Yachting
Spitzbergen
High Arctic · Summer
Eighty degrees north, where the anchorages have glacier fronts at the end of them and the guide carries a rifle.
Spitzbergen is the closest most people will get to Arctic wilderness while sleeping in a proper cabin. Glacier walls calve into the fjords with a noise you feel through the hull, walrus haul out on the gravel spits, and polar bears are found by patient searching along the ice edge rather than at any fixed point.
It is also the most regulated destination in this catalogue. An ice-capable vessel, licensed guides and permits are required, numbers ashore are limited, and routes are approved in advance. Plan it a long way out; there are only so many suitable boats and only a few weeks of season.
Best time to go
June – August
The ice opens up through the summer: June still holds fast ice in the north, while late July and August allow the furthest routes. Daylight is continuous throughout.
The experience
The far end of the map.
Glacier fronts
Hold position off a calving wall of ice and listen to it work.
The ice edge
Search the floe edge with expert guides, which is where the bears are found.
Zodiac landings
Ashore under continuous daylight, with strict limits on numbers and distance.
Walrus haul-outs
Gravel spits where they gather in numbers, watched from a respectful distance.
Your time on the water
Baya Azur arranges the cruising plan around your pace, guests and priorities. We check suitable yacht and crew options, review the route and keep the practical details moving.
The yacht
Chosen around you,
not the other way round.
Once we understand your destination, dates, group and expectations, Baya Azur finds suitable crewed yacht options and checks how each one fits your plans.
The yacht and charter services are supplied under the independent provider's terms and responsibility. Baya Azur manages the request and follows up on the details.
Create your yachting experience
Tell us how you would like to experience Spitzbergen.
A few lines are enough. Nothing below is mandatory. We will come back to you personally.
Yacht charters are generally offered on a minimum one-week basis, depending on the yacht, destination and period.