, comfort and, importantly, 'ready-for-anything' flexibility.Each day using the ship's fleet of tough Zodiacs, we'll approach fjords and the pack-ice and make safe, easy, shore landings. Usually there will be excursions of about three to four hours, both morning and afternoon and, in case we encounter a Polar Bear on land, which is a real possibility, we'll always be in the close company of our armed guides! As we voyage north and finally back again – either right by remote Kong Karls Land in the east, or through the Hinlopen Straight - we are likely to visit many of the following places, but the itinerary will very much be influenced by weather and pack-ice conditions. Every trip is different; every trip is astonishing.