In April of 2026, I ran my annual ship-based Winter / Spring expedition to the Svalbard archipelago. The expedition ran from the 7th of April to the 15th of April and offered outstanding wildlife and landscape opportunities over the nine days. This was an unseasonably warm winter year with average temperatures hovering around 0º Celsius (plus wind chill), a full 15-20 degrees warmer than they should have been. It was also the year that saw it necessary to steam farther north than ever before to reach the pack ice.
Day One: Departure Day – Once we had all boarded our ship, M.S. Freya, at 16:00 and after consulting the latest ice chart and discussing with the captain, I decided to head south instead of north this year. There were several reasons for this decision, not the least of which was the current bunker fuel price, driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Heading south would mean using less fuel than heading for the northern edge of the pack ice, but also provide an opportunity to visit and explore other regions of the archipelago. With a large amount of close drift ice off the south-east coast of Spitzbergen and very little toward the north, it made more sense to head south. There was also significant fast ice in the Bellsund area that boded well for Polar Bear encounters. Once our mandatory safety briefings were undertaken, we set sail with a course of 180º. For our first evening, we overnighted at the stunning glacier front in Bellsund under soft, overcast light.
Day Two: Bellsund – Around 7am in the morning, before we had even had breakfast, we spotted our first Polar Bear (a large male in excellent condition) walking the snow-covered shoreline and heading for the glacier front directly in front of our anchorage. Grabbing warm clothes and cameras, we photographed the bear as it walked directly in front of the glacier, slowly making its way around the glacier’s face. We also spotted a second, smaller bear (likely a female that the larger male was following) that disappeared into the moraines and was not seen again. This proved to be an outstanding encounter that offered superb opportunities to capture the bear in the grand landscape, with the glacier as a backdrop.
A polar bear in front of a blue glacier is a rare sight, one I’ve seen only a few times in my career as a polar photographer. This encounter proved truly extraordinary, with all participants coming away with stunning images of the bear in front of the glacier. This type of encounter requires the alignment of a great many elements, including a cooperative bear, good snow and ice conditions, soft light, and the right temperatures to avoid heat haze. Fortuitously, the perfect storm unfolded in front of us on just day two of our expedition!
Day Three: Exploration of Bellsund Area – On our third day, we continued our exploration of Bellsund, heading into Van Mijenfjord, where we had our very first encounter with fast ice and Walrus on ice. The walrus on ice also proved to be an exceptional encounter and my first opportunity to use my new polecam system – an upside-down monpod with a cage to mount my iPhone for control of the camera. In the evening, the wind began to reduce, and we turned our attention north for Lili-hook Glacier.
Day Four: Heading North – During the evening of our third day, we steamed out of Bellsund and headed north for the Lilliehook Glacier, arriving shortly after breakfast. We were greeted by soft, overcast light and gentle fog hanging over the glacier’s carved face. After lunch, we continued north up to Smerenberg, where we anchored during dinner to position ourselves to head up to the ice early in the morning. With the new 500m regulations in place, the opportunity to try and find a polar bear outside the 12-mile limit in international waters was a major factor in the decision to head north. The two photographs from Lilihook glacier below are courtesy of guest photographer Bill Hughlett – thank you.
Day Five: Pack Ice – Just after midnight, I had the captain fire up the engines, and we steamed north, hoping to find the edge of the permanent pack ice (which, according to the latest ice chart, should have been around 80º). The further north we steamed, the worse the conditions became, with the swell increasing to roughly 3 metres, making the conditions more than uncomfortable. Crossing 81º North, we had still not encountered pack ice (unheard of this time of the year). At 81.20 degrees North, I made the difficult decision to turn the ship around and head back south. With swells showing no sign of abating and no sign of the pack ice, we retreated south to the northwestern corner of Svalbard, arriving early in the morning before breakfast. We learned later in the day from the coastguard vessel that had been shadowing us but had continued north, that the edge of the ice was already at 82º.6 north, a full 80 nautical miles from our most northerly position and at least another 10 hours steam north! The large storm that preceded our arrival in the north, in combination with the unseasonal warm temperatures, had ripped up and pushed the remaining ice far north – out of our reach on this expedition. For the ice to be already this far north (in excess of 82º) at this time of year is unheard of and does not bode well for the summer pack ice in 2026.
The ice chart below shows the dramatic difference over just three days, as a combination of Arctic Storms, unseasonably warm weather, and the shifting of the polar ice cap ravaged the polar pack ice. In my many years of polar photography, I have never seen the ice this far north at this time of the year.
Day Six: Exploring Woodfjorden – With better weather and calmer waters surrounding us, we explored the Woodfjorden area and surrounding systems by ship and took our first zodiac cruise, encountering a small huddle of walruses and a cooperative bearded seal that provided some wonderful photographic opportunities. In the afternoon, we encountered a mother polar bear and a two-year-old cub high on the mountainside, which we observed as we glided silently along the coastline. Sadly, this bear had been collared by researchers, and although it was wonderful to observe, I felt the photographic opportunities were somewhat limited. Bears that have been collared, otherwise tagged, or otherwise interfered with by researchers are typically extremely shy and virtually impossible to approach even from a distance. Sadly, polar bear research in Svalbard remains invasive, despite there being no real justifiable reasons. Much of the research being conducted has already been done and ultimately is continuing simply so that the Norwegian Polar Institute can maintain its government funding. This night, we anchored in one of the sheltered fjords, positioned for an early-morning steam-up to Moffen Island for a potential winter landing.
Day Seven: Moffen Island – We arrived just before breakfast at Moffen Island in calm seas and mercifully still waters. After breakfast, we went ashore via zodiac to photograph the large haul out of Walrus and the Glaucos gulls that frequently hang around. Winter landings at Moffen are a rare treat, and we spent a couple of hours ashore here photographing the wildlife. In the evening, we visited Fuglafjorden to photograph the spectacular glacier there and enjoy a BBQ on the back deck of our ship.
Day Eight: Steaming South – After our evening BBQ, we began our steaming south for Isafjorden and Borabukta, arriving around noon, where we took a zodiac cruise for ringed seals on the fast ice edge. This was a zodiac cruise I particularly enjoyed, with the combination of beautiful snow-covered fast ice and soft, ethereal arctic light. It was one of those settings that one dreams of photographing a Polar Bear.
Day Nine: Expedition Conclusion – We returned to harbour as contracted around 18:00 in the evening on the last full day of our expedition. Over the course of the nine-day trip, we travelled 832.5 Nautical miles, encountered and photographed six Polar Bears (including a mother with a two-year-old cub), and had numerous encounters with Walruses, seals and other wildlife. Of course, the landscape at this time of the year is stunning with the mountains wearing their winter armour, and we took every opportunity to photograph the scenery throughout our expedition. My sincere thanks, as always, to all who participated and made this expedition a success.
The 2026 expedition reminded me, as it does each year, that Svalbard in winter is a place of paradox: stark yet tender, harsh yet comforting, desolate yet full of life. It is a place where patience is rewarded, where minimalism sings, and where every track in the snow tells a story worth listening to.
As we completed our 832.5 -nautical-mile journey and began the long voyage back to Longyearbyen, I was struck once again by the importance of returning—not just physically, but mentally and spiritually—to places like this. Places where the wild still rules, and where we are reminded, as always, that the greatest gift of the Arctic is its silence—and how it teaches us to listen.
Wild Nature Photo Travel will return again next year, 2027, to lead another winter expedition aboard M.S Freya in search of miraculous wildlife encounters and ice-covered landscapes. This is a rare opportunity to explore one of the Arctic’s most remote and pristine landscapes at the height of its frozen majesty. Designed specifically for keen nature and wildlife photographers, this small-group expedition offers intimate access to Svalbard’s breathtaking winter wilderness, including encounters with walrus, Arctic foxes, and polar bears, all set against a backdrop of towering snow-covered mountains and sculpted sea ice. With 24-hour twilight and the potential for moody, ethereal light, this is a once-a-year chance to capture the Arctic in its most cinematic and atmospheric state. Guided by Wild Nature Photo Travels extensive field experience and deep knowledge of polar conditions, this trip is not just a photographic expedition—it’s an immersion into the raw soul of the Arctic. Spots are extremely limited. Adventure with purpose—photograph with intention.
www.WILDNATUREPHOTOTRAVEL.com 