MV Vikingfjord

• Large open plan guest area with lounge, dining and seating area located at the stern. Equipped with TV for presentations, mini bar and hot drink service.
• Observation lounge area with seating area on the bridge.
• Spacious cabins with ensuite toilet and shower.
• Large mudroom and storage spaces for skis, and equipment.

• A unique L shaped observation lounge situated on the stern on deck 2 with large windows offering fantastic views all around.
• Comfortable sofas, a table and chairs and bench seating for all guests to sit and enjoy the polar scenery in the warm.
• Mini bar and coffee machine.
• TV for presentations,.

On deck Hot Tub and Sauna where you can enjoy the far reaching view from deck 3.

Even when planning an adventure to the Arctic, it is possible to purchase from brands moving toward sustainability. One such example is the clothing brand Patagonia; the above image from Patagonia celebrates its pledge of 1% of all sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.

Before you start shopping, consider these general rules of thumb.

Take time to research a good outer shell anorak and a parka for a winter expedition, or a good water and wind-proof jacket for a summer expedition. Your outer layer should be impervious to the elements so that a chilly breeze doesn’t carry your body heat away!

Inquire about what comes provided by your tour group.

For example, guests on Secret Atlas Svalbard expeditions are supplied with a free pair of sturdy rubber boots to wear ashore. They serve the double purpose of protecting the environment from harmful outside elements being introduced on an expedition as well as providing the peace of mind that guests will have the right type of footwear to handle the terrain. Ask whether your tour advisor offers any perks like this that offer you the assurance of quality and free up valuable luggage space.

Layering options are key.

Layers are super helpful for the daily weather variations, as your body creates a thin layer of heated air between each clothing layer. Make sure the clothing is roomy to allow for a greater quantity of heated air to become trapped between each layer. Add together a few roomy layers, and you suddenly get an insulating effect. If you dress overly warm, you can always remove unnecessary layers, but if you have dressed overly warm without layering options, you perspire. Consider perspiration to be dangerous when exploring ashore, as it can lead to issues such as frostbite once cooled down, which is a common injury in Svalbard.

Pack for your extremities.

Your hands, feet, ears and head will all need added protection, as they are prime locations to lose body heat. When shopping, pick mittens over gloves. For headwear, go with something that can be pulled down to offer extra coverage, like a winter trapper or a balaclava. When you start to feel the cold creeping into your hands or toes, putting on a warm hat will actually help by warming up your core body temperature.

Leave your regular cotton socks at home.

Instead, take socks made of synthetic materials that spring back into shape after compression and wool socks so they can trap warm air and wick away sweat. Many prefer to wear one layer of liner socks under a pair of thicker, warmer socks.

It all starts with the base layer. The brand Icebreaker has been rated ‘Good’ for upholding high labour standards, paying living wages and sourcing wool from non-mulesed sheep, in addition to base layers that keep you warm in the coolest of temperatures.

Polar fleece is a great idea because polyester down is a better insulator when damp than goose or duck down.

Shoes with a rubber outsole, or a waffle sole, like those on a hiking boot, are the best to bring so that you can keep your footing, but please leave behind heavy footwear that makes it difficult for you to walk.

Headed to Svalbard from mid-May to September? That’s the sunny polar summer season in Svalbard, the archipelago’s most temperate time of year with average temperatures of 3 – 7 ˚C. The summer means walkable, snow-free tundra, and a mild Midnight sun that won’t lower to kiss the horizon at all until the end of August. These polar summer days seamlessly blend with polar summer nights, so wildlife and humans alike take advantage of this extended daylight to be more active.

The base layer – Choose thermal underwear that keeps you warm without adding bulk (silk or polypropylene are most common), multiple pairs of tall, sturdy warm socks, and thinner polypropylene, or merino wool socks.

The mid-layer – Bring warm pants like ski pants, turtlenecks, fleece tops and bottoms, somewhat loose-fitting wool sweaters or a medium-weight polar fleece jacket, and waterproof trousers (Gore-Tex is a common example).

The outer layer – Pack a fleece neck-buff, water-proof mittens with thin, polypropylene gloves so that you can remove the mittens to operate your camera, hat, a breathable waterproof and windproof jacket (Gore-Tex to the rescue again!), and sturdy shoes with rubber waffle soles (not sneakers).

Aboard the vessel – It will be relatively dry, warm and comfortable aboard your vessel, so you should bring T-shirts, and other casual, comfy clothes. You’ll also want comfortable closed-toe shoes (leave behind the sandals), earplugs and an eye mask to ensure you can get some shut-eye, soft luggage bag or hiking backpack for easy storage.

Photography Packing – Consider leaving the tripod at home, unless you want to shoot video or have a heavy lens, as long exposure shots from a moving vessel will result in blurred imagery, unless anchored. The bright conditions with reflective ice, snow and water will make shooting challenging with a smartphone or a classic point and shoot camera unless you have a viewfinder, a shade, or even an LCD hood to help block out some light. Additionally, the highly recommended polarised sunglasses you’ll be wearing may add difficulty to seeing your screen, so try to practice before you go. A great solution is to bring a polarizing filter that can be turned on and off, which removes surface reflection so your camera can pick up on something in the water from the vessel.

Highly recommended – Pack a strap for your sunglasses so they don’t fall off, sunscreen, lip balm, a pair of binoculars to enjoy all of the interesting wildlife and landscape features, a camera with extra memory cards/ film and a cleaning kit for the camera and lens, an extra camera in case of accidents, plastic bags to store your camera while in the Zodiacs, a small waterproof backpack with shoulder straps for your camera, walking sticks, chargers and extra batteries, and a bathing suit in case you decide to take the Polar plunge!!

The base layer – Choose thermal underwear that keeps you warm without adding bulk (silk or polypropylene are most common), multiple pairs of tall, sturdy warm socks, and thinner polypropylene, or merino wool socks.

The second layer – Bring warm pants like ski pants, turtlenecks, fleece tops and bottoms, and make sure they aren’t tight-fitting.

The third layer – Select somewhat loose-fitting wool sweaters or a medium-weight polar fleece jacket, and waterproof trousers (Gore-Tex).

The outer layer – Pack a fleece neck buff or wool scarves, waterproof mittens with thin, polypropylene gloves to wear underneath so you can operate your camera, hat, shell anorak and parka with attached hood, and sturdy shoes with rubber waffle soles (not sneakers).

Wintergreen Northern Wear created this shell anorak for a North Pole expedition: it is suggested to layer the above anorak over a fleece anorak for colder conditions. The company prides itself on building gear to last a lifetime by American workers earning sustainable wages.

Aboard the vessel – It will be relatively dry, warm and comfortable aboard your vessel, so you should bring T-shirts, and other casual, comfy clothes. You’ll also want comfortable closed-toe shoes (leave behind the sandals), earplugs and an eye mask to ensure you can get some shut-eye.

Highly recommended - A good pair of UV protected sunglasses with strap, sunscreen, lip balm, a pair of binoculars to enjoy all of the interesting wildlife and landscape features, camera with extra memory cards/ film and a cleaning kit for the camera and lens, an extra camera in case of accidents, a small weatherproof backpack with shoulder straps for your camera, walking sticks, chargers and extra batteries, a reflective vest to wear in the dark, and, if you plan to wear your own boots, you may want to bring ice cleats, as the road can get icy.

The team at Secret Atlas is passionate and committed to sustainable travel and preserving the remote regions of our planet. Through our voyages, our goal is to bring people closer to nature whilst raising awareness about climate change and the threats that face the Arctic.

The Arctic is a vital region of the world, the sea ice reflecting the sun’s rays to help regulate the earth’s temperature and support human and animal life. It’s a hugely important habitat for rare wildlife, including the polar bear, and is home to around 4 million people. But it is under threat from global warming, with sea ice melting and native animals struggling to survive. We should all be concerned about this and should all be taking action to stop this.

Small vessel, small footprint

We believe that people who come here and witness its beauty are more likely to make changes to help protect it. We wanted to find a more sustainable way to help people experience the natural beauty of the Arctic without disturbing the landscape or wildlife which lives there – and that is exactly what we have done. Smaller vessels = a smaller footprint. Our vessels carry just 12 people leading to a much more intimate experience and lower impact way to experience this precious part of the world.

As a member of AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators), we follow strict guidelines to minimise the impact of our voyages on the environment and wildlife. AECO’s guidelines, aim to: “Ensure that expedition cruises and tourism in the Arctic are carried out with the utmost consideration for the vulnerable, natural environment, local cultures and cultural remains, as well as the challenging safety hazards at sea and on land.”

What’s more, we carbon offset all of our trips by partnering with Greenland Trees to fund tree planting in Southern Greenland. But we know that sustainability is about more than carbon offsetting. It relates to many factors – environmental and economical.

We believe that people who come here and witness its beauty are more likely to make changes to help protect it and that is the core of sustainable travel.

The importance of tourism in Svalbard

Tourism is one of three industries in Svalbard (the others being mining and research) and is now the main source of jobs for local people, facilitating the long-term sustainability of Longyearbyen as a settlement.

Svalbard relies on tourists and we believe it is our duty to ensure that the tourism we’re responsible for in the Arctic is sustainable – low impact travel that connects people with nature and makes a positive contribution to the region and the world.

Income raised from tourism helps fund some of the essential conservation work carried out across the archipelago and plays an important role in raising awareness of the remote region. Our guests take what they’ve learnt and seen back home to share with their communities and inspire action globally to protect this special region.

1. LEAVE NO TRACE

Where we do undertake shore landings, we leave no trace. This is much easier to do in a small expedition vessel than the larger cruise ships with less impact on landing sites and the coastal seas. We make sure we take everything back on the vessel – including remnants of campfires. We crush our litter and recycling and take it with us. We leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photographs and memories.

2. FOLLOW AECO AND WWF GUIDELINES

Our expeditions are led by experienced guides, extremely knowledgeable about the local area and able to speak Norwegian and English. They have the right mix of knowledge and experience to be able to guide us safely around the archipelago while adhering to all the rules put in place to protect visitors, wildlife and the environment. We keep on top of the latest developments to ensure we’re always up-to-date with any changes to these.

3. CARBON OFFSETTING

Working with our tree planting partner, Greenland Trees, we carbon offset all of our micro cruises by funding tree planting in the Arctic (not Svalbard, as its climate cannot sustain trees!). This leads to our expeditions being carbon neutral. We also encourage all of our guests to do the same with their flights to Norway, either using the airline’s own scheme or via our partnership with Greenland Trees.

5. THE PASSENGER PLEDGE

As part of our commitment to sustainable travel, we ask guests to sign a Passenger Pledge which outlines their commitment to sharing what they’ve learnt during their visit to the Arctic with their community back home and taking action to help the fight against Climate Change. This includes things such as replacing one car journey a week with walking, cycling or public transport; or committing to stop buying single-use plastic bottles of water and switch to reusable drinking vessels.

6. WATER EFFICIENCY

Climate change manifests itself through changes in the water cycle. We’ve witnessed this first-hand in the Arctic with the melting of ice caps. A lot of energy is used in the water supply system and water efficiency has a huge part to play tackling climate change. On all of our trips, we try not to wastewater. The water systems on our vessels are checked and maintained regularly to ensure no leaks and we re-use water where possible.

7. LIMIT PLASTIC WASTE

Conscious of the ever-increasing problem of plastics in the ocean, we try to find alternatives to single-use plastics wherever possible. We favour recyclable and biodegradable materials. With our packing lists, we encourage people to bring more sustainable items such as wooden toothbrushes and reusable cups. Where possible, we try to buy equipment made from recycled materials and urge others to do the same.

8. GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

Sustainable travel is also about people. We have ongoing relationships with local people, businesses and organisations working in conservation in the Arctic. We follow what’s happening on Svalbard closely and share updates on our communication channels and developing partnerships if appropriate. We want to support the local economy and encourage our guests to do the same, buying local souvenirs, staying locally before or after their micro cruise and contributing to charities which carry out vital work in the Arctic.

9. CAREFULLY PLANNED TRIPS

While weather conditions mean that our expeditions itineraries are subject to change, we work with experienced guides to pre-plan the trips so that we do not infringe on areas with nesting birds, or land on shores where there have been recent reports of polar bear activity. When it comes to wildlife watching, we are respectful of the fact these are wild animals and follow AECO guidance around wildlife watching to ensure we do not disturb animals in their habitats.

10. INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE

To avoid dangerous climate change we need to limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C as laid out in the Paris Agreement.

Independent travellers are welcomed on all our voyages, particularly on our Photo Expeditions; chances are, you won’t be the only one.

You will come with friends on your adventure by reaching out to your fellow explorers in our Facebook group. We offer the following accommodation options for independent travellers.

Share a twin cabin with another traveller of the same gender, or consider the option to have your own twin cabin for single use (additional supplement required).

Please contact us for this option as the price varies depending on trip and availability

The health, safety, and wellbeing of our guests have been our number one priority since the days of our very first expedition. As we face new global health challenges we are constantly updating our procedures to ensure our trips are as safe as ever. You must be of sound health, and possess a basic level of fitness and mobility in order to join us on a Secret Atlas trip.

We follow a stringent protocol developed by health experts and AECO which includes regular staff testing, and pre-departure checks for our guests. Our priority is to ensure that no infection gets on board and we travel as a safe, small group bubble. Guests will be informed of the up-to-date procedure 1 month prior to departure.

Before you embark on the vessel, your cabin and common areas will be disinfected and cleaned to a high standard. Throughout your voyage the vessel will be kept clean and hygienic with advanced cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing procedures followed at all times. We have a comprehensive health and safety procedure in place in case of a medical emergency on board. This will be reviewed and kept in line with AECO guidelines. During the voyages, health checks will ensure and passenger health concerns are addressed and monitored.

We aim to be as inclusive as possible. With two guides on every trip, we can split the group to accommodate different fitness levels. Please disclose confidentially any medical conditions to us prior to departure, especially those that you feel could affect your ability to participate. Please also inform us of any allergies or dietary requirements when booking.

If you are taking medication, you are responsible for providing enough to cover your time onboard, plus extra for any unexpected delays such as cancelled flights or inclement weather that could affect your travels. 

One of the main reasons to visit the Arctic is to witness wildlife, which is why we run small tour groups minimizing the disturbance of marvellous habitats. We strictly adhere to rules laid out by AECO and the WWF when it comes to wildlife viewing to ensure our tours cause minimal disturbance and impact. During shore landings, you will be accompanied by an experienced expedition leader trained to keep you safe, however, the following tips are helpful to keep in mind.

TIPS FOR OUR EXPLORERS: If you are a photographer, a long lens is essential as we are limited in how close we can get to animals without disturbing them. If we see evidence of a polar bear in the vicinity, we will not go ashore. For your safety, all guests must remain with the guide at all times and follow their instructions during shore landings.

Before your adventure begins.

• Comprehensive joining instructions, with a complete packing list.
• Local assistance in planning your pre and post-adventure activities and accommodation.
• Transfers between your hotel and ship on arrival (select adventures).
• Connect with like-minded travellers on your adventure before setting out in our Facebook group.

What you’ll taste on your adventure.

During your voyage, we offer a freshly made breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared by our onboard chef along with soft drinks, tea, and coffee.

• A complimentary alcoholic beverage (such as Mine 3 Beer from the world’s most northernmost brewery) is included with dinner on some adventures, with additional drinks available for purchase.
• On the day of embarkation, an evening meal is included and on the day of disembarkation, breakfast is provided.
• The chef will serve a variety of hearty dishes offering you the chance to experience the unique regional cuisine using locally sourced produce.

If you have any dietary requirements, food allergies or intolerances, or would like a vegetarian option, please let us know at the time of booking.

What you’ll access on your adventure

• Rubber boots for shore landings and hiking (select adventures)
• Services of an expedition leader and guide (customary tips not included)
• Shore landings by Zodiac landing craft a detailed in the itinerary
• Accommodation in warm, comfortable cabins with all bedding and towels provided.
• Education on reducing your carbon footprint

After your adventure ends

• Further guidance with your carbon drawdown
• Transfers between your hotel and ship on arrival and departure (select adventures)

Once you leave port, mobile phone and wi-fi signal ends and the peace and tranquillity begins.

Part of the Arctic experience is taking time away from your everyday life to experience the raw beauty of the Arctic landscape.

There is no internet on board, giving you the rare chance to disconnect from the world you normally live in and connect with nature. Rest assured, all our boats are equipped with satellite communication devices in case of emergency.

The weather conditions in the polar regions vary year-round, with daily summer temperatures just over the freezing mark. The 24-hour sunlight in

Svalbard can feel warm in the summer, and it is sometimes possible to hike wearing just a t-shirt.

However, you may also encounter subzero weather such as snow squalls, fog, and white-outs during your expedition no matter the time of year.

We will provide you with a comprehensive packing list ahead of your trip to ensure you are prepared for all conditions.