BIG ACE – Arctic Climate Expedition

Having made your way to Oslo, you will be met on arrival by the Ocean Geographic team and directed to your hotel. Take the international arrivals exit on the ground floor, follow the signs and walk 500m through the direct walkway from Oslo Airport to the Radisson Red Oslo Airport hotel. Journey time: 6 minutes. 

Enjoy pre-expedition workshops and lectures led by Ocean Geographic, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Aurora Expeditions. 

Accommodation: Radisson Red Airport Hotel, Oslo 

Meals: All inclusive 

Following breakfast, walk to Oslo Airport for your included charter flight to Longyearbyen (flight details will be available in February 2025). You will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions at the hotel and taken to the check in counter for your charter flight.  

Upon arrival in Longyearbyen, you will be transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information about where to dine or purchase last minute items from a local pharmacy or supermarket. The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.  

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, Spitsbergen 

This morning, your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for sanitisation, clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please ensure that your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Any valuables or personal items should be kept on you throughout the day. 

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before joining your fellow expeditioners on a guided city tour of Longyearbyen. After the tour, you will be transferred directly to the pier to embark in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail.  

Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. The members of our experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife. 

Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils, set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, we stretch our legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly coloured wildflowers. We visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies. Most memorable will be encounters with the majestic polar bear on pack ice.

Distinct from conventional polar expeditions, expeditioners on the Arctic Climate Expedition 2025 will have the chance to engage in hands-on workshops and activities designed to foster environmental stewardship and promote sustainable living. These engaging sessions encompass a variety of subjects, including essay writing, fine art painting, photography, and public speaking, empowering participants to express their commitment to conservation through diverse creative outlets.  

If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory you will savour for years to come. 

During the early morning, we cruise into Longyearbyen and disembark at approximately 8.00 am. Farewell your Expedition Team and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for your return charter flight to Oslo to continue your journey.

Note: the arrival time in Oslo is contingent on the approved allocated flight slot of our charter flight to Longyearbyen, which we expect to receive in February 2025.

Itineraries are subject to change.