Sailing to Svalbard

Vessel: Sailing to Svalbard
Where: Norway/Svalbard

Sorry we’re full!
This voyage is fully crewed. Check out our voyage finder to see what else we have available.

Arctic sailing holiday exploring the Norwegian coastline to the remote island of Svalbard, land of the ice bear, onboard cosy expedition yacht Narwhal.

Join Narwhal for a true bucket list experience sailing from Norway to Svalbard. Perfect for any adventurer who has dreamt of crossing the ocean to the frozen kingdom of the ice bear.

Joining Narwhal in the lively Norwegian city of Tromsø is a great way to begin your arctic adventure. You will have the opportunity to settle in and be shown around the boat as well as to explore the town and get your first taste of life above the arctic circle. Skippers Katharine and Eric will introduce you to everything that you need to know about Narwhal, life onboard and the research projects that they will be undertaking. Dinner will be provided onboard on the first evening, a great opportunity to get to know your fellow crew and guests.

Departing from Tromsø in northern Norway, you will first make your way through the stunning fjords before picking a weather window to set out across the Barent’s sea ocean to Longyearbyen in Svalbard. From there, you will spend the rest of the expedition exploring the elemental arctic landscape of ice and rock, keeping your eyes peeled for whales, walruses and polar bears as Narwhal sails past immense icebergs and glaciers.

Following initial safety briefings, Narwhal will set sail for the sheltered and spectacular fjords around Bodø, providing the perfect opportunity to get used to the boat and trial some of the research equipment. There will be plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the stunning scenery of the arctic landscape.

Katharine and Eric will be looking carefully at the sea and weather conditions to choose a good time to make the crossing of the Barent’s Sea. The total crossing is a distance of nearly 400 nautical miles which we will expect to take 4-5 days. During the crossing the crew will be divided in to groups of 2 or 3 called ‘watches’, each supervised by a member of our crew, the watches will take it in turns sailing the yacht across the ocean throughout the day and night. Sailing through the night out of sight of land is one of the most magical and unique experiences of ocean sailing. On this expedition, it will be even more special as you will be sailing under the magical midnight sun accompanied by sea birds as they wander the ocean and perhaps even encountering whales. If the conditions are right then Narwhal will stop at the truly remote island of Bjornoya (Bear Island), approximately 250 nautical miles into the journey. Then it will be onwards to complete our crossing and see Svalbard come into sight.

This will be your first real taste of the unique environment of Svalbard and a chance to slow down the pace and explore your surroundings. Explore the spectacular southern peninsular with its glaciers reaching down to the sea. Navigate carefully when Narwhal encounters ice and seek out breathtaking anchorages which will allow us to set our first footsteps on Svalbard as well as to get a good nights sleep. You can expect to be surrounded by wildlife both in the air and in the ocean and rest assured Katharine and Eric are familiar with the area and will be keeping a careful eye out for polar bears.

The rest of the expedition will use the weather conditions to our best advantage to seek out the highlights that Svalbard has to offer. Constantly on the lookout for whales and walrus, you will also have the opportunity to visit important landmarks and forgotten villages that make Svalbard’s unique history.

Finally, Narwhal will travel up Isfjorden to the main town of Longyearbyen. She will moor up for the night in Longyearbyen and you can enjoy your final evening on board with a nice dinner and time to swap stories, highlights and pictures from the expedition.

*The exact itinerary that we follow will be chosen each day by your skipper to make the best use of the weather conditions. Since we operate with just a small number of guests on board, we can tailor the areas that we explore based on your interests. All meals and hot/soft drinks and hire of a waterproof all in one are included in your ticket price.