Discover the Arctic on Travellers’ Tales Polar Expedition

Why now is the time to look North for your next adventure...

"I sensed here the outlines of the oldest mysteries: the nature and extent of space, the fall of light from the heavens, the pooling of time in the present, as if it were water.”

Barry Lopez described his experience thus in the classic travelogue Arctic Dreams.

There is truly nowhere on Earth like it that has captured imagination since time began. It offers an otherworldly escape, a chance to glimpse rare wildlife and experience the heart of expedition from a bygone era. Yet the Arctic is changing fast, and we cannot take it for granted.

In 2027 Travellers’ Tales is chartering its own expedition ship to the Arctic Circle: see it for yourself, while the magic lasts.

Why the Arctic?

The Arctic should be top of everyone’s travel list. It offers exquisite landscapes from snowy plains to fjords and towering glaciers.

The Arctic is teeming with life, if you only know where to look. Arctic hares and foxes dart across the snow. Walruses and whales emerge from the water’s surface. Puffins and snowy owls glide through the skies. Perhaps most magical of all, polar bears roam on the horizon. Thousands of species, and most you can only see here, at the end of the Earth.

Why travel with Travellers’ Tales?

Travellers’ Tales is an expedition travel company that specialises in curated, thoughtful journeys. Our team of experts can tailor-make your next adventure. That could include arranging spectacular excursions on or off board; or adding on a tour around Norway for when it’s just too soon to come home.

 Our sailing in July 2027 is chartered exclusively for Travellers’ Tales. A 12-passenger ship - the R/V Kinfish - is primed to discover the most secluded fjords, cause minimal disturbance, and get closer than ever to wildlife. Despite its small size it features stabilisers for an unusually smooth journey. It has multiple communal areas, 360-degree viewing decks, and spacious suites: no compromising on privacy or comfort.

It also means travelling in a community of like-minded individuals: explorers, dreamers and readers. It means plenty of time one-on-one with leading wildlife conservationists and photographers. It means greater freedom on the exact route to take, excursions to choose, and where to spend your free time on board.

Our Inspiration

Being Travellers’ Tales, we will curate a unique reading programme to accompany those cosy evenings onboard. The full reading list will be exclusively available to our expedition passengers.

The most recent book included is Neil Shea’s Frostlines. This travelogue spans years of travel across the Canadian, Alaskan and Norwegian Arctic, from a premier National Geographic journalist. It accounts his journeys with Indigenous communities exploring the lives and landscapes of the changing Arctic.

Neil describes "Not too long ago, there were half a million Bathurst caribou, and … you could sit still and watch them stream past in a grand procession that might take days, or weeks." Now even with expert hunters, satellites and tracking devices, it is a grand undertaking for him to spot any at all. The herd he is seeking is 98% gone.

 It is a stark reminder that with each year passing this land, and all the lives upon it, are melting away. All the more reason to see it now. Your Travellers’ Tales booking includes a donation to the Polar Bear Foundation.

Let us whisk you away to discover the Arctic, support its inhabitants, and inspire change.

The Ultimate Svalbard Safari will sail from 7-17th July 2027. Costs start from £12,750 per person, based on shared occupancy. The programme includes one pre-expedition night in Longyearbyen, nine nights aboard R/V Kinfish, all meals on board, guided excursions, onboard lectures and transfers. All photos displayed were taken on board.

To begin planning, book an online consultation at travellerstaleslondon.co.uk, call 0203 931 5500 or visit our bookshop for an in-person discussion.