Spitsbergen, Jan Mayen, Iceland – Arctic Islands Discovery (Westbound)

Your trip starts with an evening flight from Oslo. If time allows, enjoy the museums, parks and trendy cafés of the Norwegian capital before your flight to Longyearbyen in the Svalbard Archipelago. Transfer to and overnight at your hotel.

Summertime in the Svalbard Archipelago is when polar bears trek along the coast’s drifting ice on the hunt for seals. With a bit of luck, we hope to spot one or more of these top predators in the national park.

Depending on the movement and thickness of the sea ice, we might visit Kongsfjord´s mighty glaciers and catch sight of icebergs calving into the sea. We may also call on Ny-Ålesund, a former mining town now transformed into an international science center. Here, you’ll find 16 permanent research stations from 10 countries dedicated to the study of glaciology, wildlife, and climate change.

The Norwegian island of Jan Mayen has two main areas. The north is dominated by ice-capped Beerenberg, the northernmost active volcano on Earth. The south is flatter and unglaciated, and where 30 people live at a weather station. The island is a breeding site for large numbers of seabirds such as fulmars, auks, and guillemots. 

Visits to Jan Mayen are extremely rare, and Hurtigruten is one of the few to attempt landings on this Arctic island.

Welcome to Iceland’s largest community outside of Reykjavík. Expect comfy cafés, restaurants, and chic art galleries. There are also various museums of interest, distinct churches, and the botanical gardens which will be in full bloom at the time of your visit. Akureyri is also close to natural treasures, such as Lake Mývatn and the Goðafoss waterfall.

Patreksfjörður is a charming settlement on the west coast of Iceland with around 660 inhabitants. The picturesque fjord offers scenic hiking trails if the weather allows. Patreksfjörður is also close to the spectacular waterfall of Dynjandi and to Látrabjarg, a renowned site for birdwatching.

Our voyage of discovery ends in Reykjavík. The name of Iceland’s capital means 'Smokey Bay,' so called because of the columns of steam that rise from the many hot springs in the area. If you have the time, it is well worth booking a Post-program to explore the surrounding geysers, mountains, glaciers, and geothermal hot springs.