15 SPOT POLAR BEARS ON A MICRO-CRUISE TO NORTHERLY SVALBARD

At 78 degrees north of the Arctic Circle, Svalbard is home to more polar bears than people. The North Pole is just 650 miles away across the pack ice, and you can feel it in your bones and see it in the brutal angles of the mountains, the ethereal blues and pinks of the sky, the glaciers and the icebergs and the undying light of summer.

From May to August, conservation-focused Secret Atlas runs 15-day, leave-no-trace expedition cruises that circumnavigate Spitsbergen. Crossing icy waters on vessels carrying just 12 passengers, you’ll get thrillingly close to Arctic wildlife — the bears, yes, but also whales, bearded seals, walruses, Arctic foxes, reindeer and a plethora of birdlife. secretatlastravel.com