listen to the crackle and pop of the brash ice, search for seals and have a chance to admire a natural sculpture gallery. NORDAUSTLANDET ISLAND This is the second-largest island in the entire Svalbard archipelago, and home to the polar desert. Featured here is Bråsvellbreen, an ice cap connected to the larger Austfonna, which together form a 112-mile- (180 km) long ice cliff. Bråsvellbreen’s glacier face makes for an impressive sight during a Zodiac cruise, stretching all the way to the horizon. HORNSUND The most southerly fjord in Svalbard offers some of the most spectacular scenery, with dramatic calving glaciers, drifting pack ice and majestic peaks (the highest of which are often shrouded in mist). A Polish research station has operated on the northern shore of Hornsund since 1957. Part of Sør-
Spitsbergen National Park, this pristine area is rich in wildlife—reindeer, Arctic fox and polar bears can be spotted hunting for food, while seals bask on floating ice. PHIPPSØYA AND MARTENSØYA, SEVEN ISLANDS
EXPEDITION SPIRIT Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must consider the sea, ice, wildlife, and weather to guide the route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not guaranteed.
This small archipelago is the northernmost land in Svalbard.
Englishmen left their mark following key expeditions in 1773 and 1827. The islands are named after naval officers that took part, with the smallest and least significant island being named Nelsonøya, after the lowly midshipman who was promoted over the years to the rank and title of Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson! Featuring austere polar desert landscapes, and often shrouded in pack ice, these islands are closer to the North Pole than anywhere else in Svalbard.
Call your Travel Professional or a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.892.0073 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for additional details
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