Arctic bound since 2008
Our Arctic programme began alongside Antarctica in 2008, first with Hurtigruten's polar fleet, taking Chinese travellers into the waters around Svalbard — the kingdom of the polar bear, a museum of glaciers, the ultimate proving ground for explorers. Chinese-speaking expedition staff and research-level lectures take every landing straight into the wild.
More routes, the uncharted north
Today we work with several international expedition operators around Svalbard, from standard circumnavigations to icebreaking voyages above 80°N — glacier hikes, Zodiac exploring, historic sites and Arctic ecology, with extensions to east Greenland or Iceland.
Whether you are tracking polar bears or chasing the light with a camera, our expedition teams and safety standards are built for the far north.
Before you go
- When to goJune to September. Mid-June to mid-July brings drifting ice and active polar bears; mid-July to mid-August is the warmest, when a full Svalbard circumnavigation opens up; from mid-August the tundra turns and the northern lights return over east Greenland.
- VisasSvalbard itself is visa-free for Chinese passport holders, but you will transit Norway or Iceland, so a multiple-entry Schengen visa is needed; Greenland requires an additional endorsement.
- What you will seePolar bears, walrus, Arctic fox, reindeer and seabird colonies; in summer also minke, humpback and beluga whales.
- Life on boardExpedition ships are built to reach places, not to impress — but they are comfortable. Your consultant will match the operator and route to what you want.
