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Expedition cruises to the Arctic (the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, plus the Canadian Arctic and the Russian Far East) operate in the brief Arctic summer from the end of May to the beginning of September. This is when the sea ice has receded enough to allow the smaller expedition vessels that we recommend to navigate close to the shorelines and ice floes where polar bears are often found hunting.

In the high summer of late June and July, the sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours a day and seabirds are in abundance. This is also the warmest time to travel with temperatures sometimes reaching double figures. You will have a good chance of seeing a polar bear or two at whatever time you travel, and whales can also be spotted throughout the season.