The scenery is gob-smacking; at times almost unreal, like some CGI fantasy backdrop. Glacial ice covers more than 60% of the land, with the rest comprising bare rock or wild tundra – the latter studded in summer with Arctic flowers such as purple saxifrage and Svalbard poppy. The coastline is all rugged fjords and looming cliffs, while mountains inland tower to over 1,700m and vast glaciers reach the sea as sheer walls of ice – some more than 7km across. In winter, the whole archipelago is enclosed by sea ice, which breaks up through the spring and summer, leaving a floating white rubble of pancake, drift ice and floating bergs calved from glaciers.

This sea-ice ensures that no cruise is ever certain of its itinerary. Conditions will dictate exactly how far you can travel, which fjords or glaciers you can visit, where you can land, and whether, come late summer, you might even be able to circumnavigate the whole of Spitzbergen. But whatever your route and the duration of your cruise – which will invariably start from Longyearbyen – you are guaranteed a lot of ice, and an abundance of wildlife.

The icon of Arctic wildlife is, of course, the polar bear. Most cruises offer an excellent chance of sightings – often several. The further north you go, the better the odds, but your expedition team will know the best areas and bears are often seen out on the sea ice, far from land. Other sea mammals range from ringed seal and walrus to beluga and blue whale. And birdwatchers daren’t put down their binoculars: these are among the world’s richest waters for seabirds, with teeming colonies of guillemots, kittiwakes and little auks, plus local specials such as ivory gull. Shore excursions open up other wildlife possibilities, from barnacle geese and snow buntings to Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeer. This is bear country, mind you, so all walks come with an armed guide and any onshore sighting – though very rare – will trigger a return to the zodiac. Expect to find yourself looking over your shoulder.

Svalbard – formerly known as Spitzbergen – also has an interesting human history. A base for whalers as far back as the 17th Century, with the Dutch whaling station of Smeerenburg established in 1619, it was largely abandoned until the advent of coal mining on the islands in the early 20th century. By 1925, the archipelago was part of the Norwegian kingdom, but there has also long been a Russian presence, notably in the mining community at Barentsberg. Ny-Alesund to the northwest is now an international Arctic research station. No road connects these settlements which, in the perpetual frozen darkness of winter remain as isolated as almost any on earth.

Longyearbyen is an interesting place. Home to some 2,100 residents, drawn from over 50 different nations, it boasts a university, church, library and several museums. A longer stay here offers plenty to see and do, including organising adventure activities in the interior. But polar bear warning signs at the edge of town remind you that nature is never far away – as do the Arctic terns, which nest on almost every scrap of ground and will subject you to a screeching aerial bombardment should you wander too close.

Whales and dolphins

Several cetacean species migrate north from their wintering quarters around the equator to spend summer feeding in Svalbard’s nutrient-laden waters. Of these, the humpback and fin whale are often encountered, as is the smaller and more solitary minke whale, while the rare blue whale – the biggest animal of all – is an increasingly regular sighting, notably in the Hinlopen Strait between Spitzbergen and Nordaustlandet. A few other species spend the whole year in Arctic waters. Best known is the distinctive, creamy-yellow beluga, which is specially adapted for feeding in and around the pack ice, and often appears in the narrow ice-free channels, called leads. If you’re very lucky you may also see one of two more elusive Arctic specials, the huge bowhead whale or the tusked narwal. Other species regularly encountered include roaming pods of orcas and white-beaked dolphins.

Seals and sealions

Six seal species are recorded in Svalbard. The largest is the walrus – once hunted close to extinction but now flourishing with a population of around 4,000. These huge, tusked pinnipeds gather at traditional haul-out sites; with luck, your cruise will visit at least one. The bearded seal is another large species, named for its distinctive whiskers, and usually seen alone resting on the sea ice. Also tied to the sea ice is the much smaller and more numerous ringed seal, a critical prey species for the polar bear. You might also encounter harbour seals, here at the very north of their range, and possibly a harp seal or hooded seal.

Seabirds

The Arctic may not have any penguins but Svalbard makes up for this with some of the world’s largest seabird colonies crowding its sea cliffs and boulder fields. Among them are several auk species, including the Brunnich’s guillemot, black guillemot, Atlantic puffin and diminutive little auk – the last of these commuting to and from its nests in whirring flocks thousands strong. Gulls include huge colonies of black-legged kittiwakes, menacing glaucous gulls and the dainty, all-white ivory gull, most often seen scavenging at polar bear kills. Predatory skuas, including the Arctic skua and elegant long-tailed skua, harrass other seabirds for their catches, while Arctic terns, which migrate here all the way from the Antarctic, nest on the ground in noisy colonies – even in the centre of Longyearbyen. Fulmars sweep the waves in stiff-winged flight along the coast and far out to sea.

Other birds

Svalbard’s boggy tundra is home to many breeding species familiar to birdwatchers further south in Europe only as winter visitors. These include wildfowl such as brent, barnacle and pink-footed geese, and waders such as purple sandpiper, grey phalarope, ruddy turnstone and sanderling. Eider and long-tailed duck breed on scattered islets around the west coast, while inland you may find red-throated diver on small lakes and rock ptarmigan among the boulder fields. The archipelago has only two songbirds: the snow bunting – the world’s most northerly passerine – is a black-and-white bird with a tinkling song, often seen near buildings; the northern wheatear, with its signature white rump, migrates here from Africa.

Footwear

• Walking boots (or sturdy walking shoes): most cruise operators will provide muck boots, but proper walking footwear is better for longer hikes. In late summer, you may need waterproof boots for crossing meltwater streams.
• Trainers/casual shoes to wear onboard.

Other gear

• Binoculars: essential if you’re serious about wildlife, especially when scanning at sea
• Sunscreen and sunglasses