Arctic Expedition
+ Helsinki & Estonia
Activities
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Helsinki & Suomenlinna Tour
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Day trip & tour to Talinn, Estonia including ferries
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6-day expedition in Svalbard/Spitzberg
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View iconic Arctic wildlife, such as polar bears, walrus and reindeer
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Cruise in a Zodiac to explore glaciers, fjords, icebergs and more
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Hike the colorful tundra
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Immerse yourself in the icy realm of the Arctic with optional kayaking adventures ($199 more for kayak)
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Possible excursions depending on weather & other factors (no two expeditions are exactly the same):
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Lilliehöök Glacier
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Longyearbyen
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Monaco Glacier
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Inclusions
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Round-Trip Airfare from SLC to Helsinki (other cities available, call for details)
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Round-Trip Airfare from Helsinki to Spitsbergen
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Airport Transfers
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Hotel nights in Helsinki
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All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board throughout your voyage (once you arrive in Spitsbergen)
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All activities on the expedition
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Voyage on Ocean Adventurer- a class 1A Ice ship (can visit locations normal cruise ships cannot). This is the #1 company industry leader for expeditions in the Arctic - Quark Expeditions
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Superior Cabins on the Ship
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Transportation
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Leadership throughout your voyage by our experienced Expedition Leaders, including shore landings and other activities
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All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program
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All shore landings per the daily program
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Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
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Select beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
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Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
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A photographic journal documenting the expedition
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A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions
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An official Quark Expeditions® parka to keep
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Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
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All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
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All luggage handling aboard the ship
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Transfers between Longyearbyen town center and port on embarkation and disembarkation day
Price
$8,999 -
per person (double occupancy) for lower deck porthole
+$999 per person (double occupancy) for main deck window
no single supplement, but you will be paired with someone else if travelling by yourself
group size only 12 people, book today!
Fine Print
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You must be able to walk with no problems; trip is not wheelchair accessible.
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$500 Deposit required (make below) to secure airfare & voyage. Also, a second deposit of $3,000 will be due October 15.
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Full remaining payment due 130 days before departure and must be made by check.
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Trip deposit and final payments are non-refundable once paid
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Passports are required and must be valid 6 months after final date of the trip
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No COVID Requirements
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Emergency Medical Insurance is required to go on this tour, you can go with Travelex with our contract, or seek other insurance minimum $50,000 coverage
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Safety: Any time you touch land, you will be with a professional guide from Quark Expeditions that has a rifle. In their entire history, they have never had to shoot a polar bear. Also, you are on a class 1A Ice Boat (most cruise ships cannot go where this ship can go). It is a very safe vessel in very regulated waters.
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You must be 16 years old or older
Svalbard
Day 1-2:
Travel to Helsinki from Salt Lake City. (other cities available) Enjoy a panoramic tour of Helsinki this afternoon before checking into your hotel. Here you'll see some of the city's most famous landmarks, including the Senate Square, Helsinki Cathedral, the Olympic Stadium, and the Sibelius Monument.
Day 3:
This morning, you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna Island, located just a short ferry ride from Helsinki's Market Square. Your knowledgeable guide will share the history of the island, which was built by the Swedes in the mid-18th century to protect the city from Russian expansion. You'll see the fortifications, cannons, tunnels, and barracks that make up this unique island fortress. This afternoon, you will take a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. (B)
Day 4:
Enjoy a tour of this beautiful medieval city of Tallinn. You'll see the Old Town, which is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll also visit Toompea Hill, where you'll see the beautiful Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Estonian Parliament building. Enjoy some free-time this afternoon to explore this incredible city. You can also enjoy some local food and drink in one of Tallinn's many restaurants and cafes
Day 5:
Enjoy the morning before your ferry back to Helsinki. In the late afternoon, you'll take the ferry back to Helsinki. Time to check-in with the Quark staff for a brief meeting before you commence your adventure! (B)
Day 6:
This morning, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, where you’ll have some time to explore before embarkation. As your ship sets sail, enjoy great vistas of the mountainous landscape that serves as a backdrop for this historic frontier town. Enjoy near 24-hour sunlight on this archipelago that has more polar bears than people! (B, L, D)
Day 7-10:
You’ll sail around the shores of this magical island, constantly searching for polar bears and other natural wonders. Covering western Spitsbergen, your expedition will afford ample opportunities to view immense glaciers, deep fjords, soaring mountains and unique flora and fauna.
Sailing north into Krossfjorden, have your camera handy, ready to capture some of the best glacier calving in Spitsbergen. Deep in the fjord, the highly active Lilliehöök Glacier awaits. Listen in awe to the growling as big chunks break off into the icy waters below. A Zodiac excursion to nearby Ny-London, an abandoned mining settlement, provides an ideal place for a guided walk. Encounters with wildlife, such as the endemic Svalbard reindeer, might be possible here.
After cruising overnight, wake up to the stunning sight of the magnificent Monaco Glacier, another prolific iceberg producing glacier. To make this even more thrilling, help your Expedition Team to scan the shorelines and ice edge for marine mammals. Possible landing sites include Texas Bar, Worsleyneset and Alicehamna. If ice conditions permit reaching 80°N, you’ll reach a walrus sanctuary on the tiny, crescent-shaped Moffen Island. Watching from the ship as large groups of these lumbering giants jockey for space is an unforgettable experience, so be ready with your binoculars.
At Smeerenburg you can see the remains of an abandoned settlement that was established by Dutch whalers nearly 400 years ago. Here, at what was once one of Europe’s most northerly outposts, you’ll have time to explore ashore and learn about Spitsbergen’s whaling history. Afterwards, cruising to Magdalenefjorden rewards you with panoramic vistas of snow-capped mountains and massive glaciers reflected in the crystal-clear waters.
During your last full day of your Arctic adventure, you may visit the Russian mining town of Barentsburg, home of Russia’s northernmost brewery. We hope to round out the day in Alkhornet, taking in the towering cliffs teeming with nesting seabirds, such as fulmars and Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). Encounters with reindeer are possible here too. Later, in the evening, swap stories with your shipmates and crew one last time, at the captain’s farewell dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 11:
The time to say goodbye has come. Your adventure ends as it began, in the frontier-style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki. Upon arrival in Helsinki, transfer to your hotel and enjoy a free afternoon. (B)
Day 12:
Transfer to the airport this morning and fly home. Welcome home!