Active Expedition
Svalbard
North of Ordinary: Svalbard Expedition 2028
Details
11 DAYS FROM $21,280 PP
Best time to go
6 – 16 May 2028
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North of Ordinary: Svalbard Expedition 2028
There is something about Svalbard that keeps drawing people back. Perhaps it is a polar bear moving across the sea ice, the silence of a glacier-filled fjord, or the light that settles over the mountains at midnight. For Natural World Safaris founder Will Bolsover, it is the knowledge that however often you return, the Arctic can still surprise you.
In May 2028, Will heads north again with his friend, explorer and photographer Chris Michel. Together they spend nine nights aboard Captain Arctic, a new solar-sailing expedition ship carrying just 34 guests, exploring Spitsbergen with a lighter footprint and a quieter presence.
Chris brings a photographer's eye, shaped by years documenting extreme places, and shares his approach in the field and aboard the ship. Will brings more than a decade of Svalbard experience and the relationships behind it.
There is no fixed route. Your Captain and Expedition Leader follow the sea ice, weather and wildlife, and in May the midnight sun means there is every reason to stay out on deck a little longer. This is North of Ordinary: an Arctic expedition shaped by curiosity, photography and the unexpected.
Why you'll love this Svalbard expedition
- Explore Svalbard with Will Bolsover, NWS founder, who has returned to these waters for more than a decade.
- Learn Arctic photography with Chris Michel, with guidance in the field and aboard the ship.
- Sail on Captain Arctic, a wind and solar-powered polar vessel with just 34 guests.
- See Svalbard's wildlife: polar bears, walrus, seals, whales, Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer.
- Travel under the midnight sun through ice-filled fjords and along remote coasts, on a route set by nature.
No two days are the same. Your Captain and Expedition Leader set the route each morning around the ice, weather and wildlife.
Day 1, 6 May: Longyearbyen, the last outpost
Your Arctic adventure begins in Longyearbyen, one of the world's northernmost settlements, ringed by mountains and wilderness. Keep an eye out for Svalbard reindeer, and for traces of the island's coal-mining past. You are met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. This evening, join Will, Chris and the group for a private four-course dinner at Gruvelageret, a former miners' storehouse in the valley above town.
Overnight: Longyearbyen
Day 2, 7 May: Longyearbyen and boarding Captain Arctic
Spend the morning at the Svalbard Museum, a fascinating look at the trappers, miners, explorers and wildlife that shaped this unlikely outpost. In the afternoon, board Captain Arctic, your home for nine nights. Powered by wind and sun, she can travel in near silence, opening up wildlife encounters without a constant engine hum. As Longyearbyen falls behind, the expedition begins.
Overnight: Captain Arctic
Days 3 to 10, 8 to 15 May: Svalbard's fjords, sea ice and wildlife
Eight days are given to Svalbard's wilderness. Each morning the Captain and Expedition Leader read the ice, weather and latest wildlife activity before deciding where to go, so the route can change when something worth investigating appears.
May is a superb time for sea ice. Watch for polar bears crossing the pack ice, walrus hauled out on remote shores, bearded seals resting on floes and whales surfacing in the fjords. On the tundra, look for Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer.
Weather permitting, take a Zodiac beneath glacier fronts, land and explore on foot, paddle a kayak, or set foot on sea ice. Back aboard, the science lab offers a chance to dig deeper, and Chris Michel leads photography discussions in the field and on board.
With the sun never setting, a polar bear at 2am or a whale at midnight is entirely possible. Some of the best moments will not be on any itinerary.
Overnight: Captain Arctic
Day 11, 16 May: Return to Longyearbyen
Return to Longyearbyen early for a final breakfast aboard, then say farewell to Will, Chris and your fellow guests before transferring to the airport.
Your Accommodation
Captain Arctic
Part expedition vessel, part floating field station, Captain Arctic is the vision of polar captain Sophie Galvagnon. Her 35-metre sails carry more than 2,000 square metres of solar panels and retract when not in use; when the wind drops, electric propulsion takes over in near silence. She emits 90 per cent less CO2 than conventional ships, makes fresh water from the sea and runs a zero-waste policy at sea. From 2027 she joins the Clean Up Svalbard initiative.
With 34 guests she has the comfort of a much larger ship: restaurant and bar-lounge, library and lecture space, sauna and Norwegian cold bath, fitness room and an open bridge policy. Zodiacs, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snowshoes are on board for every guest, and a science lab hosts visiting researchers.
Classic Cabins (15m², Deck 1, portholes, double or twin beds) and Deluxe Suites (up to 20m², Deck 2, large picture windows, only two available).
Meet Your Leaders
Will Bolsover, Founder and CEO, Natural World Safaris
From pioneering gorilla treks in Gabon to putting guests in front of wild Siberian tigers, Will has spent more than two decades pushing the boundaries of wildlife travel. Svalbard is the place he returns to year after year, and he brought NWS into AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. Read more about Will Bolsover.
Chris Michel, photographer, explorer and NWS Specialist Leader
Chris documents people working in the most extreme places on Earth, from Everest and Papua New Guinea to the poles, and has photographed the edge of space from a U-2 spy plane. He is an instructor at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and an NWS polar guide. Read more about Chris Michel.
Dates & Prices North of Ordinary: Svalbard Expedition 2028
| Date | Ship | Passengers | Trip Length | Trip Style | Prices from | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 – 16 May 2028 | Captain Arctic | 34 | 11 Days | Small Group | $20,500 |