Arctic Wellness Expedition
23 May - 1 June, 2026
Breathe with the ice.
Explore Svalbard with intention.
Breathe with the ice, move with the sea, and reconnect with yourself through mindful exploration in one of Earth’s most powerful landscapes.
Join us for a 10-day small-ship voyage combining cold immersion, meditation, and conscious living - a journey of restoration guided by Arctic silence.
Explore, Engage, Conserve
Our story started in Svalbard.
This is where we ran our very first expedition for just 12 guests. The awe-inspiring scenery, many fjords replete with wildlife, and the enduring silence of the Arctic keep drawing us back.
We choose to explore Svalbard with our ship, Polarfront - a class leader in conscious polar operations. With reduced a emissions footprint and quiet engines, Polarfront glides through pristine Arctic landscapes with minimal impact.
Through education and stewardship, our goal is always to to travel with the intent and respect that landscape, wildlife, and communities of Svalbard deserve.
Your Guides in Svalbard
Dr. Marcelo Flores, Expedition Leader
Marcelo was born and raised in central Chile. His fascination with the ocean led him to study Marine Biology, specializing in seabirds, marine mammals, oceanography, and invasive species. He possesses a Doctorate in Conservation Medicine and vast academic and field experience leading and carrying out conservation and research projects throughout Chile, Patagonia, and the remote Easter Island.
Since 2017 he has been working as a Polar Guide both in Antarctica and the Arctic, and in the present day, he is pausing academic life and preparing to return to the high Arctic in the boreal summer. Marcelo is also an enthusiast and celebrated wildlife photographer. He has been awarded in several photography contests and contributed images to various books on environmental education. Find out more about Marcelo’s body of scientific work here and his photography here.
Phil Hunter, Founder, Expedition Guide
Phil has been guiding travelers around the world’s most remote regions for the past decade, and is grateful for every chance he has to get outside to witness our planet’s most stunning locations. He is a veteran of over 100 trips to the high latitudes, including expeditions to Antarctica, Southeast Alaska, Eastern Greenland, and Svalbard.
Phil’s passion for facilitating life-changing experiences for his guests led to his forming of Arctic Tern Expeditions. Since then, he’s had the privilege of leading in the Arctic and in the tropics under the ATE banner. Through his travels, Phil has learned that truly embedding oneself into the wild regions of our planet leads to a remarkable inner transformation. He encourages his guests to take the photo, but to also leave space for true experience and connection.
Special Guests
Renato Granieri, Award-winning Expedition Photographer
Renato specialises in wildlife and travel photography, earning commissions from newspapers, magazines, tour operators and tourist boards. He leads specialist photographic tours to a number of destinations around the world. He has spent several months working with chimpanzees in Sierra Leone, Uganda and Rwanda.
Award-winning photographer, he’s been featured in a number of international contests, www.renatogranieri.com
He has a strong passion for conservation and has been actively involved in a project in Sierra Leone since 2020, at Tacugama Chimpanzee Conservation centre. Last year, he was awarded the status of official ambassador for the chimpanzees by Tacugama.
Whether you are an advanced photographer wielding a DSLR camera and 500mm lens or an amateur snapper, he is available to help you get the most out of your trips with Arctic Tern Expeditions.
Check out Renato’s amazing photographic work on his website or on his various social media platforms, like Instagram and Facebook.
Jorge Cervera Hauser, Award-Winning Photographer, Filmmaker
Underwater and wildlife photographer, award-winning film producer, and eco-tourism activist, Jorge has been sharing his love for the ocean and its creatures for the past decade. He has worked hand in hand with fishing communities in Baja to develop open ocean tourism as an alternative to fishing and produced the award-winning documentary film México Pelágico. Jorge founded a major liveaboard and ocean safari operation where he also envisioned & designed one of the top liveaboard vessels in the world.
As an underwater photographer, Jorge has documented unique, never before seen marine behavior. Swimming along orcas while they hunt pelagic rays in the Sea of Cortez, lurking amongst crocodiles and anacondas alike, or freediving with great white sharks in Guadalupe Island are only some of the moments that Jorge captures in his images. His work has been featured by National Geographic, Wired, Ocean Geographic, Apple and Samsung, among many others.
A two-time TED speaker, Jorge has been an ambassador for Discovery Channel, Nauticam, The Outdoor Journal, Blancpain, and KIA. Founding Board Member when the Revillagigedo National Park was created in 2017 and a former Advisory Board Member at the Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve.
In his most recent venture, Jorge founded the adventure travel firm Sherpa GX in 2023 with the purpose of sharing his love for the natural world through world class expeditions to the wildest places on Earth.
We sail Svalbard with Polarfront
Sauna
Hot tub
Quiet interiors
Low‑impact upgrades
Arctic Tern Expeditions Trips
Open bridge
Guest library
Small gym
Two Zodiacs
| Ship | Date | Trip Length (Days) | Prices from (USD) | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polarfront | June 1-10, 2026 | 10 | Contact for Pricing | ENQUIRE HERE |
What is included:
Onboard cabin, including daily turndown service
Plant-forward meals with quality proteins prepared by expedition chef
Shore excursions
Passionate expedition leaders and guides
A vetted polar bear safety program run by experienced Arctic field personnel
Tailor-made educational content
Transfers from hotel to vessel for embarkation and vessel to airport/hotel after disembarkation
Complementary rubber boot rental
Not Included:
Flights to and from Longyearbyen
Hotels in Longyearbyen
Travel insurance (including medical evacuation insurance)
Personal onboard expenses
Gratuities to the expedition guides and crew
Sample sailing plan - 10 days
*Arctic itineraries are not fixed - we explore the opportunities allowed by the prevailing ice and weather conditions of Svalbard.
FAQs
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1 [June 1, 2026]: TOUR LONGYEARBYEN AND BOARD MV POLARFRONT
Take the morning to explore Longyearbyen. Participate in optional excursions with local vendors or take in the the world’s most northerly town at your own pace. Meet at the Radisson Blu hotel in Longyearbyen at 16:00 for the initial expedition welcome. We will then join the MV Polarfront via an arranged shuttle in the afternoon to meet your crew onboard. In the evening, sail through Isfjord, an area known for its spectacular mountain scenery, in search of towering glacier fronts and the abundant wildlife that thrives here in the polar summer.
Overnight: MV Polarfront
(D)
DAYS 2-9: EXPLORING SVALBARD
You will spend the next six days exploring the icy peaks and polar deserts of of Svalbard aboard the MV Polarfront. You will see an archipelago that offers an incredible diversity of landscapes as Arctic Tern Expeditions leads you from arctic tundra, to the pack ice edge of the Arctic Ocean, to the glacial ice that covers huge swaths of the archipelago. At this time of year, we will likely encounter fast ice still frozen into the deep fjords that punctuate Svalbard’s coastline. Expect to scout out the coastlines around these areas and stay on the lookout for wildlife, as these are often hotspots for encounters with the marine mammals of the high Arctic.
Keep in mind that the ice, weather, and wildlife conditions can vary widely from year to year in Svalbard. Upon evaluating the conditions at the start date of your trip, the expedition team onboard along with the captain will make decisions about the best locations for the expedition to spend time. Finding and viewing the stunning wildlife of Svalbard is always our priority, but we plan to make the most of opportunities to hike, highlight the vibrant polar vegetation, and discuss the intriguing human history of this high arctic destination.
You may encounter polar bears at any point in this journey, curious whale pods feeding in these rich polar seas, and seals and walruses lounging on the shores of this polar archipelago. There is no telling what you may find from day to day as you explore the rich coastlines of Spitsbergen and surrounding islands. MV Polarfront is flexible in the scope of its operations, allowing you to make the very best of each opportunity to see and experience the wild beauty of Svalbard. The ship is a wonderful platform in of itself, and may allow for opportunities for exceptional photography from the spacious outer decks. All the while, your guides and crew will be on the constant lookout for intriguing wildlife and you will have the opportunity to venture out on Zodiac excursions and shore landings. Finish the day’s adventures in the well-appointed accommodations of the Polarfront and enjoy fantastic meals catered by the ship’s chef in the land of the midnight sun.
Overnight: MV Polarfront
(B, L, D)
DAY 10 [June 10, 2026]: DISEMBARK MV Polarfront
You will bid farewell to your expedition team and ship’s crew in the morning and disembark in Longyearbyen. Transfer to the airport in time for your international flight going home or on to your next adventure.
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To get the most from your journey with Arctic Tern Expeditions, it’s important to be stable on your feet and able to undertake short hikes. But there’s no requirement to undertake any given activity, and we usually split into two groups: those who want to go to the top of the hill, and those who’d prefer a more leisurely stroll at the bottom (or a Zodiac cruise!).
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All our Svalbard expeditions depart from and return to the town of Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen is easily reached by daily flights from Oslo in Norway, making it one of the easiest destinations to reach in the High Arctic.
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Unlike larger vessels with higher passenger capacities, our voyages are personal and unique in their approach. Travelling with a small group of guests means more time exploring, more flexibility, and less time waiting to board Zodiacs and go ashore.
Our small expedition vessels will get you closer to nature and more immersed in the landscape than larger ships, offering you a more immersive and transformative experience with no crowds or queuing.
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Guests are not permitted to use drones during the expedition. In any case a drone is being used during your expedition, it will be for professional use only by a member of the Arctic Tern Expeditions team with the required permissions.
Limitations are in place to protect the wildlife we encounter. Often, it is not possible to get up-close to the wildlife we see. For more information, check out the ‘Visitor Guidelines’.
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In 2025, the Norwegian government introduced stricter environmental regulations in Svalbard to better protect its fragile Arctic ecosystem and wildlife.
The concept at Arctic Tern Expeditions is built around conscious, responsible travel. These new rules align perfectly with our mission to explore with care and leave a minimal footprint.
We understand you may have questions about how these changes could affect your journey. To help, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about the updated regulations. And of course, if you’d like to chat through the details, our team is always here to help.
For more information regarding your booking, please refer to our booking terms and conditions.