Take an expedition out to an abandoned Soviet settlement and step back into the 1960s. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and start with a safety briefing and to get you kitted up. Then take a short drive to the harbor where you’ll board the Polarcirkel speedboat. Once everyone is ready, the guide/captain will manoeuvre out of the harbor, and then increase the pace to ensure an exhilarating ride into the Isfjord. The goal? The abandoned Soviet settlement, Grumant, which lies in a crevasse-like valley between the towering cliffs. Your guide will make stops to share stories from interesting sites and to allow viewing of the local wildlife before making a longer stop near Grumant. Here they will discuss the history of the region, and particularly the mines and their hard-working employees, who were challenged by wind and waves as they struggled to bring the black gold out of the mountains. From here, a course will be set towards Hiorthhamn, on the north bank of the Adventfjord, where another abandoned settlement can be seen. The town here boasted a barracks, blacksmith, stores, kitchen, sawmill, hospital and offices in addition to the mining installations. With a little imagination you can see the bustling settlement from the remnants that remain. The guide will then turn the boat back towards Longyearbyen, and as you return to civilization, you'll realize that you have a new appreciation for those who first settled this region, and the comforts that can be found here today. After a quick stop at the expedition centre to leave your equipment, the guide will drive you back to the hotel, filled with memories and stories from your adventure.