There are still pages to be filled in the history book of the Arctic – it’s up to you to continue the story! Join a small group of explorers and the HANSEATIC nature on a real pioneer route. In the best season for cruising when the ice opens up the path to the far north, this expedition will take you along the rugged, icy outskirts of the European polar regions. Polar bears and northern lights, fjords and glaciers, awe and amazement – this is what great dreams of discovery are made of on Spitsbergen. Ahead of you lies a world of extremes with fantastic landscapes and fascinating fauna. Did you know that the archipelago is made up of around 400 islands? The third-biggest of these is Edgeoya. Vast plateau landscapes fill the panorama. You’ll land with the Zodiacs and step into the untouched wilderness. Keep an eye out for walruses and whales in the plankton-rich Barents Sea. Nordaustlandet offers a contrast to the usual picture of Spitsbergen. The second-largest island in the archipelago is flat and rambling. Venture ashore to see the legacy of Willem Barents, who discovered Spitsbergen in 1596. With a little luck, you’ll spot reindeer, Arctic foxes and seals. This is the first time that a Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ship will visit Kvitoya. Reaching this remote place where humans are the rarest species is also a journey of self-discovery. September is the only time when the belt of drifting ice around the island is passable, providing rare insights. Perhaps you’ll also catch sight of the king of the Arctic. The best way to watch polar bears is from the deck of the ship or from a Zodiac at a respectful distance. Will it be possible to reach the ice cap of Storoya? The Magdalenefjord is also packed full of adventure and historic graves of whalers lie before its glacial backdrop. Every day is shaped by experiences that bring together the pioneering spirit of the past and present, for example, when you visit the small settlement of Ny-Alesund, which was the starting point for the 1926 airship, in which Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile reached the North Pole.

The ice around the Northeast Greenland National Park, which is the biggest of its kind in the world, also only opens up in early autumn. You’ll pass the deep fjords, icebergs and calving glaciers on a flexible course. Looking for other humans? You won’t find many here – at the most, you might spot the Danish navy’s Sirius Dog Sled Patrol and the staff of the most northerly weather station in Danmarkshavn. This is where the first expedition to cross Greenland set out from in 1912, led by Johan Peter Koch. Shannon Sound takes you back even further in time to 1823, when polar explorer Douglas Clavering discovered it. The Thule culture once settled on Sabine Island, but the island now belongs to the musk oxen. Clavering Island is also ideal for Zodiac rides and landings. Find the traces of earlier expeditions and their research stations on walks with your experts. A small ship such as the HANSEATIC nature is in its element in the labyrinth of the Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord: steep rock faces alternate with glacier snouts, from which icebergs drift off into the sea. By the King Oscar Fjord, the peaks tower high along the shore, covered in snow. Just as stunning is the triangular Ella Island and its rocky flanks that reach heights of almost 1,200 m (3,937 ft).

After some spectacular days, this dramatic scenery will give way to the small, idyllic town of Ittoqqortoormiit on Scoresbysund, the longest fjord system in the world. Iceland provides the brilliant finale for your experiences.

The last chapter of your expedition in the harbour village of Patreksfjordur seems almost Caribbean when the fjord glows turquoise in the right weather.