Meltwater rivers plunge down the steep ice cliffs of the Austfonna and Bråsvellbreen glaciers on Svalbard’s second-largest island of Nordaustlandet. A narrow passage between Nordaustlandet and Spitsbergen islands, the Hinlopen Strait is often ice clogged but also provides fine wildlife-spotting, especially along the steep cliffs of Alkefjellet where black-and-white Brünnich’s guillemots roost. Have your binoculars out and scan the ice floes for walruses, ringed and harp seals and polar bears.
