Svalbard - Polar Bears

There are places that one never truly leaves.

Svalbard is such a place for us.

For many years we have returned to this arctic otherworld again and again. Each journey has been different. The light, weather, ice and wildlife constantly change, and that's exactly why Svalbard never feels like a destination you "have done". It is a place that continues to fascinate, surprise and lure you back.

At the same time, it has now been several years since our last expedition here.

The reason is simple. Recent years' changed regulations around wildlife have meant new conditions for everyone working with nature and photo expeditions on Svalbard. We have therefore chosen to wait and carefully follow developments before planning a new trip. For us it has been important to understand how the rules work in practice and to ensure that we can offer an experience that meets the high expectations we ourselves place on an expedition to the Arctic.

Now we feel the time is right.

After following developments over several seasons, we see that there are still fantastic opportunities to experience Svalbard's unique nature and wildlife in a respectful and responsible way. Perhaps it's even the case that the new regulations contribute to an even greater focus on what has always been the core of the experience – being allowed to be a small part of one of the world's most untouched wildernesses.

When we plan the upcoming trip, it therefore leans toward us aiming for late summer or autumn. An important reason is the regulations around polar bears. During this period, normally a protection distance of 300 meters applies, compared to 500 meters during parts of the spring and early summer season.

However, it is important to understand how the rules are designed. The purpose is not to prevent observations of polar bears, but to ensure that people do not actively seek out or approach the animals. So we may not deliberately go closer than the established distance. However, the same does not apply if the situation arises on the bear's initiative. If we, for example, lie still in the pack ice and a curious bear chooses to approach us, the encounter happens on the animal's terms, which is fully compatible with the regulations. Many of the most memorable bear encounters on Svalbard have actually always occurred just that way.

But Svalbard has never been just about polar bears.

It's about the enormous glaciers that meet the sea in several hundred meter high walls of blue-white ice. About the quiet fjords where whales suddenly break the water surface. About walruses resting on the shores, arctic foxes moving between the stones and reindeer grazing on the tundra. About the thousands of seabirds that fill the cliffs with life during the short arctic summer.

It's about the light.

The soft, low arctic light that can transform an entire landscape into tones of gold, pink, blue and silver. About evenings when the sun never really wants to set and about mornings when mist veils drift between mountains and glaciers. For photographers, it's hard to imagine a more inspiring environment.

We will also place great emphasis on the choice of vessel.

Our ambition is to find a modern expedition ship that maintains a higher standard than many of the vessels traditionally used on Swedish photo trips to the area. A vessel that combines the expedition's freedom with high comfort, good observation opportunities and an atmosphere that suits the type of journey we want to create.

We want a vessel where one can just as easily stand out on deck for hours and watch for whales and bears as gather indoors for image discussions, lectures or a good dinner after a long day out in the landscape. A vessel that functions as a safe and comfortable base in the middle of the arctic wilderness.

As with our previous expeditions, the journey will be characterized by flexibility. The Arctic follows no timetables. The ice moves, weather changes and animals appear where you least expect them. That's exactly why the best expeditions are not about following a schedule, but about being in the right place when nature decides to offer something extraordinary.

And that's exactly what lures us back.

The feeling of standing on deck far north of civilization. To see glaciers rising from the sea. To hear the sound of drift ice slowly being pressed together. To experience a landscape that still feels larger than humanity.

That's why we return to Svalbard.

If you too feel it's time for a new arctic adventure, we'd like to know. Right now we are investigating interest in a new expedition, and we hope you want to come along when we return to one of the world's most spectacular places.

Svalbard awaits.