Arctic Norway: Svalbard and Varanger

Arctic Norway:
Svalbard and Varanger

Polar bears, seabird colonies, and lekking grouse under the midnight sun

This exceptional combination tour offers a rare chance to experience two of the Arctic’s most unforgettable destinations at their seasonal best in an intimate, small-group setting. From the dramatic ice-sculpted landscapes of Svalbard to the bird-rich tundra and coastline of Norway’s Varanger Peninsula, you’ll witness a staggering diversity of wildlife and scenery under the endless light of the northern summer.

In Svalbard, summer unlocks a world few ever see. Aboard a small expedition ship, you’ll sail through fjords flanked by glaciers and snow-covered peaks. You’ll explore remote bays and ice-clad shores by Zodiac and on foot, venturing into pristine habitats inaccessible to larger ships. Polar Bears patrol the sea ice in search of seals, Walruses haul out on remote beaches, while whales—such as Minke or Humpback—surface nearby. On land, Arctic Foxes slink through thawed valleys, and Reindeer graze the blooming tundra. Birdlife is abundant, too: King Eiders, Ivory Gulls, Pomarine Jaegers, Atlantic Puffins, Fieldfares, Gyrfalcons, and many more can all be seen on and around Svalbard.

In contrast, Varanger offers a vibrant mosaic of habitats teeming with birdlife. Here, the tundra meets boreal forest and rugged coastlines, creating a haven for northern specialties. You’ll witness the spectacular lekking of Ruff and Capercaillie, search for rare breeders like Pine Grosbeak and Siberian Tit, and observe bustling seabird colonies of Puffins, Murres, and Kittiwakes on Hornøya’s sea cliffs. The haunting calls of Red-throated Loons echo over tundra lakes, while Humpback Whales sometimes surface offshore in the Barents Sea.

Designed for travelers who appreciate both intimate wildlife encounters and the raw beauty of the far north, this immersive journey reveals the Arctic as few ever experience it—wild, remote, and utterly captivating.

USD 16 800

/ person sharing in twin or double*

Included

Lodging: 16 nights accommodation, of which 7 onboard the ship for the Svalbard cruise. Note that NO SINGLE ROOMS are available for the Svalbard cruise!
Food & drinks: All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 17. No drinks are included with meals other than coffee and tea during breakfast.
Activities: All activities as described in the itinerary. Please note that changes can be made depending on weather, ice, wildlife, the group, or unforeseen circumstances.
Entrance fees: All entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary.
Airport transfers: Group airport transfer on days 1, 8, and 17. If you arrive outside those set dates and times, please take a taxi or Uber to the meeting point.
Svalbard cruise: 8-day/7-night Svalbard cruise and Zodiac outings during the cruise.
Transportation Varanger: All in-country ground transportation in private vehicle to and from sites visited in Varanger.
Guides: All guiding fees for tour leaders, guides, instructors, and crew.
Global Rescue Membership (evacuation and rescue services, not travel or health insurance).for the duration of the tour.

Excluded

Arrival & departure: Transportation to start point (Longyearbyen, LYR) and from end point (Kirkenes, KKN).
Domestic flights: Domestic flight from Longyearbyen (LYR) to Kirkenes (KKN). These flights will be booked by us as soon as the passenger list is complete, and the cost added to your final balance.
Food and drinks: Snacks outside mealtimes. Drinks other than water and tea and coffee for breakfast.
Personal items: Personal purchases such as (but not limited to) laundry, room service, phone calls, souvenirs, etc.
Travel documents: Passports, visas, etc.
Insurance: No insurance is included. We strongly recommend participants get their own travel, cancelation, and medical insurance in their home country.
Tips & gratuities: Any tips you would like to offer to tour leaders, guides, instructors, crew, drivers, porters, wait staff, housekeeping etc. for outstanding service.
Other: Any other items not explicitly included.

Note: No single rooms are available on the Svalbard expedition. However, single rooms can be booked for the mainland Varanger portion of the tour. The single supplement for that is 750 USD.

Itinerary

Please note that the listed itinerary of the Svalbard cruise is for guidance only. Day-to-day activities vary depending on the ice, the weather, and the wildlife. Landings are subject to site availability and permissions, and always in line with AECO regulations. As for the Varanger portion of the tour, the general itinerary is set, but hotels and daily activities may slightly differ depending on circumstances.

Day 1 ⎸ Arrival in Longyearbyen

You'll be picked up from the Longyearbyen airport and transferred to your hotel, where we'll meet in the evening for introductions and welcome dinner.
Day 2 ⎸ Longyearbyen and Embarkation

A morning in Longyearbyen offers a compact but fascinating look at life in the High Arctic. You’ll begin with a short walk along the fjord and up toward Isdammen, where spring melt brings early flocks of Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, Common Eiders, and the first Snow Buntings singing from rooftops. Even within the settlement, it’s easy to see how wildlife and people coexist in this stark environment. The rest of the morning you’ll spend exploring Longyearbyen’s culture and history. The Svalbard Museum provides an engaging overview of the archipelago’s geology, wildlife, and human history—from early whaling and coal mining to today’s research and tourism. Just a few minutes away, the North Pole Expedition Museum focuses on the daring airship journeys of Amundsen and Nobile in the 1920s, with original photographs, maps, and artifacts that bring these polar adventures to life. It’ll give you a clear and authentic picture of how Svalbard’s nature, exploration, and daily life intertwine at the edge of the Arctic—a perfect introduction to our own journey into the High Arctic. Around 3pm, we head towards the harbor, where we will board our expedition vessel. As you set sail, enjoy your first views of Svalbard’s dramatic landscape, cruising past the towering cliffs of Fuglefjella (Bird Mountain), a striking plateau formation that hints at the wild beauty ahead.
Days 3–8 ⎸ High Arctic Expedition Cruise

Over the next several days, we journey deeper into the High Arctic, where sea, ice, and sky are alive with wildlife. Traveling aboard our compact but sturdy 12-passenger vessel, we’ll explore the waters around Svalbard, venturing out by Zodiac and making landings to experience the region’s animals and landscapes up close. Out on the drifting sea ice, seals haul out to rest while polar bears patrol their hunting grounds. Overhead, Arctic Terns dart and dive, Sabine’s Gulls wheel gracefully above the water, and both Parasitic and Pomerine Jaegers skim low across the waves. Northern Fulmars trace steady paths along the wind, while Glaucous and Ivory Gulls soar against the pale sky. Along the cliffs and coastlines, life gathers in impressive numbers. Thick-billed and Common Murres, Dovekies, Razorbills, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and Atlantic Puffins crowd their nesting ledges, filling the air with sound and motion. On quieter shores, Dunlins, Purple Sandpipers, and Ringed Plovers forage among the stones, while flocks of Barnacle, Brant, and Greater White-fronted Geese move through the skies. The tundra adds another layer of life: Snow Buntings sing from rocky ridges, Rock Ptarmigans blend into the slopes, and Arctic Foxes wander in search of prey. Walrus colonies rest along the beaches, sometimes alongside loafing seals. Each day brings new conditions and new discoveries—mirror-still fjords, glaciers tumbling into the sea, or stretches of open water dotted with icebergs. The exact route and daily itinerary will be determined as we go, depending on weather, ice, wildlife, and the group. Whether watching from deck, exploring by Zodiac, or stepping ashore, we’ll experience the Arctic’s remarkable mix of wildlife, history, and raw, ever-changing beauty.
Day 9 ⎸ Disembarkation in Longyearbyen and flight to Kirkenes

We disembark in Longyearbyen around 9 AM, taking with you unforgettable memories of the Arctic’s last true wilderness. The group will then take a domestic flight from Longyearbyen to Kirkenes. As we're likely to arrive late, we'll spend the night in Kirkenes, resting up for the start of our Varanger adventure early tomorrow.
Day 10 ⎸ Pasvik Valley Exploration

his first day at the northernmost tip of mainland Norway take you into the heart of the tranquil Pasvik Valley, where you will have the chance to witness the spectacular display of lekking Black Grouse and Capercaillie, and visit well-maintained feeders where Siberian Tit, Siberian Jay, and the colorful Pine Grosbeak often appear. The valley will be alive with the return of spring migrants, and you can expect to encounter Whooper Swan, Taiga Bean Goose, Little Bunting, Arctic Warbler, Northern Hawk Owl, Smew, Western Yellow Wagtail, Common Crane, and Spotted Redshank. Mammal sightings may include Arctic Hare, Musk Rat, Otter, Moose, Reindeer, and Red Fox. Although Brown Bear inhabits this area, seeing one remains a rare and special event.
Day 11 ⎸ Across the Tundra to Båtsfjord

Today you will journey toward the Varangerfjord, traveling through landscapes alive with Rough-legged Hawk, Merlin, and Common Kestrel. As you cross the sweeping Kongsfjord Mountain tundra, you will search for the vibrant Bluethroat, singing Brambling and Common Redstart, and the first arriving duck and loon. Upon reaching Båtsfjord, where you will stay for two nights, the vast tundra and coastline offer remarkable birding opportunities. You can look forward to encounters with Long-tailed Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Red-necked Phalarope, Temminck’s Stint, Black-throated Loon and Red-throated Loon, Willow Ptarmigan and Rock Ptarmigan, European Golden-Plover, Eurasian Dotterel, Lapland Longspur, Red-throated Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Common Snipe.
Day 12 ⎸ The Cliffs of Syltefjord and High Arctic Birding

Your day begins with a trip towards Syltefjord, where you will embark on a boat excursion to the towering cliffs of Syltefjordstauran, home to thousands of nesting Northern Gannet. Out on the waters of the Barents Sea, you will search for Northern Fulmar gliding above the waves, elusive Yellow-billed Loon, and the powerful Pomarine Jaeger and Great Skua. White-tailed Eagle often patrols the cliffs, and with luck, you may even glimpse a magnificent Gyrfalcon in pursuit of prey. Keep watch for marine mammals as well—Humpback Whale, Minke Whale, White-beaked Dolphin, Orca, and even Beluga. In the evening, your exploration continues at Kongsfjordfjellet, where Snow Bunting, Horned Lark (Shore Lark), Rock Ptarmigan, and Eurasian Dotterel make their homes amid the rocky terrain.
Day 13 ⎸ Varangerbotn and Vadsø Wetlands

An early departure from Båtsfjord will bring you to the productive bird hides of Varangerbotn, where spring shorebird gathers along the shoreline. You may observe Tundra Bean Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Greylag Goose resting and feeding in the area. Further exploration at Nesseby Nature Reserve, with its vast wetlands, offers rich opportunities to view a variety of shorebird, duck, and loon. As you move onward to Vadsø, you will visit a beautiful island reserve where Ruff displays, Red-necked Phalarope dances on the water, and Arctic Redpoll and pipit forage among the shrubs. With some luck, you may spot lingering Steller’s Eider and King Eider in the harbor. Along the route from Vadsø to Vardø, keep your binoculars ready for Short-eared Owl and additional migrating goose. Tonight, you will settle in either Vardø or remain near Vadsø, depending on the birding conditions.
Day 14 ⎸ Hornøya – A Seabird Paradise

Today you will set out on a short boat trip to the extraordinary island of Hornøya. Just ten minutes from Vardø, this island teems with life, hosting nearly 100,000 seabird during the breeding season. You will have intimate views of Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre and Thick-billed Murre, European Shag, and Black-legged Kittiwake. Keep watch for Barnacle Goose, Twite, and Rock Pipit among the rugged rocks. Offshore, you may be treated to sightings of Humpback Whale, Minke Whale, and White-beaked Dolphin. The evening offers more exploration around Vardø Island, seeking Ruff, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, and the exciting possibility of rare visitors such as Sabine’s Gull, Glaucous Gull, and Rosy Starling.
Day 15 ⎸ Hamningberg and the Arctic Coast

This morning you will venture to the remote fishing village of Hamningberg, traveling through a surreal, moon-like landscape carved by time and ice. Along the journey, you will search lakes for Red-throated Loon, Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, and Long-tailed Duck. Along the coastal margins, you will scan for Yellow-billed Loon, Common Loon, King and Steller’s Eider, as well as large flocks of molting Common Merganser and Red-breasted Merganser. At Hamningberg itself, the Arctic air will be alive with migrating Pomarine Jaeger, Long-tailed Jaeger, and Northern Fulmar passing overhead.
Day 16 ⎸ Final Birding in Varanger

Today offers one last morning in the Varanger area, giving you a final opportunity to search for any species still lingering on your list. We then slowly head back to Kirkenes, where we'll spend a final night.
Day 17 ⎸ Departure from Kirkenes

After breakfast, we'll transfer you to the Kirkenes airport for your return flights home.

Your guides

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Birds

Other wildlife

Photography

Culture & history

Gastronomy

Other

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Lodging

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