Walruses

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Hurtigruten Svalbard launch a new open boat trip: Walrus and Glacier front

“This trip will take us from Longyearbyen to out to the glacier, Borebreen”, “dress nice and warm”, “ you fasten your life jacket like this” - Our enthusiastic guide provides an full briefing before we head to the open boat on our Isfjord safari. Safety is important, and the guide makes sure that everyone is ready for our adventure. This tour will be available during the summer of 2021.

Tours in 2022

This tour is only available during the summer of 2021. As of 2022, we offer walrus safari with our brand-new closed hybrid boat «Kvitbjørn». Check out the tour here.

Beautiful wildlife and landscape

On this trip we will head to a stunning glacier area near the mouth of the Isfjord. On clear days we will be able to see the glacier the whole way from Longyearbyen.

“On the way”, the guide says, “we will make a stop to look for walruses”. These mammoth, yet majestic animals have been spotted in the bay in recent years, and if we are lucky, we will see them resting in clusters on the beach, or swimming peacefully in the fjord.

Today is such a day. Suddenly the guide stops and shouts out as he points: “Look, there! There they are!”. After a quick scan over the surface, we spot them. Water is dripping from their large tusks, and their red eyes stare back at us. There are a whole group of them, and they are curious.

After a short stop, we maneuver the boat away from a couple of nosy creatures who swim towards us, and head to the beach where a group of walruses relax. They lie close together, with the young in the middle. This is in part social behavior, but also a protection mechanism against the threat of polar bears. These skilled swimmers lose their agility when on land, but together in tusked clusters they make a difficult target for predators.

Lunch with a view

We leave the ungainly animals to their rest and make a landing on a nearby beach. While enjoying lunch and the magnificent scenery, the guide tells us about the wildlife of Svalbard. In front of us towers a wall of ice, and on this day, the calm seas reflect the glacier. After lunch, the captain takes us closer to the glacier front. He tells us to keep an eye out for calving, as these events can be massive and contribute to large movements in the sea, which is why we keep in a safe distance. The ice looks like white marble ahead, and in the water, we spot small icebergs floating on the surface, almost like diamonds.

After an amazing trip, we set a course back towards Longyearbyen. The trip across the fjord takes about an hour and is just long enough to relax and take in the wonderful experience.

Want to see more? Watch movie from the trip here

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