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Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer

Explore the stunning Spitsbergen Archipelago aboard the M/V Kinfish - intimate ship charters focusing on sightings of the amazing polar bear and other Arctic wildlife of Svalbard.

Itinerary Summary

Duration
11 Days
Price
When
Apr - Aug 2020
Destination
Svalbard
Type
Small Group Safari
Duration Price When Destination Type
11 Days Apr - Aug 2020 Svalbard Small Group Safari
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About this trip

The best time to see polar bears in Svalbard is during the summer months, when you can explore the wildlife capital of the Arctic aboard one of our small ship expeditions. You will sail north from Longyearbyen exploring the western coast of Spitsbergen in search of colonies of walrus as well as other resident marine mammals. Setting sail during the heart of the Arctic summer, the sea ice will be fragmented, sending ice floes along the eastern part of the Archipelago. Searching these principle hunting grounds for the polar bear, the M/V Kinfish will allow close-up encounters with this majestic creature.

 

What makes this trip extraordinary

  • Navigate far into the icy north for close-up polar bear encounters.
  • Stay aboard an intimate expedition ship with as few as 11 other passengers.
  • Enjoy walking and sailing through incredible landscapes and breath-taking fjords and waterfalls.
  • Witness other Arctic wildlife including walrus, whales, Svalbard reindeer and more.

Embedded Video Overview

A 9-, 10- or 11-day wildlife-focused specialist-led set departure aboard the M/V Kinfish  
from $9,094 per person, excluding international flights

Kate Humble & Natural World Safaris

In July 2018, we were lucky enough to have veteran BBC presenter Kate Humble join us as specialist leader on one of our Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer expeditions, on board the same ship – the M/S Freya – which fellow specialist leader David Yarrow travelled on the year prior. Kate’s passion for wildlife and the natural world has seen her feature in a cavalcade of much-loved television programmes like Springwatch and Animal Park, while she also involves herself in charity work for a number of conservation organisations, from the RSPB to the Marine Conservation Society.

Upon returning from her trip, Kate shared the following words with us:

”As you know, the beauty of great wildlife encounters is that they are unpredictable, and although knowledge and experience of a place can up your chances, there are no guarantees. The first talk I did for the guests was absolutely about that – that even with a BBC Natural History team, cameras, specialist guides and equipment, there is no certainty that you are going to find what you are looking for, and even if you do, see it doing something that is interesting enough to film. But the combination of knowledge of both the landscape, and the ice, with some luck, and a flexible itinerary, meant we not only saw over 30 polar bears throughout the trip, we also witnessed some really wonderful behaviour.

It was this that made our Svalbard safari a completely stand-out wildlife-watching experience.

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Images From Our Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer Expeditions

Day by day

Day by day

Day 1

Arrive Longyearbyen

Today you will arrive in Longyearbyen ready to board your expedition ship in the afternoon and start your Arctic adventure. Meet your fellow passengers and sail through the spectacular icy fjords of the Svalbard Archipelago.

Days 2-10

Exploring Svalbard

Your time aboard the M/V Kinfish will be spent exploring the Svalbard Archipelago in search of Arctic wildlife and frozen landscapes. The exact itinerary will depend upon the weather conditions, the density of the pack ice in the north and wildlife opportunities; as well as the chosen length of your trip. During your Arctic safari you can expect to visit ice-filled fjords framed by breath-taking snow-capped peaks, towering bird cliffs with colonies of seabirds numbering in their thousands and see gigantic glaciers crashing into the icy seas. Alongside stunning landscapes go in search of polar bears as they hunt for seals, seek out colonies of walrus basking in the sun and spot whales breaching in the icy seas. On shore you may come across Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer and, of course, the impressive Arctic flora.

Day 11

Depart Longyearbyen

You will arrive back into Longyearbyen in the early morning, disembark and then time to say your final farewells and begin your journey home.

Mosaic Gallery

Trip Details

Our Svalbard Polar Bear Explorer trip is a small group wildlife expedition. The M/V Kinfish is a small, intimate ship perfect for exploring the icy shores of the Svalbard Archipelago, ensuring your proximity to wildlife-rich areas of interest. Carrying 12 passengers, it creates unique and enchanting wildlife experiences with unrivalled up-close encounters of Arctic wildlife, including the mighty polar bear.

Trip date Duration Prices from Specialist guide(s)
Apr 24 - May 04 2020 11 Days Chris Michel
May 04 - May 12 2020 9 Days SOLD OUT Martin Hartley
May 12 - May 20 2020 9 Days
May 20 - May 28 2020 9 Days
May 28 - Jun 05 2020 9 Days Andy Mann
Jun 11 - Jun 20 2020 10 Days
Jun 20 - Jun 30 2020 11 Days Andrew James
Jun 30 - Jul 10 2020 11 Days
Jul 10 - Jul 20 2020 11 Days SOLD OUT
Jul 20 - Jul 30 2020 11 Days
Jul 30 - Aug 08 2020 10 Days
Aug 08 - Aug 18 2020 11 Days Chase Teron
Trip Logs

M/S Freya Log 2019 | Apr - May 2019

Your Expedition Ship Choices

  • Accommodating just 12 guests at a time, the M/V Kinfish was recently transformed from a Norwegian research vessel to a classic passenger ship.

    Find out more

Reviews

  • Gemma and the rest of the office staff were very responsive and helpful. The application you sent us to download on our phones was great as well. The trip was terrific and exceeded all expectations. Our guides were fantastic, as were the Kinfish staff. I know we got lucky, but we saw 28 polar bears and all sorts of other wildlife. The Arctic environment was astounding. I want to especially call out Ben and Pernille, our Expedition Leaders, who were just great.
    5 out of 5
  • Excellent communication and very prompt responses. An amazing experience that exceeded my expectations above and beyond – would recommend to anyone I know who is planning in future!
    5 out of 5
  • The crew was incredible and guides were amazing. I enjoyed the expedition and overall was very pleased and happy. I like the approach NWS takes towards interacting with the wildlife and making sure we leave no footprint, as well as ensuring we do not stress the animals. Very respectful approach.
    5 out of 5
  • Excellent and prompt communication which made the whole process easy and informative. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. On top of the great service at NWS, the team aboard the mighty Kinfish worked extremely hard to ensure we had an amazing time and saw as much wildlife and scenery as possible. I would go as far as to say this was the best trip I've ever been on! If travelling with you in the future, I have confidence that NWS will be able to provide the best possible safari experience.
    5 out of 5
  • The boat was good and the crew fantastic. Chase, Nate and Beau were excellent guides and filled in quiet times with interesting talks. Chase was really helpful on the photography front. I give Chase a 10/10 – he made the trip! All the rest of the staff get a very close 9.5/10 and their diligence was much appreciated. Guests were fun and overall I had a great trip. The scenery was amazing and fun activities like wakeboarding and the polar plunge brought everyone together, and made the trip fun for everyone.
    4 out of 5
  • Great service and I love that the company really cares about the places where they conduct their tours. This is something that is really hard to find today!
    5 out of 5
  • I loved being on the Kinfish and hope to visit another destination on this ship. Our guides were very well acquainted with Svalbard and were very successful finding wildlife. This was my first ship excursion and I know I will always travel with a small group. Nathan at NWS was incredible to work with and quickly answered all my questions. Your attention to detail was incredible and the quality of the experience was remarkable.
    5 out of 5
  • I loved the M/V Kinfish, her crew, and our fantastic guides Alex and Lauren. Steve Winter was really helpful when you asked him and held photo critique sessions – it was great to see what others had done and to get feedback on my efforts. I love the camaraderie of a small ship; I love the big, empty, wild places, being able to access the small bays and jumping into zodiacs to get a closer look.
    5 out of 5
  • Nathan at NWS was very attentive to our needs, a good communicator who kept us informed of developments as they occurred. This was a magical trip with an excellent crew and lovely fellow travel companions. We liked the intimate experience of travelling on a small ship and the expert guides who got us good wildlife sightings.
    5 out of 5
  • The whole trip was very good with excellent guides. Steve, the photographer, was also very good and supported us in improving our photography. The crew on board were also excellent, especially the captain, first officer and stewardess, but all were brilliant. The overall experience with the quality of wildlife and scenery, and the brilliance of our leaders, made it a very good trip. We have now had two very good trips with you, with good destinations, very good routes around the area, and excellent people leading us. You clearly know how to put the right people together, and this has led to two brilliant experiences.
    5 out of 5
  • I thought everything was well organised. The expedition team of Nate, Mats and Johan were terrific and extremely knowledgeable. The crew of the M/S Freya were also great – very friendly and excellent spotters. David Yarrow was fantastic. We had wonderful wildlife interactions, particularly the first day with the three bears; a particular zodiac trip where we were able to get amazing photographs of a lone bear; and the penultimate day when we watched a mother and cub in incredible light.
    5 out of 5
  • It was well planned, professionally guided, the food was great, and I just had a great time!
    5 out of 5
  • The food was perfect, and the captain and crew made for an amazing cruise. The guides were very nice, interesting and fun: the perfect travel setup. It was a great to pleasure to meet all of them. Everyone did their best to make the perfect safari for us.
    5 out of 5
  • The service was excellent and highly organised. I had a fabulous time. The guides, crew and the other guests were all superb.
    5 out of 5
  • The guides (Nate, Mats and Johan) were incredible. The crew were absolutely fabulous. The group gelled really well and it was like a big family – crew and guides included. I feel blessed to have the group (again crew and guides included) we did and the wildlife encounters we did. I had a wonderful time – even better than anticipated.
    5 out of 5
  • Gemma was incredibly responsive and I could not have felt better taken care of. No matter how many questions I asked, I always got a quick and helpful response. This trip genuinely exceeded any expectations and hope that I had for it. I could not be happier with my experience. I would like to add that the guides, the crew on board and Steve Winter were absolutely fantastic!
    5 out of 5
  • We felt very well looked after. We liked the enthusiasm and expertise from NWS, and how individual the experience felt. Everything went very smoothly. All of the crew and guides worked hard to make this trip as memorable as possible. Thanks very much!
    5 out of 5
  • Words do no justice - a life-changing experience and trip. Our hearts and minds are still way up North in the High Arctic, where they shall remain until we return some day henceforth. Words do no justice to this experience...
    5 out of 5
  • The NWS staff were exceptional. Chase was a wealth of information on shooting and camera care in the difficult Arctic conditions, and worked on recommendations for further enhancing photos through the use of Lightroom. He and his knowledgeable expedition leaders worked together extremely well, making a trip of successful sightings even better by building a team out of 13 strangers.
    5 out of 5
  • I would like to thank you for the most fabulous trip to Svalbard. The entire experience was absolutely amazing… far beyond my expectation. Everything was phenomenal. The ship and the entire crew were beyond words. Chase in particular was so very kind and approachable. I am grateful for the photography know-hows he gave me and I can't thank you enough for arranging this trip. I loved every minute of it!
    5 out of 5
  • Loved everything about the trip! Didn’t go in having any set expectations but any I did subconsciously have were well exceeded! Guides were super informative and fun. Having Chase as a photography guide and Beau/Nate as expedition guides created a great mix of information over the trip. Crew on Kinfish were super friendly and lovely to be around – food was outstanding! Some of the best meals I’ve ever had. Wildlife encounters were incredible. Overall, everything was well organised and professionally run. The information provided prior to departure was very detailed, which was important for me, and the experience on the trip was just as excellent!
    5 out of 5
  • The trip was well organised with the best team leaders in Annette and Ronnie that i could wish for. The boat was comfortable and well equipped with a friendly crew who couldn't do anymore for us. The food was fabulous and plentiful with a super atmosphere. David Yarrow was a brilliant bonus for me - I learnt a ton.
    5 out of 5
  • I would like to thank you for the most fabulous trip to Svalbard. The entire experience was absolutely amazing... far beyond my expectation. Everything was phenomenal. Mats and Nate, Chase, the M/S Malmö crew, and the entire group were beyond words. Simply fantastic. I can't thank you enough for arranging this trip.
    5 out of 5
  • What an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We felt like true explorers with this unique environment all to ourselves. The wildlife and nature sightings were breathtaking, while the guides and Kinfish team were professional and educative. Lorna and Alice were incredibly helpful with regards to packing recommendations, and all other details. The service on board was also outstanding, as was the dining. I particularly enjoyed the lectures from Ben and Pernille!
    5 out of 5
  • Very well organised from the booking process onwards. Excellent staff - efficient, courteous, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, hard-working (this includes Natural World Safaris staff and the crew of the M/S Freya).
    5 out of 5
  • Fantastic sightings; great guides; lovely crew; characterful ship! Fulfilled more than I'd hoped. Thank you!
    5 out of 5
  • Excellent - great destination, smooth and stress-free, top guides and David Yarrow was fantastic.
    5 out of 5
  • Incredible – lived up to all expectations and more. The guides were fabulous, the crew also first-rate and the experience created for us was beyond all doubt spectacular.
    5 out of 5
  • Fantastic trip on the M/S Malmo. Great guides in Hadleigh Measham and Mats Forsberg, not to mention the ship's crew, with a special shout out to Paul the Chef!!! Also great to have Alice from NWS on board – she's written a great blog already. The team really worked hard to give us all a wonderful Arctic experience. Just awesome – way beyond my expectations and because we were only a small expedition it was very personal and we went places I imagine a bigger ship/group would not have been able to go.
    10 out of 5
  • The trip was amazing! It was incredible to be the only boat out in the waters. We were able to make changes based on the weather and the wildlife, which made the trip that much better. We were very lucky that Shannon sighted a polar bear swimming in the water. It was amazing being able to watch him come to shore on the zodiacs and wander around the ice and the glaciers. We were so lucky!
    5 out of 5
  • It was one of the best trips we’ve had in our life. Everything was great: the nature, the animals we saw, the crew, the guides, the chef and all the guests on board. We also liked the fact that we were a small group, giving us the feeling of an expedition (with a reasonable degree of comfort).
    5 out of 5
  • It was an amazing experience, great group and excellent crew made it unforgettable all-round.
    5 out of 5
  • It was a great trip. Svalbard is such a beautiful place - being able to travel among the icebergs and see polar bears walking around is really something special for me.
    5 out of 5
  • Our expedition ship, the M/S Freya, was perfect with regards to the newly refurbished cabins, viewing decks and bridge. The guides were amazing and very professional – their knowledge was excellent. Enjoyed their wealth of knowledge and would even launch the zodiacs at midnight. Excellent lectures.
    4 out of 5

Talk to one of our specialists for further details on our Svalbard safaris.