At this time of year, so far north of the Arctic Circle, the sun never grows tired. In the summer months, it lights up Spitsbergen’s glistening expanse around the clock. The island group in the far north is a place of wild, untameable beauty and a coastline shrouded in ice. The Dutch seafarer Willem Barents discovered the archipelago in 1596 when searching for a north east passage to Asia. The mountains rise up to 1,700 m (5,577 ft) out of the North Atlantic and inspired Barents to name the region. To this day Spitsbergen fascinates with its landscape, which will be teeming with life during your expedition. As the midnight sun makes the scenery seem even more glorious, eventful days lie ahead in the most beautiful fjords and bays. The on-board team’s many years of polar experience will allow you to explore this remote region of surreal natural wonders first-hand. When a shout goes up of “polar bear spotted!” the crew will react flexibly to ensure you enjoy unforgettable wildlife sightings. Only an expedition ship like the HANSEATIC nature can manoeuvre through the ice with such spontaneity and safety. Small, manoeuvrable and with the highest ice class for passenger ships, it can even navigate the nautically demanding waters of northern Spitsbergen, where the ice conditions will determine the course as you travel to the edge of the ice. No two days are the same and the captain continuously reroutes the ship. A new adventure awaits you on every fjord and every island. Look forward to numerous Zodiac rides and landings during these eventful days. For example on Hornsund, Spitsbergen’s most southerly fjord with mighty glaciers whose cliffs stretch right to the shore. The artistic drawings by the scientists on board La Recherche show just how much impact the Recherchefjord made on the explorers. Gain your own impressions of this inlet surrounded by glaciers and diverse tundra, home to ducks, reindeer and many other creatures. Expansive tundra and peaked mountains shape the Isfjord and its neighbouring fjords – one of Spitsbergen’s largest fjord systems at over 100 km (62 mi.) long. In the home of polar bears, Arctic foxes and puffins, thrilling wildlife sightings will be the order of the day. Arctic terns attract attention with their aerial manoeuvres in Ny-Alesund, one of the world’s most northerly settlements. It was from here that Arctic explorers Amundsen and Nobile set out in 1926 in the airship Norge and became the first people to reach the North Pole. Today, a small team of researchers live here to study climate change and its effects on Arctic life. After the HANSEATIC nature reaches Moellerhafen, you will be welcomed to the small “Lloyd’s Hotel”, the world’s most northerly “bar”. Set up for Arctic explorers, this refuge is well worth a visit, as is the unique view on the Magdalenefjord – its glacial backdrop the site of historic whalers’ graves. In this overwhelming panorama, you will feel the power and sensitivity of nature, which also shape the Liefdefjord and the majestic Monaco Glacier. Watching huge blocks of firn ice fall into the sea is simply breathtaking. Watch this spectacle from a respectful distance on the ship or in a Zodiac and, with a little luck, get up-close to seals and whales. The small, strictly protected island of Moffen north of the 80th line of latitude is home to imposing walruses, which you can watch from the deck. Amsterdamoeya is home to historic remnants: the remains of 400-year-old ovens bear witness to the whalers who once cooked blubber here to make lamp oil. Depending on the weather and ice conditions, you can explore the uninhabited Prins Karls Forland, known for its walrus population. Like so many other times on this expedition, you will get closer than ever before to the wonders of the Nordic natural world. Breathe deeply – watching the unspoilt expanses of this extraordinary island group will help you see the world through new eyes!