ITINERARY: 11 DAYS
DAYS 1 AND 2: U.S./OSLO, NORWAY
Depart on an overnight fl ight to Oslo. Upon
arrival, check into our hotel. On an afternoon
tour of this charming city, stroll among the
famed Vigeland sculptures—hundreds of life-
size human fi gures set in terraced parkland.
Visit the Fram Museum, showcasing the polar
ship Fram and dedicated to the explorers
and wooden vessels that navigated the Arctic
Sea in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This
evening explore Oslo on your own.
Hotel ContinentalDAY 3: OSLO/LONGYEARBYEN
Depart Oslo on a private charter fl ight,
and enjoy breathtaking vistas en route
to Longyearbyen. Embark the National
Geographic Explorer, your base for the next
six days. (B, L, D)DAYS 4–9: EXPLORING SVALBARD
This voyage is undertaken in the spirit of
discovery, and our travel in the archipelago
is exploratory by design. In a region ruled
not by humans but by polar bears, we let
nature guide our course. Svalbard lies north
of the Arctic Circle, where the summer sun
never sets. With our fully-stabilized ice-class
expedition ship, we are able to probe the
ice in search of wildlife; our exact day-to-day
itinerary remains fl exible, depending on
local ice and weather conditions. Zodiacs
and kayaks take us closer to experience the
region’s geologic features and the wildlifeTRIP DETAILS
DATES: 2014: June 6–16, June 13–23,
June 20–30
EXPEDITION COST:
Category 1 $8,990
Located on Main Deck with porthole
Category 2 $9,590
Located on Main Deck with window
Category 3 $9,960
Located on Main Deck with window
Category 4 $10,560
Located on Upper and Veranda Decks with
window
Category 5 $12,470
Located on Upper Deck with balcony
Category 6 $14,550
Located on Upper and Veranda Decks—suite
Category 7 $16,630
Located on Upper Deck—suite with balcony
See National Geographic Explorer photos
and deck plan on page 61. Prices are per
person, double occupancy. For a single
cabin, add $2,400 in Category 2 and
$2,500 in Category 3. Airfare is not included
in the expedition cost. Round-trip economy
airfare between Newark and Oslo is $1,400
and round-trip charter fl ight between Oslo
and Longyearbyen is $725 (subject to
change).OPTIONAL EXTENSION
Add a fi ve-day pre-trip extension to the
breathtaking fj ords of Norway or a fi ve-day
post-trip extension to Iceland that includes
Reykjavík and the Golden Circle. Visit our
website for details.that fl ourishes during the summer months.
With our National Geographic photographer
and a seasoned naturalist staff , venture to the
foot of vast tidewater glaciers, kayak among
sparkling icebergs, and explore fj ords that
split the coastline. Hike through miniature
gardens blooming on the tundra; and search
the edge of the pack ice for polar bears,
walruses, seals, reindeer, and arctic foxes.
Nowhere can the polar bear be seen more
reliably in its natural environment than here.
(B, L, D Daily)DAY 10: LONGYEARBYEN/OSLO
In Longyearbyen, the largest settlement
in Svalbard, disembark and enjoy time to
explore. Founded by an American coal
executive in 1906, this is one of the northern-
most human settlements on Earth. Fly back to
Oslo this afternoon. Radisson Blu Hotel (B, L)DAY 11: OSLO/U.S.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the
return fl ight home. (B)RESERVE ONLINE AT NATIONALGEOGRAPHICEXPEDITIONS.COM 37
POLAR REGIONS
Kittiwakes in fl ight over a ZodiacADDITIONAL ITINERARY:
NORWAY'S FJORDS AND ARCTIC
SVALBARD
17 DAYS
MAY 24–JUNE 9, 2014
Follow Norway's fj ord-carved coast
past the North Cape to the icy isles of
Svalbard, where polar bears prowl and
walrus haul out on rocky shores. Visit our
website for details.A walrus displays his impressive tusks.