With a busy September past, we have found time to launch a small selection of the very best cruises in the Arctic around Spitsbergen and Greenland for the summer of 2010. These are initmate trips with terrific guiding that are sensitive to the environment yet provide you with incredible wilderness experiences and wildlife encounters with a small group of like-minded enthusiasts. There is a choice of 3 ice-strengthened ships carrying between 12 and 50 passengers although only the larger vessel explores the remote northeast Greenland coast. Further details will be added shortly but do contact us if you are interested in discovering the Arctic on an expedition cruise next year.

Shortly we hope to launch Arctic safari holidays for general wildlife enthusiasts. However, professional wildlife phototgrapher, Andy Rouse, has just completed the first of 3 trips this summer with Wildlife & Wilderness leading small groups in search of polar bears and other Arctic wildlife around Spitsbergen and the Svalbard archipelago in the high Arctic. On board a small ice-strengthened vessel that can reach locations no other ship can get to ensured the group got some spectacular wildlife encounters both with polar bears, walrus and other wildlife. None of more usual larger ships offer this type of initmate experience but unfortunately all of Andy’s trips for this summer are fully booked, not suprising given that these are probably the best Arctic safari holidays you can find. Some of his initial stunning images can be seen at www.andyrouse.co.uk/blog.

The Arctic ice cap is starting to grow again now after a season which did not quite shrink to the size of last year. In Svalbard it was certainly an “ice” year with continuous north winds ensuring that the pack ice did not let go of its grip on the islands. This meant for incredible images and bodes well for next year when this ice will act as a base for the new ice. In the meantime the Polar nights are encroaching and with so much talk recently about the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, it is worth considering Spitsbergen as a destination. Here in Longyearbyen from October onwards the northern lights can be seen day or night so long as there is clear weather and auroral activity. With snowmobiling and dog sledding opportunities underneath this spellbinding phenomenon it makes sense to consider a short break to see the northern lights from one of the world’s most northernmost communities. We are currently preparing a programme for northern lights holidays in Spitsbergen, please ask for further details.

Just a short message that comes to you from the northernmost town in the world, Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. We flew in over stunning glaciers and nunataks yesterday and tomorrow we set off on the small vessel we are using next year with Andy Rouse’s wildlife photography tours. Having just chatted with a couple of guides we are in an excited mood before searching for the elusive white bear. An estimated 3000 polar bears inhabit the region so on this week long marine safari our chances should be good. I’ll update you as soon as we return to civilisation from this Arctic safari.

Steve