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Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Traveller Reviews

Reviews of Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar

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Reviews Submitted: 19
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Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by CM, 22 Jul 2019
Holiday Rating:

An Incredible Arctic Adventure

A an amazing 9 night cruise/expedition to Svalbard in the High Arctic to enjoy wildlife and beautiful flora and scenery. This was a 9 day voyage of over 2000 Km from Longyearbyen in the west to Edgeoya and Barentsoya in the east of the archipelago travelling through incredible fiords, open sea and pack ice. We went ashore accompanied by expedition leaders in zodiacs on most days and got close to incredible mammals including Polar Bear, Walrus ...

A an amazing 9 night cruise/expedition to Svalbard in the High Arctic to enjoy wildlife and beautiful flora and scenery. This was a 9 day voyage of over 2000 Km from Longyearbyen in the west to Edgeoya and Barentsoya in the east of the archipelago travelling through incredible fiords, open sea and pack ice. We went ashore accompanied by expedition leaders in zodiacs on most days and got close to incredible mammals including Polar Bear, Walrus and Arctic Fox as well as several bird species and many species of plants-the tour was accompanied by excellent lectures from the expedition team and was well supervised by Naturetrek leaders and Expedition staff. The ships accommodation was excellent and the cabins were very comfortable, the cleanliness and dining on the ship(the MV Quest) was excellent. The crew were polite and helpful

Rating for tour operator:

Our tour operator was Naturetrek. The description of the tour accurately reflected our experience which was excellent. Flights including connecting flights and hotel accommodation on route were punctual and of a high standard-the tour leaders were supportive throughout the tour and gave us adequate information. The information supplied by the Naturetrek office prior to travelling was very helpful as was their brochure and website. We were able to obtain help and information promptly before travelling from Naturetrek

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by JoJo47, 12 Jul 2019
Holiday Rating:

We were kept comfortable by warm base and excursions kept to a limited time. we were encouraged to be active according to each ones ability

Our ship was operated in a professional manor by agreement of the captain, expedition leader and our tour operator leader. We managed to visit some extremes of ice but the ship was skilfully navigated to keep our schedule and passengers safe. We managed to see lots of wildlife by plenty of excursions

Our ship was operated in a professional manor by agreement of the captain, expedition leader and our tour operator leader. We managed to visit some extremes of ice but the ship was skilfully navigated to keep our schedule and passengers safe. We managed to see lots of wildlife by plenty of excursions

Rating for tour operator:

Naturetrek firm had researched the Polar Quest firm to deliver our specialised holiday. The expedition team were admirable, agile strong and knowledgeable

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by idsephoto, 9 Jul 2019
Holiday Rating:

NATURETREK's Spitsbergen tour, June 2019

Fantastic and extraordinary wildlife break sailing around Spitsbergen (Svalbard) - all guests landed for guided viewing at a huge variety of sites, seeing polar bears (from boats), walrus, arctic foxes, svalbard reindeer, king eider, little auk etc etc. super accommodation on our ice-strengthened ship, superbly handled outings on zodiacs. The naturetrek guides, and the boat expedition leaders were enthusiastic, informative, and always available ...

Fantastic and extraordinary wildlife break sailing around Spitsbergen (Svalbard) - all guests landed for guided viewing at a huge variety of sites, seeing polar bears (from boats), walrus, arctic foxes, svalbard reindeer, king eider, little auk etc etc. super accommodation on our ice-strengthened ship, superbly handled outings on zodiacs. The naturetrek guides, and the boat expedition leaders were enthusiastic, informative, and always available with answers. The food was great, the accommodation comfortable. Brilliant, memorable trip!

Rating for tour operator:

Naturetrek described the trip accurately and comprehensively beforehand, guided us helpfully without removing the sense of adventure, and saw everything through to a great finish.

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Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Roo, 9 Jul 2019
Holiday Rating:

Svalbard the kingdom of the polar bear

A trip to Svalbard on MV Quest in search of birds, mammals and plants in the harsh Arctic.environment. The trip was well organised so that bear walrus and bird colonies were all seen despite the weather

A trip to Svalbard on MV Quest in search of birds, mammals and plants in the harsh Arctic.environment. The trip was well organised so that bear walrus and bird colonies were all seen despite the weather

Rating for tour operator:

Naturetrek is specialist in wildlife holidays worldwide. They are well planned with knowledgeable guides

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by D&MT, 25 Jul 2018
Holiday Rating:

Great High Arctic experiemce

Ship-based wildlife trip to visit pack-ice in the Greenland Sea, plus wildlife sites (including numerous landings by Zodiac) on Spitsbergen & other Svalbard islands. No-one can guarantee wildlife, but we were lucky with calm weather, good visibility , and excellent wildife-luck, helped by assiduous looking out by Naturetrek guides & ship's wildlife staff. Consequently we saw & had good views of essentially all the birds, mammals & plants that ...

Ship-based wildlife trip to visit pack-ice in the Greenland Sea, plus wildlife sites (including numerous landings by Zodiac) on Spitsbergen & other Svalbard islands. No-one can guarantee wildlife, but we were lucky with calm weather, good visibility , and excellent wildife-luck, helped by assiduous looking out by Naturetrek guides & ship's wildlife staff. Consequently we saw & had good views of essentially all the birds, mammals & plants that we could resaonably hope to see.

Rating for tour operator:

Naturetrek's pre-trip organisation was excellent & we were well-informed on all practical details as well as what we night expect/ hope for on the ground. Both Naturetrek & Oceanwide Expeditons (ship's operator) cooperated effectively & enthusiastically to maximise our enjoyment of the environment & its wildlife, and were conspicuously attentive & rigorous to ensure everyone's safety in potentially dangerous conditons (not least hungry Polar Bears). Naturetrek's guides & Oceanwide Expeditons' guides/safety escorts were very well-informed about the environment & wildlife, and were also very friendly, helpful & attentive to everyone's welfare & enjoyment.

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Judith, 16 Jul 2018
Holiday Rating:

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear

Amazing holiday, exceeded our expectations. The journey out to the pack ice was an incredible experience, we went much further north than we expected to. The scenery and the wildlife in Svalbard was incredible, one of the highlights was the polar bears on a kill on an iceberg. The guides both Naturetrek and the ships were first class, helpful and very knowledgeable.

Amazing holiday, exceeded our expectations. The journey out to the pack ice was an incredible experience, we went much further north than we expected to. The scenery and the wildlife in Svalbard was incredible, one of the highlights was the polar bears on a kill on an iceberg. The guides both Naturetrek and the ships were first class, helpful and very knowledgeable.

Rating for tour operator:

Wouldn't hesitate to recommend Naturetrek to anybody, we are looking forward to our second trip with the company in November. Impressed with the company's organisation, from booking to the holiday itself, nothing was too much trouble for them.

Reviewer's images:
Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Mullings, 12 Jul 2018
Holiday Rating:

Absolutely fantastic trip to the Arctic with Naturetrek

The Realm of the Polar Bear was an 8 day Naturetrek cruise aboard the Ortelius, which is run by Oceanwide Expeditions. The Naturetrek experts in birds, mammals and plants were supplemented by Oceanwide expedition crew with their own expertise in Arctic wildlife, ice and polar bears. The itinerary was flexible according to weather and ice conditions and we went as far north as possible in search of polar bears, seeing 11, with wonderful views ...

The Realm of the Polar Bear was an 8 day Naturetrek cruise aboard the Ortelius, which is run by Oceanwide Expeditions. The Naturetrek experts in birds, mammals and plants were supplemented by Oceanwide expedition crew with their own expertise in Arctic wildlife, ice and polar bears. The itinerary was flexible according to weather and ice conditions and we went as far north as possible in search of polar bears, seeing 11, with wonderful views over drift ice, the third largest ice sheet in the world and stunning views of the Svalbard coast. Many glaciers are in retreat with global warming and the threat to wildlife and the planet was clear to all. With the expert help of our leaders we saw Blue whale, Humpback whale, walrus, arctic fox and numerous seabirds scarcely seen in the UK, and most days had at least one expedition ashore in zodiacs to search for wildlife and see the habitation left by hunters in the past. The food and comfort aboard the Ortelius was excellent, adding to a truly memorable experience.

Rating for tour operator:

The information supplied by Naturetrek in advance lived up to expectations in every way. The leaders were on hand at the airports to sort out ticketing and luggage issues, as well as providing daily briefings about wildlife seen and on hand on deck and on shore to help identify plants and birds and provide assistance when needed eg with life jackets etc. Oceanwide expedition leaders in charge of the zodiacs ensured we were safe on shore as well as providing talks on board ship. Everything was well organised and smoothly run.

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Sophiecat, 10 Jul 2018
Holiday Rating:

A greater awareness of the fragility of the Arctic, it's beauty and my role as an ambassador to help protect this unique environment. It was a privilege to journey here.

This Arctic expedition surpassed my expectations. This was in part due to the wonderful organisation and leadership of the expedition team. I felt completely confident in the team which allowed me to enjoy the wonderful and captivating scenery as well as the wildlife , which was a joy. The guides - both groups were helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I was so impressed with the whole venture. Thanks too to the wonderful crew and staff of ...

This Arctic expedition surpassed my expectations. This was in part due to the wonderful organisation and leadership of the expedition team. I felt completely confident in the team which allowed me to enjoy the wonderful and captivating scenery as well as the wildlife , which was a joy. The guides - both groups were helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I was so impressed with the whole venture. Thanks too to the wonderful crew and staff of the Ortelius

Rating for tour operator:

Good , clear information in a timely fashion. Very pleasant on the phone. Come back to you when they say they will. Clearly committed to their clientele. Employ a good range of knowledgeable, experienced guides who are a pleasure to be with. They clearly engage with their guides to put teams together

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Ann, 29 Jul 2016
Holiday Rating:

Spitsbergen Realm of the Polar Bear trip

After boarding the ice-breaking ship Ortelius at Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen, we had daily doses of snow-capped mountains and glaciers, many up close and personal, even being allowed to touch one of the Hornsund area icebergs! One of the zodiac leisure landings was dedicated to the exploration of the many delicate tundra wildflowers. This educational exercise caused me to find more species later on my own. A slow walk on the Polar ...

After boarding the ice-breaking ship Ortelius at Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen, we had daily doses of snow-capped mountains and glaciers, many up close and personal, even being allowed to touch one of the Hornsund area icebergs! One of the zodiac leisure landings was dedicated to the exploration of the many delicate tundra wildflowers. This educational exercise caused me to find more species later on my own. A slow walk on the Polar Desert revealed small arctic insect life, as well as an education about the multitude of mosses and lichens in this area. Of course the bird cliffs were overwhelming with the teaming avian colonies; we seemed like ants in the zodiacs slowing gliding below the towering rocky mountain sides. We viewed 8 Polar Bears, a number greater than I had imagined. But even more exciting were the 2 bears (each on different days) that suddenly appeared as dots in the distant surrounding pack ice, then gradually becoming larger as they slowly strolled right up to our anchored ship, circled around the vessel for half an hour, then continued on their way into the whiteness to resume their roaming life of solitude. This experience truly gave me a sense of the isolationist existence of these magnificent creatures. We also were able to enjoy a small herd of Walruses lazing on an isolated beach. Although this critter was my most wanted animal on the trip, even more satisfying was our 2-hour time spent on a bluff overlooking the Walruses, immersed in a landscape of water, snow-capped mountains, brilliantly blue skies, quiet, later topped with a small pod of Belugas gliding by! Except for the last 2 days, the weather was perfect! Thanks to Naturetrek's professional guidance, and of course all the scenery and wildlife, we came home with a lifetime of memories.

Rating for tour operator:

We registered this trip with Naturetrek. In spite of being the only clients this year on their Spitsbergen trip, they gladly made all their usual arrangements with us for the trip. Their arrangements went smoothly with the above great results. Also because of their personal advice and procedural guidance, we were able to easily engage the Oceanwide Expedition leaders in helping us experience all that was offered. We were very pleased and impressed with Naturetrek, and would definitely go with them on a future trip of our choice.

Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar by Anwen, 12 Aug 2015
Holiday Rating:

FANTASTIC WILDLIFE EXPEDITION TO SEE POLAR BEARS.

THIS WAS MY SECOND SPITSBERGEN POLAR BEAR HOLIDAY WITH NATURETREK. I WENT IN JULY 2011, I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH I WANTED TO VISIT AGAIN. WE HAD VERY GOOD NATURETREK LEADERS WITH US MAKING SURE WE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. POLAR BEARS, WALRUS, REINDEERS, ARCTIC FOXES, THREE DIFERENT SPECIES OF SEALS, HARP, BEARDED & RINGED. WE SAW FANTASTIC CLIFFS WITH BREEDING BIRDS, LITTLE AUKS, GUILLEMOTS, PUFFINS, SO MANY MORE DIFFERENT BIRDS AND AMAZING ...

THIS WAS MY SECOND SPITSBERGEN POLAR BEAR HOLIDAY WITH NATURETREK. I WENT IN JULY 2011, I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH I WANTED TO VISIT AGAIN. WE HAD VERY GOOD NATURETREK LEADERS WITH US MAKING SURE WE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. POLAR BEARS, WALRUS, REINDEERS, ARCTIC FOXES, THREE DIFERENT SPECIES OF SEALS, HARP, BEARDED & RINGED. WE SAW FANTASTIC CLIFFS WITH BREEDING BIRDS, LITTLE AUKS, GUILLEMOTS, PUFFINS, SO MANY MORE DIFFERENT BIRDS AND AMAZING SIGHTS. THE ICE COLOUR AND REFLECTIONS IN THE SEA WERE SPECTACULAR. IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I WOULD GO AGAIN.

Rating for tour operator:

NATURETREK IS AN EXCELLENT TOUR OPERATOR. I HAVE BEEN WITH OTHER TOUR COMPANIES TO MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, MANY YEARS AGO, BUT I THINK NATURETREK ARE THE BEST.