AllWays Traveller Features
The Arctic : Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land in the High Arctic is relatively unknown as access by ship is possible only a few weeks each summer.
Poseidon Expeditions is the only company offering dedicated cruises from Longyearbyen, Svalbard to this archipelago of 191 uninhabited, volcanic, mostly glaciated islands that since 2012 are part of the Russian Arctic National Park.
The seal industry drove the first explorers here in the mid-1800s. They were followed by others searching for the North Pole.
Images : www.poseidonexpeditions.com
A limited number of travellers can now explore these islands aboard two different Poseidon vessels, the Sea Spirit and the 50 Years of Victory.
Depending on seasonal sea ice conditions, scheduled visits in Franz Josef Land may include Alexandra Land, Northbrook Island, Hooker Island, Rudolf Island, Champ Island and other historic or wildlife-significant areas of the uninhabited polar archipelago.
These islands have more than 140 days of midnight sun each summer, leaving plenty of hours in the day for passengers to experience the scenery and wildlife while ashore or from the deck.
While winds here are too intense for most shrubs and all trees to root, the Arctic poppy and assorted mosses thrive, along with polar bear and birdlife.
Because of a rich biodiversity, the region is a marine mammal sanctuary with walrus, varieties of seals and whales commonly found here.
About Poseidon Expeditions
With offices in the US, UK, Germany, Russia and China, Poseidon Expeditions is a leading provider of polar expeditions in the cruise industry.
The company offers guests the unique opportunity to travel to the geographic North Pole aboard the 50 Years of Victory, the largest and most modern nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world.
Fourteen-day, top-of-the-World programs are scheduled for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 summer seasons.
Poseidon also offers Arctic and Antarctic expedition cruising aboard the 114-passenger luxury expedition ship Sea Spirit.
It is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), and supports the efforts of Polar Bears International and the World Wildlife Fund.
The facts
Enter your text here ...
Useful links
Location (Map)
About the author
Contact info
ISSN 2634-7032
London, United Kingdom
+44 0 7764 198 286