When I decided to visit the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic in June 2024 it was very much my husband’s bucket list destination and I went along for the ride, not really knowing what to expect. What I found was, and I think this sentence is used too frivolously at times, was life changing. I… Read more: Is Svalbard worth visiting? What to expect on an Arctic cruise

How Do You Get to Svalbard? Flights from London via Oslo Our journey started from London flying into Oslo, before an overnight stay and a further flight into the main town on Svalbard – Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen is only a small town with under 3000 residents living there. Oslo was an added bonus as the schedule… Read more: How to Get to Svalbard: Flights, Route, and My MS Spitsbergen Review

Svalbard Cruise Day 1: Boarding, Biosecurity, and Survival Gear The first day we were on ship we were fitted with complimentary wet weather jackets (these were then kept by us) and heavy rubber boots (burrowed for duration of cruise) that were to be worn on all landings. Biosecurity was important to not transfer seeds or… Read more: Svalbard Cruise Itinerary: Glaciers, Ny-Ålesund, and My First Polar Bear Sighting

Svalbard Cruise Day 3: Glacier Walking and Wildlife at Smeerenburg This was our first nature landing in the area- we landed at Bjørnfjorden to experience an Arctic glacier walk along a moraine and right on top of the ice. The sun was so bright with zero wind. We watched some carvings from the next door glacial-… Read more: Svalbard Cruise Days 3 & 4: Walking Glaciers, Walrus Sightings, and Kayaking Monaco Glacier

Svalbard Cruise Day 5: Kinnvika, Alkefjellet Bird Cliffs, and a Midnight Polar Bear We were in Kinnvika and had a guided hike up a local hill planned. However a hemiplegic migraine on my behalf put pay to that plan and I sadly missed the hike. My husband really enjoyed it and it gave views over… Read more: Svalbard Cruise Days 5 & 6: Alkefjellet Bird Cliffs and Landing on Remote Hopen Island

Svalbard Cruise Day 7: Deep Water Whale Sightings and Citizen Science in Burgerbukta We were up early on the top decks as we were passing through deep water which could increase the likelihood of whale sightings. There was a pretty stiff breeze on top deck and hot drinks were the order of the day. We… Read more: Svalbard Cruise Final Days: Burgerbukta, Sveabreen Glacier, and Longyearbyen Excursions

This blog post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase of an item I will receive an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Alot of what you need will depend on the season you go in and the plans you have there. We went in… Read more: What to Pack for Svalbard in June and July: A Complete Arctic Gear Guide

We have visited a lot of the western isles (another set of blog posts in their own right) and had kept seeing a road trip to the Isle of Skye mentioned as an absolute must-do. It represented a good 8 hours or so of driving. We’d previously travelled to Inverness and decided that was far… Read more: The Ultimate Isle of Skye Road Trip: Treating the Journey as the Destination