Board Zodiacs to view tidewater glaciers and spectacular ice formations. Take, for example, the hunting and eating of whales. Ive never previously heard of people eating walrus: an animal with a hide so thick as to be almost polar bear-proof. All the remnants of these great creatures would seem more gruesome to me if they werent being put to use, werent so vital to the Iupiat. Catch an early morning flight to Churchill. More fire. Take a full-day Tundra Buggy excursion, searching for polar bears along the shores of Hudson Bay and learning about threats to the species and their habitat. Stonehenge was one triumph amid an ancient building boom. With our National Geographic photographer and staff of seasoned naturalists, venture to the foot of stunning tidewater glaciers, kayak among sparkling icebergs, and explore fjords that split the rugged coastlines. Fun fact: Unlike most whales, belugas dont have fused neck vertebrae, so they can turn their heads to look back at you! (Discover an isolated Alaska island where walrus sing.). Nearly 60,000 beluga whales inhabit the western reaches of Hudson Bay. That took a while.. Or, as Riley puts it: Pretty is the one thing this town aint. However, unappealing as it may look, Kaktovik is probably the most reliable place on Earth to see wild polar bears, without the crowds and commercialism of places like Churchill in Manitoba, Canada. The next year, we counted 60 bears. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. A lone polar bear looks toward the town of Kaktovik on Alaskas North Slope. Experience dazzling, ice-covered landscapes that have long captured the imagination of explorers on a polar expedition aboard the National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer or the National Geographic Orion. We are joined by a species expert from Polar Bears International who will share their expertise on polar bears and their habitat. Book either departure of Svalbard in Spring: Polar Bears, Arctic Light, and Epic Ice at full price and get 20% off one select departure of Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands, Journey to Antarctica, or South Georgia and the Falklands for travel January 2022 through March 2023. In the pristine Svalbard archipelagothe land of the polar bears and search for polar bears and walruses along the edge of the pack ice. At this question Dorothy wrinkles her nose: Well, OK if you boil it for long enough.. New discoveries reveal an era when awe-inspiring monuments were all the rage. This content is brought to you by our sponsor. Sail deep into beautiful fjords and kayak quiet coves surrounded by sparkling icebergs. Later, settle into comfortable accommodations aboard theNational Geographic Resolution. On arrival, visit the Svalbard Museum to learn about the natural and cultural history of Svalbard and the Arctic, from 17th-century whaling to modern scientific research. Watch for polar bears return to the spring hunting grounds to coincide with the seals pupping. We plan to make an in-depth visit to this beautiful island, with opportunities to explore its surrounding fjords by Zodiac and kayak, and hike on shore. Our flexible itinerary and years of experience in the archipelago allow us to take the best advantage of ice and weather conditions. The opportunity is yours on this six-day adventure in the vast wilderness of the Canadian Arctic. Take in the majestic arctic landscape while searching for polar bears, arctic fox, and ptarmigan. Before leaving, Bruce explains that schedules arent the only thing subject to change round these parts. Its been that way since the late 1960s, but if Kaktovik aint pretty, then PrudhoeNorth Americas largest oil fieldis a carbuncle in the permafrost. Longyearbyen is home to a diverse community of scientists from Russia, Germany, Thailand, and beyond, stationed on the island to study the Arctic environment or employed in nearby mining operations. As we travel north of the Arctic Circle, our team of experts will bring depth and insight to the experience. The adult sits down on the brownish sand, immediately sullying her pristine white coat, then, in a moment of uncanny tenderness, lets the youngsters in to suckle. In the southern part of the island, youll find nderdalen National Parkmore than 70 square miles of pristine wilderness that is home to reindeer, elk, red foxes, and more. Then head further south to the spectacular isles of Sroy and Senja, where nature flourishes amid vibrant coastal cultures. Traveling with a world-class team of experts and naturalists, use a range of exploration tools to experience wildlife and wild places up close. Capture it all beside National Geographic photography experts or view it from our exclusive polar igloos. Here, on Barter Island, off the north coast of Alaska, neither are required. See how stones, strength, and smarts built Stonehenge. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/destinations/polar/ocean/polar-bears-cruise.html. Explore the Svalbard Art Gallery, home to a permanent collection of historic items as well as contemporary exhibitions of local artists. The 64-year-old wears an authoritative mustache and an ill-fitting hunters jacket, and accepts compliments or thanks with an almost imperceptible nod. An adventure destination where tundra, boreal forest, and Hudson Bay waters meet, the area has long been a traditional hunting area for indigenous peoples (the cozy Itsanitaq Museum, formerly the Eskimo Museum, honors their heritage). Svalbard lies north of the Arctic Circle, where the summer sun never sets. Join our spotters on the bridge, scanning the edges of the pack ice for huge walruses, arctic foxes, reindeer, polar bears, and other resident species. Helicopter tours provide a birds-eye view of the spectacular landscape of snow, ice, water, and rock, along with plenty of polar bear sightings. Enjoy a second excursion in the tundra in search of polar bears and northern wildlife. No road reaches Kaktovik, leaving it at the mercy of the vagaries of Alaskan light aircraft. Residents of the town on the north shore of Barter Island live alongside the bears, the largest living species in the Ursidae family. Please be respectful of copyright. Get up close to polar wildlife and spectacular landscapes in kayaks, Zodiacs, and on foot, and experience nature in its purest form. The following morning, I head to the excellent Iupiat Heritage Center, a cultural museum and learning hub festooned with native artifacts and lore. Temperatures this far north typically are frigid mid-winter, but aurora watchers waiting for the polar spectacle to fan out over the heavens stay warm in tent-size Aurora Domes, a wheeled Aurora Pod, and even an Aurora Lounge. Kaktoviks Native Iupiat population is permitted to kill three bowhead whales a yearhaving done this, they then flense their huge carcasses on the edge of town. But on Alaskas north coast, visitors can still spot these magnificent predators away from crowds. Now the whales taken from these waters each year account for no more than 0.5 percent of the population, making it a sustainable catch. Proof of their resilience came in 2007, when a bowhead caught off this same stretch of Alaskan coast was found to have a fragment of a Victorian harpoon embedded in its neck. Set out on a full day excursion to enjoy polar bear viewing by Tundra Buggy with a local/expert guide. With webbed paws and insulated fur, polar bears are adept swimmerstheir Latin name for polar bear means sea bear.. Their focus is on research, education, and stewardship.

Bruce explains with righteous profanity that he and others in the community think this is an outrage. Many locals have large, mean-looking dogs, which here, at 70 degrees north, maintain their winter coats and surliness all year long. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Want to help Californias kelp forests? https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/destinations/europe/ocean/svalbard-in-spring-polar-bears-tour.html. Bruces hands are large and worn and he knows certain things like the backs of themthings like the safe distance to be from polar bears and when to start the engine should their attention linger on his boat. This evening, enjoy an informal talk with a local from Churchill who will talk about what life is like living in a far north, remote Canadian town. And in that light, he says, sinking the whale carcasses seems like an especially unnecessary move. Not applicable on extensions or fourth guest travels free offer. Boat tours bring visitors to waters often frequented by belugas. In fact, the number of interactions with the townsfolk has risen; bears are frequently found wandering around Kaktovik. Its latitudes are so extreme that to see it on a map is to wonder if the air is thinner up here. Dorothy is Iupiat but she also has some Scottish and English heritage. This voyage is undertaken in the spirit of discovery, and our travel in the archipelago is exploratory by design. Normally its ill-advised to walk among the bears, but Churchill Wild offers hiking tours at remote eco-lodges to safely see them by foot. Enjoy nightly recaps and talks about the natural wonders we encounter, and view underwater video footage taken some 1,000 feet below the surface by our remotely operated vehicle (ROV). In here, close to the whaling exhibit, I meet guide Dorothy Levitt. Both sets of forebears were lured here by commercial whaling in the early 1900s, and while the limited hunting that takes place today serves a different purpose, it does still happen to considerable fanfare every spring and autumn. Its best to visit between May and September, which sees highs of 46F and lows of 16F. Of course, theres plenty here that does have universal appeal. Glide in a Zodiac beneath tidewater glaciers, and, conditions permitting, step on the frozen sea. The sun sets over a frozen lake on the arctic tundra in November near Churchill, Manitoba. We tell our new friends: dont think about the remoteness too much, and dont seclude yourself. Traveling aboard the state-of-the-art National Geographic Resolution, voyage to the far-flung archipelago of Svalbard, where fantastic formations of snow and ice set the stage for a remarkable adventure. In a region ruled not by humans but by polar bears, we let nature guide our course. It should be snowing by now, she says, glancing out of the window grimly. Disembark in Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard. Instead, weve got all this rain. Young beluga whale calves swim with their mother near the mouth of the Churchill River in Manitoba. View the spectacular, extended golden hour inside our exclusive polar igloos. Discover the wild wonders of our planets northernmost frontiers. Jamie Lafferty is a writer and photographer from Scotland. Depart Oslo on a private charter flight, and enjoy views of the southern fjords en route to Longyearbyen. You can find him on Twitter. This trip is operated in collaboration with Lindblad Expeditions. Sit down with a resident of Churchill who will entertain us with a presentation and stories about what life is like in an isolated Northern Canadian town. A high Arctic archipelago between Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is a place of deep fjords, snow-capped mountains, and massive sheets of ice. Centuries of habituation mean they havent gone elsewhereyet. Each summer, thousands head into the mouth of the Churchill River in search of warmer waters to birth and raise calves and feast on capelin and other fish. Attend a private cocktail reception with some of the representatives from Polar Bears International. A polar bear approaches the remnants of a bowhead whale in Kaktovik, Alaska. Spend several remarkable days amid the ice floes of Svalbard and follow natures rhythms in search of walruses, seals, and polar bears. Spend a day exploring the island and fjords, and, if you wish, join our naturalists on a spectacular hike. I give him a hopeful look that asks: Could we possibly do that today? But a small landslide of his eyebrows tells me that, no, we absolutely cannot. Search for wildlife including walruses, bearded and ringed seals, and the legendary creature of the norththe polar bear. Explore this charming coastal city, then board our charter flight to Oslo and check in to our hotel. Theyre just playing, says Riley, and I believe him, but if this roughhousing happened to almost any other species, thered be nothing left afterwards but fleshy spaghetti. How'd they do it? February and March, with their dark and clear evening skies, offer ideal viewing conditions. Meet your CEO for a welcome dinner and group meeting. After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return flight home. Then visit the Fram Museum, dedicated to the wooden ship sailed by Norwegian pole explorers such as Nansen and Amundsen. Now I think were hovering around 40 or 50. Ive only half-asked my question as to what might be causing this decline when his answer lands on the deck like a hammer: Climate change.. After, visit the renowned Itsanitaq Inuit Museum which features one of the best collections of Inuit art and artifacts. Theres a better way to hike the Inca Trail. Bruce Inglangasak, who runs Kaktovik Arctic Tours, relocated to Kaktovik 20 years ago from Northern Canada. Nature hits all high notes in this Canadian sub-Arctic realm, a land of polar bears, belugas, and the brightest of northern lights. Whether they can endure it or not is another thing. How'd they do it? After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Oslo for your return flight home. This illustrated graphic takes you through one of the greatest and most enigmatic engineering achievements of all time. The ice wasnt very thick, we had 100 mile-an-hour winds for a week and, well, this ocean got pretty messed up, he tells me on the final morning. For up-close looks, adventurous visitors can kayak, paddleboard, or snorkel. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Svalbard is one of the best places on the planet to observe these majestic creatures in their natural environment, and we're likely to spot several throughout the course of our trip. Highly sociable and curious cetaceans, belugas are called canaries of the sea for their bird-like calls. Discover unusual Arctic flora and tidewater glaciers on walks with naturalists, and spot huge walruses, bearded and ringed seals, arctic foxes, and reindeer. Dorothy starts laughing before Ive finished asking her if this is true. Valid for new bookings only, subject to availability. Depart on an overnight flight to Oslo and check in to our hotel upon arrival. Board a Zodiac to explore the coves and inlets of this mist-shrouded island. These free meals have attracted Ursus maritimus in numbers for generations; so many, in fact, that on the flight here from Fairbanks, in central Alaska, I mistakenly thought I was seeing sheep ambling along the dark shores. I take a walk around town in the Arctic gloaming, willing the sky clear for a chance later to see the aurora borealis.