IMAGES:
JARRA
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SPOT POLAR BEARS
ON A MICRO-CRUISE
TO NORTHERLY SVALBARD
At 78 degrees north of the Arctic Circle, Svalbard is
home to more polar bears than people. The North
Pole is just 650 miles away across the pack ice, and
you can feel it in your bones and see it in the brutal
angles of the mountains, the ethereal blues and
pinks of the sky, the glaciers and the icebergs and
the undying light of summer.
From May to August, conservation-focused
Secret Atlas runs 15 -day, leave-no-trace expedition
cruises that circumnavigate Spitsbergen. Crossing
icy waters on vessels carrying just 12 passengers,
you’ll get thrillingly close to Arctic wildlife —
the bears, yes, but also whales, bearded seals,
walruses, Arctic foxes, reindeer and a plethora of
birdlife. secretatlastravel.com
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NORWAY
HEAR THE CALL
OF THE WILD ON
A WOLF-HOWLING TOUR
The hairs-on-end howl of a wolf is a sound that
belongs utterly to the north. As the primordial call
echoes through the night, it tugs at our deeper
nature. A two-hour drive west of Stockholm leads
deep into forests near Skinnskatteberg, where
families of wolves prowl. Sign up for an overnight
wolf-howling trip and you’ll get a backdoor pass
into their world. Treading silently through woods
in the half-light of the Swedish summer, you’ll
feel your heart quicken as a wolf begins to howl
in the near distance. The wolves are free agents,
so sightings aren’t guaranteed, but the odds are
excellent from June to September. wildsweden.com
SWEDEN
DANGLE ABOVE
A FJORD ON THE
TROLLTUNGA VIA FERRATA
Trolltunga (‘troll’s tongue’) is a diving board and a
half (not that you’d ever want to jump). The 3,870ft-
high precipice and its backdrop are geologically
astounding, with the blue shock of Ringedalsvatnet
lake far below and the snow-streaked mountains
of Hardangervidda all around. The 10- to 12-hour
hike to the top is tough, involving a 2,625ft ascent,
but it’s tougher still if you brave the via ferrata.
Guided trips run from April to October and include
all gear. It’s a full-on day of cycling, hiking and
clambering up a razor-edge cliff on metal rungs,
trying desperately not to lose your nerve. Best to
get a sunrise start. trolltunga-active.com
NORWAY
Hikers reach the top of
Trolltunga, Norway
Below: A walrus in Svalbard;
micro-cruising through ice
with Secret Atlas in Svalbard
JUNE 2022 77
SCANDINAVIA
