Summer Nature Holidays - 14 -
King's Bay

Itinerary (1)

Day 1 :
Fly from Paris to Longyearbyen. Guesthouse near Isfjord (the ice fjord) under the midnight sun.

Days 2 to 5 :
Cruise in the traditional family-minded comfort of a Norwegian coaster. After a few hours, we visit Barentsburg, another world lost in the Arctic. One by one, we discover the islands of the North, the Northern Fjords with their Alpine landscapes, such as Madeleine Bay, and we go to 80° North of latitude. We follow the rugged shoreline of huge bluish glaciers, before arriving in the Bay of the King. Usually, if weather conditions allow, the boat goes up to the ice floes of Moffen Island (a natural reserve) where, in complete security near the boat, we may see Polar bears, walruses or whales.

Days 5 to 11 :
A week of complete autonomy in the Bay of the King, probably Spitzbergen’s most beautiful spot. Here, every site is rich in polar exploration history: such as whaling stations from the 17th century or the point of departure of the first flight over the North Pole. Ny Alesund was a coalmine at the beginning of the century - today it is the furthest North community in the world and an international polar research centre.

Surrounded by mountains and glaciers that come to the end of their lives in the sea, the Bay is sprinkled with icebergs on which seals and marine birds come to rest. On the West Coast of Spitzbergen, this is probably the place where the icebergs are the largest and most diverse. Its wild character is both varied and miniature, letting you makes amazing discoveries without travelling far.

We take the time to savour this grandiose environment, to slide through the water to approach marine mammals and birds (up to 27 different species, such as puffins, little auks, ivory gulls, grey phalaropes…) or to make small excursions onto the dominant peaks of the glaciers plunging down into the sea.

Day 11 :
Return to Longyearbyen by boat.

Day 12 :
Acclimatisation in Longyearbyen: souvenir shopping, museum, restaurant in evening before departure.

Day 13 :
Fly from Longyearbyen to Paris.

(1) For atmospheric reasons, all descriptions are indicative and non-contractual.