• St Svalbard Polar Bear Vladimir Melnik (2)

Itinerary Summary

Duration
11 Days
Price
£11820
When
May
Destination
Svalbard
Type
Small Group Safari
Duration Price When Destination Type
11 Days £11820 May Svalbard Small Group Safari
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Founders Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer with Andy Mann

Join Emmy-nominated Director, National Geographic Photographer & marine conservationist Andy Mann and NWS Founder and CEO Will Bolsover on this exclusive expedition to the Svalbard Archipelago. Develop your photography skills under expert tutelage while searching for Arctic wildlife like walrus, reindeer, humpback whales and the mighty polar bear as you discover how tourism can play it’s part in protecting this fragile region.

On this 11-day expedition you'll join Andy, Will and a team of expedition leaders as you explore the Svalbard Archipelago, home to vast snowfields, ice-choked fjords, frozen seas, towering mountains and rolling tundra. Andy will be on hand throughout your journey to share his expert photographic knowledge, accrued over years travelling the world with camera in hand. There are few more spectacular camera subjects than Svalbard and its wildlife, and you're sure to come away with once-in-a-lifetime images.

What makes this trip extraordinary?

  • Receive expert, on-the-ground photography coaching from professional photographer Andy Mann.
  • Discuss and debate on how tourism can play it’s part in protecting this fragile region with first-hand knowledge and observations.
  • Experience the dramatic scenery and incredible wildlife of Svalbard from the deck of your expedition ship, in small zodiac boats or while exploring on land.
  • Search the pack ice for polar bears hunting seals.
  • Learn more about Svalbard's flora and fauna from lectures taught by on-board experts.
  • Enjoy polar luxury on the M/V Polarfront.

Embedded Video Overview

An exclusive 11-day safari with professional photographer Andy Mann and NWS Founder Will Bolsover 
from $13,829 per person, excluding international flights

Day by day

Day by day

Day 1

Longyearbyen

Your Arctic adventure starts in this small Norwegian town where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Tonight we will come together as a group for dinner while sharing stories
and making plans for the adventure ahead.

Day 2

Setting Sail

After a morning at leisure in town, we’ll board our ship, Polarfront, late afternoon and start our polar journey.

Overnight: Polarfront

Days 3-10

Exploration

Spend the next eight days exploring the Svalbard Archipelago, seeking out encounters with Arctic wildlife. 

Your journey through Svalbard will be largely dependent upon weather conditions, the density of the pack ice in the north, and wildlife opportunities. Flexibility and a sense of adventure is key to a successful expedition here. 

You'll visit iceberg-filled fjords framed by breathtaking mountains; sail past towering cliffs populated by colossal seabird colonies; and see gigantic glaciers crashing into the icy seas. Some of your time will be spent cruising through the ice in search of polar bears as they hunt for seals, which often hitch rides on the passing ice floes. We’ll also seek out colonies of walruses basking on the beaches in the Arctic sun, and watch for whales in the icy seas. At some locations, we’ll head to shore for short hikes, or take to the zodiacs to explore the ice.

During the trip, there will be talks from our polar expedition team on the history and wildlife of the Arctic, while our resident polar photographer, Andy Mann, will share stories and tales of his time on the ice, as well as offering deep insight into photography in the natural world.

You will arrive back in the port of Longyearbyen ready for departure the following morning, but not before a final three-course Captain's dinner to commemorate the end of the journey!

Overnight: Polarfront

Day 11

Departure

This morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred either direct to the airport for your onward flights home, or back to the centre of town depending on the time of your departure.

Trip Details

Our Founders Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer trip is a small group wildlife expedition. The M/V Polarfront is a luxury polar expedition yacht that combines comfort and space with an exterior designed to take on the toughest conditions. Small in size, Polarfront can easily weave its way through the fjords, uncovering well-kept secrets of the Far North not typically explored. Carrying only a few passengers, it creates unique and enchanting wildlife experiences with unrivalled up-close encounters of Arctic wildlife, including the mighty polar bear.

Pricing from: £11,820/$15,720 USD - £13,620/$18,115 USD per person depending on cabin choice.

Trip date Duration Prices from
May 22 - Jun 01 2023 11 Days £11820

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