Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the High Arctic between mainland Norway and the North Pole, also know as Spitsbergen. A destination of a lifetime, our expeditions to Svalbard connect you to the majesty of this Arctic wilderness, where dramatic fjords, rugged mountain ranges and a fossil-rich polar desert await.
Overhead, puffins, guillemots and other native Svalbard avian circle, commanding your attention, while the scree slopes house the island’s largest little auk colony. Witness sea walruses puncturing the ice, beluga whales breaching or a fluffy Arctic fox. Svalbard is the kingdom of the polar bear – witness one of these majestic, elusive creatures if you’re lucky. All leave a lasting impression.
The polar summer spans from May to September, where the Midnight Sun’s beautiful colours and contrasts adds an extra dimension to Svalbard’s glaciers, majestic mountains and Arctic tundra. This is the best time to enjoy outside exploration and take in this frozen land.
Svalbard is large and diverse, showcasing nature’s surprisingly rich and extremely varied landscapes. Life in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s capital city, may be perceived as harsh, but for those fortunate to live here, it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else. Its inhabitants strive to live as one with nature, working in harmony to uphold their unique way of life throughout the enormous seasonal variations in temperature, light and darkness.
Antarctic Peninsula Cruises & Expeditions
Antarctic Peninsula
Expedition 
Why Join Us on Antarctic Peninsula Cruises and Expeditions?
The Antarctic Peninsula is the gateway to the continent, making Vantage Explorations’ Antarctic Peninsula Cruises ideal for adventurers with Antarctica on their bucket list. Our cruises typically commence here before venturing further south to the Weddell Sea and Antarctic Circle regions.
Preparation for an Antarctic Peninsula expedition is no easy task. Each day offers new encounters, from exhilarating Zodiac cruises to shore to witness bustling penguin colonies, soaring skuas, and inquisitive seals, to sailing past towering icebergs and witnessing monumental glacier calving from our purpose-built expedition vessel—an experience that leaves an indelible impression.
During our Antarctic Peninsula cruises, you’ll have the chance to explore renowned sites like Deception Island and Port Lockroy, as well as uncover potential new favorites alongside our expert Expedition Team.
The landscape of towering icebergs, rugged cliffs, and crystal-clear waters provides a breathtaking backdrop for photographers. With an onboard photographer to assist you, capturing these unforgettable moments becomes seamless.
Antarctic Peninsula Cruise Wildlife Encounters
The Antarctic Peninsula becomes a bustling metropolis of wildlife from late spring, when we commence our expeditions to Antarctica. For the best wildlife encounters, visit in the peak of summer, when tiny penguin chicks are growing quickly and fur seal pups are being weaned.
Penguins
Get to know the different penguin species that have penguin rookeries across the Antarctica Peninsula. Gentoo penguins, emperor penguins, chinstrap penguins and Adélie penguins all thrive here. Our expedition leaders will provide valuable information about their lives and how they manage to survive in colonies scattered across the harsh Antarctic Peninsula.
Seals
Zodiac cruise or kayak in search of leopard seals on ice floes, be delighted by fur seals swimming playfully near your vessel, fall in love with Weddell seals’ puppy-dog eyes, and learn about the recovery of the elephant seal population after they were prized by sealers for decades.
Whales
Antarctic Peninsula cruises offer a unique opportunity to witness some of the most magnificent creatures on earth – whales. The waters around the peninsula are home to several species of whales, including the humpback whale, the minke whale and the orca, also known as the killer whale. Search for whales in the icy bays and witness their tail flukes as they dive to feed on krill. These gentle giants can often be seen swimming close to the ship, putting on a spectacular show for lucky spectators. The experience of witnessing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat is truly unforgettable and is one of the highlights of any Antarctic Peninsula expedition. Although whales are present throughout the season, late season voyages in February and March offer the best whale watching opportunities.
Seabirds
Our Antarctic Peninsula cruises are an incredible opportunity to witness a diverse array of fascinating seabirds in their natural habitat. Among the species that expeditioners may encounter are the majestic wandering albatross, famous for its impressive wingspan, the elegant snow petrel, whose snowy plumage blends seamlessly with the icy landscape, and the playful Antarctic tern. Other species that may be spotted include the southern giant petrel, the Antarctic shag, and the strikingly beautiful Cape petrel. These birds are not only a joy to observe but also play crucial roles in the Antarctic ecosystem.
Unique Antarctic Peninsula Cruise Experiences
The Drake Passage
The fastest way to visit Antarctica by sea is by crossing the Drake Passage, which has become a rite of passage for many polar explorers. Learn about the brave explorers who came before you as you sail the infamous Drake Passage in one or both directions on new, purpose-built expedition ships that were built for these dramatic waters.
Zodiac Cruising
Not just a mode of transportation, Zodiac cruising in the Antarctic Peninsula is a highlight for many on our Antarctic voyages. Your expert driver will manoeuvre you over sea ice and around beautifully sculpted icebergs to scenic bays and viewpoints of glaciers calving which are not accessible by ship.
Shore Excursions
After being shuttled to shore, visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some of our favourite spots along the Peninsula. Stretch your legs by wandering along pebbly beaches or up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below.
Activity Program
There is so much more to the Antarctic Peninsula than what is visible above the surface. Explore icy underwater worlds that few get to experience by adding scuba diving or snorkelling to your expedition. If these aren’t for you, you will still have the chance to immerse yourself in polar waters and earn the ultimate bragging rights by participating in a polar plunge.
If you choose an expedition cruise early in the season, you can choose to spend a night camping under Antarctica’s pastel skies, listening to the uninterrupted sounds of raw nature – ice cracking and popping all around you, glaciers calving, a whale breaching in the distance… Unsurprisingly, many are too entranced to doze off!
Svalbard Tours Regions
The Svalbard archipelago has nine main islands; some of these islands are connected by sea ice and expedition cruises are the only safe way to move between them. A lot of these islands are national parks, in fact, Svalbard has seven national parks in total. Find out more about the main islands below.
Spitsbergen
Svalbard’s largest island is 39,044 square kilometres. Its landscape is dominated by rugged mountains indented by post-card perfect fjords, and more than half of the island is covered in ice year-round. Six national parks protect its delicate environment and diverse fauna, which makes it a favourite for travellers visiting Svalbard. Spitsbergen is the only permanently inhabited part of Svalbard, with Longyearbyen the biggest settlement and administrative centre of Svalbard.
Nordaustlandet (North East Land)
The second largest island in the Svalbard archipelago is completely uninhabited. Situated entirely within the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, it is made up of sizable ice caps and tundra.
Edgeøya (Edge Island)
Edgeøya is a Norwegian island situated in the southeast of the Svalbard archipelago. With an area of 5,073 square kilometres, it is the third-largest island in this archipelago. It forms part of the Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve and is home to polar bears and reindeer.
Barentsøya (Barents Island)
Named after the Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz, almost half of this island in the Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve is glaciated. While the island has no permanent human inhabitants, it is a favourite of polar bears and seabirds, especially kittiwakes.
Prins Karls Foreland (Prince Charles Foreland)
This long island on Svalbard’s west coast and its surrounding seas constitutes Forlandet National Park. It boasts jagged peaks and wild glaciers that remind one of the Antarctic peninsula, alongside vast green plains and polar deserts. The harbour seal is commonly found here.
Kvitøya (White Island)
When ice conditions allow, adventure seekers can discover Svalbard’s easternmost island, where polar bears roam and walrus swim. This island is the resting place of Andrée’s Arctic balloon expedition of 1897, which was one of the great mysteries of the Arctic for decades.
Kong Karls Land (King Charles Land)
This small island group is part of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve and boasts the largest concentration of polar bears in Svalbard. Because of this, there is a ban on traffic to the island, with ships and aircraft not being able to come within 500 metres of the area.
Bjørnøya (Bear Island)
The southernmost island of Svalbard is rarely visited because it can be challenging to access, with no protected bays, rough weather, strong wind and thick fog. While its history revolves around hunting, it is now an important scientific research site and the whole island is a nature reserve with restricted access.
Hopen
This small, remote island in the far southeast is part of the Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve. Visiting can be a lucky dip because of heavy ice, fog, rough waters and unprotected beaches. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA), supporting breeding colonies of thick-billed guillemots, black guillemots and black-legged kittiwakes.
Destination Highlights
Antarctic Peninsula Cruise Activities
Visit the Antarctic peninsula with Vantage Explorations and explore one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers. Our Expedition Team will guide you on excursions to witness breathtaking landscapes and wildlife encounters unique to Antarctica, fully included in the cost of your expedition. For those seeking even more adventure, we offer optional activities* such as sea kayaking and camping on the ice. Our Antarctic peninsula expeditions offer a perfect mix of comfort and adventure, allowing you to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Bird Watching
Photography
Polar plunge
Trips ashore
Walking
Whale and mammal spotting
Zodiac cruises
Lecture on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
Add-on Activities
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing makes walking up gentle slopes and across Antarctica’s soft, powdery snow a breeze allowing you to explore places others struggle to reach. Snowshoeing holidays in the beautiful…
Ski/Snowboard Touring
Ski/snowboard touring offers adventurers a chance to take on some of the word’s most incredible slopes. Ski & snowboarding holidays in the awe-inspiring…
Snorkelling
Witness wildlife and scenery unlike any other place while snorkelling in Antarctica. Aurora Expeditions launched our snorkelling holidays…
Paddling
Paddling holidays visiting wild regions on an expedition to Antarctica, Costa Rica and Western Scotland are thrilling in our inflatable kayaks…
Camping
Camping offers you the unique opportunity to roll out your sleeping mat and wriggle into your thermal sleeping bag for a night out on the Antarctic ice…
Alpine Trekking & Climbing
Sea Kayaking
Sea Kayaking is one of the most exhilarating ways to experience Antarctica, the Arctic and beyond. Sea kayaking holidays in the…
Scuba Diving
Explore mysterious underwater worlds in Antarctica, the Arctic and beyond. Aurora Expeditions operated scuba diving holidays…
*Optional add-on activities are available on select voyages. They are listed on each itinerary page and additional fees apply.