Expedition Franz Josef Land
To Polar Bears and Walrus Colonies in the extreme North of Europe
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13-day Voyage to the Top of the World
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by Icebreaker through the Polar Ocean
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following the traces of famous Polar Explorers
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to the largest walrus colonies of Europe
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to birds rocks and to Polar Bears
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unique opportunities for animal-watching
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fascinating excursions by helicopter and by zodiacs
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an exclusive First Class Adventure
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The Franz Josef Land archipelago is the closest land to the North Pole in the Eastern Hemisphere (about 540 miles to the North Pole from its utmost Northern point). It has been discovered in 1873 by the Austrian "Tegetthof" expedition.
Nowadays it is one of the rare 'wild' places left on earth.
The archipelago consists of 191 islands. 83% of them are covered with permanent ice. Some fifteen years ago, Russian Polar stations were working on the islands. Now they are abandoned and the whole archipelago is given back to the Wildlife. Polar Bears come to the very board of the ship, raising onto their paws and curiously staring at the people. Numerous walruses can usually be seen as well. And often the passengers are lucky to see Polar foxes, belugas and whales. And they always see lots of Arctic birds.
Nowadays it is one of the rare 'wild' places left on earth.
The archipelago consists of 191 islands. 83% of them are covered with permanent ice. Some fifteen years ago, Russian Polar stations were working on the islands. Now they are abandoned and the whole archipelago is given back to the Wildlife. Polar Bears come to the very board of the ship, raising onto their paws and curiously staring at the people. Numerous walruses can usually be seen as well. And often the passengers are lucky to see Polar foxes, belugas and whales. And they always see lots of Arctic birds.
1.day:
Individual flight via Oslo to Kirkenes (Norway). After your arrival you take a taxi to the hotel.
hotel overnight/breakfast.
2. day:
You will be picked up by a member of the expedition-team in the morning, taken to the Russian border and further to Murmansk (6 hours by bus). Once there, you will board the icebreaker "Dranitsyn", which will leave from the harbour as soon as the tide is high.
Individual flight via Oslo to Kirkenes (Norway). After your arrival you take a taxi to the hotel.
hotel overnight/breakfast.
2. day:
You will be picked up by a member of the expedition-team in the morning, taken to the Russian border and further to Murmansk (6 hours by bus). Once there, you will board the icebreaker "Dranitsyn", which will leave from the harbour as soon as the tide is high.
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3. day:
This day leads us over the open Barent Sea direction North. You will be shown around on the ship, see its sophisticated technical equipment, engine room etc. Safety and helicopter instructions are obligatory for every passenger. Our lecturers will introduce you into the plant- and animal-life of the Arctic.
This day leads us over the open Barent Sea direction North. You will be shown around on the ship, see its sophisticated technical equipment, engine room etc. Safety and helicopter instructions are obligatory for every passenger. Our lecturers will introduce you into the plant- and animal-life of the Arctic.
4. day:
Depending on weather conditions during the previous day, we should already see land: Franz Josefs Land.
Bell Island will be our first destination at 80 degrees North. This is the most eastward island, mostly closed up by pack-ice. We shall undertake a hike and visit a hut left by the Lee Smith Expedition in 1881, which is still in amazing good condition.
Depending on weather conditions during the previous day, we should already see land: Franz Josefs Land.
Bell Island will be our first destination at 80 degrees North. This is the most eastward island, mostly closed up by pack-ice. We shall undertake a hike and visit a hut left by the Lee Smith Expedition in 1881, which is still in amazing good condition.
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5. day:
Let us re-enact a bit historical happenings during Polar expeditions in the past: We will follow the traces of the discoverer of Cape Flora in 1880: Lee Smith. And shall continue to the Northbrook Island. His expedition had to spend a winter here, because a storm had forced his ship "Aira" into huge ice-masses. The ship was crushed and sank close to the coast.
In 1897 a memorable meeting of Jackson and Nansen took place on this island. Several memorial steles were erected on the island to commemorate the daring Arctic explorers.
The cliffs are the temporary home of thousands of birds. Even more impressing will be, once our icebreaker is heading towards the Rubini Rock with masses of sea-birds. We get as close as we can in order to get the best photographic results. If ice-conditions permit, we'll go ashore for a hike.
This will be a very remarkable day in particular for birds lovers; we continue observing bird life in the Tikhaya Bay. There is an abandoned polar station on the shore of this bay. If weather is favourable, we will go ashore to visit the station. However, we always have to watch out for Polar Bears.
Let us re-enact a bit historical happenings during Polar expeditions in the past: We will follow the traces of the discoverer of Cape Flora in 1880: Lee Smith. And shall continue to the Northbrook Island. His expedition had to spend a winter here, because a storm had forced his ship "Aira" into huge ice-masses. The ship was crushed and sank close to the coast.
In 1897 a memorable meeting of Jackson and Nansen took place on this island. Several memorial steles were erected on the island to commemorate the daring Arctic explorers.
The cliffs are the temporary home of thousands of birds. Even more impressing will be, once our icebreaker is heading towards the Rubini Rock with masses of sea-birds. We get as close as we can in order to get the best photographic results. If ice-conditions permit, we'll go ashore for a hike.
This will be a very remarkable day in particular for birds lovers; we continue observing bird life in the Tikhaya Bay. There is an abandoned polar station on the shore of this bay. If weather is favourable, we will go ashore to visit the station. However, we always have to watch out for Polar Bears.
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6. day:
We reach Jackson Island, one of the northernmost islands in the archipelago. This is the place where Fritjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen had to spend a winter in 1885/86 after their failed attempt to reach the North Pole. Left at the beach are still rests of their primitive refuge. The probability to see Polar Bears, Narwhales and Belugas at this spot (Cape Norwegia) is very high!
7. day:
We approach the Stolichky- und Appolonov-Island. Our program here highly depends on the weather- and ice-conditions. If we are lucky to have favourable conditions we plan a zodiac trip near the islands. The main attraction of the islands are the walrus rookeries. Our zodiac drivers will do their best to get as close as possible to the animals.
We reach Jackson Island, one of the northernmost islands in the archipelago. This is the place where Fritjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen had to spend a winter in 1885/86 after their failed attempt to reach the North Pole. Left at the beach are still rests of their primitive refuge. The probability to see Polar Bears, Narwhales and Belugas at this spot (Cape Norwegia) is very high!
7. day:
We approach the Stolichky- und Appolonov-Island. Our program here highly depends on the weather- and ice-conditions. If we are lucky to have favourable conditions we plan a zodiac trip near the islands. The main attraction of the islands are the walrus rookeries. Our zodiac drivers will do their best to get as close as possible to the animals.
8. day:
We start the day with a visit to Wilczek Island. On the southern tip of the island we'll find a lonely grave of the machinist Otto Krisch. He was the only victim during the Payer-Weyprecht- Expedition. "Peace For His Ash" is written on a small plaque attached to the cross at the grave.
As everywhere on Franz-Josef-Land we have good chances during this day to encounter Polar Bears and walrusses whilst passing the island. Walrusses are imposing, while the touching behavior of Polar Bears sometimes makes us forget about the wild and predatory nature of these animals. Attracted by the unfamiliar object and smell curious polar bears approach close to the ship, offering excellent photographic opportunities.
We start the day with a visit to Wilczek Island. On the southern tip of the island we'll find a lonely grave of the machinist Otto Krisch. He was the only victim during the Payer-Weyprecht- Expedition. "Peace For His Ash" is written on a small plaque attached to the cross at the grave.
As everywhere on Franz-Josef-Land we have good chances during this day to encounter Polar Bears and walrusses whilst passing the island. Walrusses are imposing, while the touching behavior of Polar Bears sometimes makes us forget about the wild and predatory nature of these animals. Attracted by the unfamiliar object and smell curious polar bears approach close to the ship, offering excellent photographic opportunities.
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9. day:
Another highlight of our journey will be the visit of Champ Island. This magnificent island is placed in the very center of the archipelago like a diamond in a precious tiara. The landscape of Champ is simply majestic: the cliffs and ice-capped mountains are the highest on the archipelago. Here we'll see unique creations of nature, so-called "geods": stones of ideal spherical shape (up to 3 m of diameter).
Another highlight of our journey will be the visit of Champ Island. This magnificent island is placed in the very center of the archipelago like a diamond in a precious tiara. The landscape of Champ is simply majestic: the cliffs and ice-capped mountains are the highest on the archipelago. Here we'll see unique creations of nature, so-called "geods": stones of ideal spherical shape (up to 3 m of diameter).
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10. day:
Our next stop will be on Hall Island, Cape Tegetthoff. The island sights are very impressive: huge cliffs resembling dorsal fins of gigantic sharks submerge into the depths. The remains of wooden structures built by the Wellman expedition (1898-1899) add colors to the vivid panorama. It was here on August 30th 1873, when somebody from the Weyprecht-Payer-Expedition was shouting "land, land". The fog lifted and opened the view to a newly discovered hitherto unknown archipelago, which was named in honor of the Austrian emperor "Franz-Josef".
11. day:
The ship's compass indicates: we are going South again. We leave these mystical islands on our way back to Murmansk. In the relatively flat Barent Sea we still might observe more whales and sea-birds.
Our next stop will be on Hall Island, Cape Tegetthoff. The island sights are very impressive: huge cliffs resembling dorsal fins of gigantic sharks submerge into the depths. The remains of wooden structures built by the Wellman expedition (1898-1899) add colors to the vivid panorama. It was here on August 30th 1873, when somebody from the Weyprecht-Payer-Expedition was shouting "land, land". The fog lifted and opened the view to a newly discovered hitherto unknown archipelago, which was named in honor of the Austrian emperor "Franz-Josef".
11. day:
The ship's compass indicates: we are going South again. We leave these mystical islands on our way back to Murmansk. In the relatively flat Barent Sea we still might observe more whales and sea-birds.
12. day:
We reach the harbout of Murmansk in the morning and shall say Good Bye to the expedition-team. A marvelous journey finds its end. The bus will bring us back to Kirkenes. We check in in the hotel for a last night in Norway.
Overnight in the hotel/breakfast
We reach the harbout of Murmansk in the morning and shall say Good Bye to the expedition-team. A marvelous journey finds its end. The bus will bring us back to Kirkenes. We check in in the hotel for a last night in Norway.
Overnight in the hotel/breakfast
13. day:
Flight back to your port of origin
Flight back to your port of origin
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Notes:
The itinerary above is just a suggestion. The actual ice- and weather-conditions might - for safety reasons - result in a change of the scheduled program.
The icebreaker "Kapitan Dranitsyn" has been built in Helsinki and sails under Russian flag since 1980. The ship has been renovated in Finland and modernized in Germany in 1993. It has been designed for the harshest ice-conditions in the Arctic and been used for expedition-cruises to the most remote regions on earth since 1994. English and German speaking lecturers are onboard.
What is included:
- flights Oslo - Kirkenes - Oslo (Economy Class);
- 2 hotel overnights in Kirkenes with breakfast
- transfer Kirkenes - Murmansk by bus (tur/retur);
- voyage aboard the vessel "Dranitsyn"
- cabin category as booked incl. fullboard;
- all excursions by zodiac or helicopter during the cruise;
- experienced expedition- and lecturer-team;
- English speaking tour-guide on board;
- service charges and harbour-fees during the cruise.
What is not included:
- expenses for visa (Russian visum obligatory);
- food and beverages in Murmansk and Kirkenes;
- baggage-, and voyage-cancellation-insurance (strongly recommended)
- health-insurance, valid in Russia (compulsory);
- Government arrival and departure taxes (if required);
- Excess luggage charges;
- Telecommunication services; laundry, bar and beverage charges aboard;
- Standard tips at the end of the voyage for stewards and other service personal aboard;
- flights Oslo - Kirkenes - Oslo (Economy Class);
- 2 hotel overnights in Kirkenes with breakfast
- transfer Kirkenes - Murmansk by bus (tur/retur);
- voyage aboard the vessel "Dranitsyn"
- cabin category as booked incl. fullboard;
- all excursions by zodiac or helicopter during the cruise;
- experienced expedition- and lecturer-team;
- English speaking tour-guide on board;
- service charges and harbour-fees during the cruise.
What is not included:
- expenses for visa (Russian visum obligatory);
- food and beverages in Murmansk and Kirkenes;
- baggage-, and voyage-cancellation-insurance (strongly recommended)
- health-insurance, valid in Russia (compulsory);
- Government arrival and departure taxes (if required);
- Excess luggage charges;
- Telecommunication services; laundry, bar and beverage charges aboard;
- Standard tips at the end of the voyage for stewards and other service personal aboard;
Dates:
16.07.2011 - 28.07.2011
Prices:
from/to Oslo
(We may well book an additional flight to Oslo from your airport)
- Categories: 10.930,- $US 8.600,- € (triple cabin)
- 13.000,- $US - 10.200,- € (double cabin)
- 15.600,- $US - 12.250,- € (suite)
- 18.050,- $US - 14.200,- € (owner's-suite)
Rates are per person based on double occupancy. You may also book a half double-cabin.
The rate for single occupancy is 1.7 times the shared rate.
FUEL SURCHARGE IS POSSIBLE
16.07.2011 - 28.07.2011
Prices:
from/to Oslo
(We may well book an additional flight to Oslo from your airport)
- Categories: 10.930,- $US 8.600,- € (triple cabin)
- 13.000,- $US - 10.200,- € (double cabin)
- 15.600,- $US - 12.250,- € (suite)
- 18.050,- $US - 14.200,- € (owner's-suite)
Rates are per person based on double occupancy. You may also book a half double-cabin.
The rate for single occupancy is 1.7 times the shared rate.
FUEL SURCHARGE IS POSSIBLE
Further Notes:
This cruise-expedition is being organized by a Russian tour-operator, located in Moscow
Before a booking is accepted, you will have to answer a medical questionnaire about your health status.
- There are special storno-conditions after the booking confirmation: until 61 days before date of departure - 5% of the travel cost,
- from 60 days to the date of departure - 100% of the travel cost.
If you are interested in this journey, kindly
This cruise-expedition is being organized by a Russian tour-operator, located in Moscow
Before a booking is accepted, you will have to answer a medical questionnaire about your health status.
- There are special storno-conditions after the booking confirmation: until 61 days before date of departure - 5% of the travel cost,
- from 60 days to the date of departure - 100% of the travel cost.
If you are interested in this journey, kindly