Polar Bear, Franz Josef Land

There are few places more off the beaten track than Franz Josef Land. Access is strictly controlled by the Russian authorities and only ships with ice-strengthened hulls are permitted to visit. Indeed, at the present time, only two passenger vessels regularly visit the islands; one is a nuclear-powered icebreaker and the other is the M/V Sea Spirit, a very comfortable, 108-berth cruise ship that Naturetrek has chartered for July 2021 to enable us to enjoy an exciting, and unique, wildlife cruise. Our cruise will offer a rare opportunity to explore this icy wilderness and search for its hardy inhabitants, which should include Polar Bear, Walrus and the rare Bowhead Whale; indeed we would be very unlucky not to see these three key mammals of the High Arctic realm! Furthermore, you will be travelling with like-minded people (with a keen interest in natural history) and will be accompanied by several of our most experienced naturalist guides, including Gerald Broddelez who will be making his fifth visit to the islands.

One of the key advantages of our cruise is that it begins in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, and not in mainland Russia far to the south. Therefore, our journey to Franz Josef Land will be much shorter, with the added advantage that it will follow the ice edge, where we are likely to see our first Polar wildlife. This then gives us a full week in which to explore the islands and to get deep into the archipelago and visit its prime wildlife and scenic sites. In common with all of our exclusive charters, the focus of this cruise will be Franz Josef Land’s abundant wildlife and spectacular landscapes. Here, only the hardiest of creatures can thrive, but many of these do so in scarcely believable numbers. Over five million seabirds nest in the archipelago each year, including around a million Brünnich’s Guillemots and vast swarms of Little Auks that carpet the rocky hillsides. Arctic Foxes, Franz Josef Land’s only land mammal, also benefit from these sprawling seabird cities, with eggs and chicks being vital staples of their diet during the brief summer season.

The archipelago’s most iconic resident, however, is the Polar Bear, and this cruise will offer one of the very best opportunities for an encounter or two with this magnificent mammal. The bears that patrol the shorelines and sea ice here are part of the Barents Sea population, which numbers around 2,500 individuals. We will also search for a far rarer denizen of these frozen seas – the Bowhead Whale. This legendary behemoth dwells year-round in Arctic waters, and can live for over 200 years. Walrus are common throughout the islands and we also hope to encounter pods of ghostly white Beluga Whales. We will watch Ivory Gulls gliding serenely overhead, and keep an eye open for Ringed, Harp and Bearded Seals hauled out on ice floes too.

The backdrops to all this wildlife will be equally memorable. Over 80% of the archipelago is covered by glaciers, numerous fingers of which reach down to the coast and calve into the sea. We will also enjoy islands fortified by towering sea cliffs, and others, gentler of profile, yet with ample geological attractions of their own (such as the bizarre stone spheres on Champ Island), these features sculpted over the millennia by the ice and the wind. Dramatic landscapes are the norm here and it is this combination of exciting wildlife and spectacular scenery that is sure to make this cruise so special.

Whether or not you have already visited Svalbard, this unique expedition to Franz Josef Land is an adventure not to be missed! It is a place to which we have wanted to arrange a cruise for many years, and we are delighted to have finally confirmed dates for the summer of 2021.

Please do join us – you won’t regret it!