Spitsbergen, Iceland, Faroe Islands – Island Hopping In and Around the Arctic (Itinerary 2)

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 also plan to 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 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.

Bakkagerði is one of Iceland’s smallest hamlets, a quiet haven well off the tourist track. The place is well-known for its fairy-tale-like natural beauty, and the locals have come to call the region `The Land of the Elves.´ Many puffin colonies also line the nearby fjord, making it a popular place for birdwatching.

Located in the Funningsfjørður inlet in the Faroe Islands, the village of Elduvík lies by the shore at the end of a long, lush valley surrounded by stunning green mountains and with the river Stórá running through the middle. Just 23 people inhabit the village, complete with a school, church, dock, pier, and colorful houses.

Your journey ends in the bustling port city of Bergen. We recommend booking a Post-program to extend your stay here to explore Bergen´s famous fish market and its UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf of colorful wooden warehouses. You can also board a funicular up to Mount Fløyen for views over city, the fjord, and the surrounding mountains.