Ny Ålesund Arctic Expedition Cruise
The World’s northernmost year-round community and a site of cultural importance
Information about Ny Alesund
The World’s northernmost year-round community and a site of cultural importance with layers of history. Originally it was a remote coal mining town, known as Kings Bay, until a serious accident in 1962.
The location meant King’s Bay was the starting point of various historical attempts to reach the North Pole, and the mast for Nobile’s airships can still be seen. Today it is a centre for international Arctic research, with traditional houses of when it was King’s Bay alongside modern bases for various countries. It is great to walk around the town and tourism also plays a role and ships can come alongside at the dock (one of the few docks apart from Longyearbyen and Barentsburg in Svalbard). There are shops, a museum, and the most northerly post office in the World. It is also great for birds, including Barnacle Geese (perhaps the most well studied wild geese in the World), Red-throated Loons on the lake, and the chance of an Ivory Gull by the dog kennels.
Interesting facts about Ny Alesund
The bay near the mast is a good location to see Harbor Seal, that are at the north end of their range in Svalbard.
The lagoon and surrounding wetland can be a good place to see a range shorebirds, including species like Ringed Plover that breed in smaller numbers around Svalbard.
Pictures of Ny Alesund
Possible Activities in Ny Alesund
Wildlife observation