Expedition Micro Cruises to the poles and beyond.
By explorers, for explorers.
At Secret Atlas, we explore the polar regions as they deserve. It’s what makes us different.
We knew if we were to create expeditions that were different from everyone else’s, we needed an expert team behind us - seasoned professionals who share our ethos.
Our guiding team has over a century of combined experience exploring the wildest ends of the Earth. They know the best way to do this is on genuinely small-group expeditions.
Because smaller means more freedom.
Exploring in micro groups opens up your perspective in ways you may not expect.
Sure, films and photos can show you the beauty of the polar regions. And there are plenty of ways to see those breathtaking scenes in person.
But, do you want to tick it off your list or do you want to really connect to it?
Read our story of how Secret Atlas started…
"There’s always been a part of me that craves to go where few have ventured. Inspired by the heroic explorers of the past, I want to share real expeditions with our guests. Adventures that satisfy our craving to discover a world far bigger than the one we encounter daily - and explore it with appreciation and time."
— Michele D’Agostino, Secret Atlas co-founder
Meet the team
Environmental conservationists, world-class marine biologists, geographical specialists, award-winning photographers, seasoned sailors, and modern-day explorers make up our team.
Drawing from years of first-hand experience, whether on deck or behind the scenes, we’re here to bring the magic of the polar regions to life for you.
Expedition Micro Cruises
Not just small. Micro.
The lands we explore at Secret Atlas are unfathomably vast and unpredictable. The wildlife we meet leaves a giant impression on us. You can’t compete with the natural world on this scale.
So we don’t try.
That’s why we’re pioneers of the Expedition Micro Cruise, offering the smallest group sizes at both poles.
As featured in
"The new luxury travel trailblazers"
"When it's time to cruise again, think small"
"The slow travel trend is here to stay"
Redefining luxury
Luxury to us is reaching untouched places, savouring more time in each destination, and exploring where few have ever set foot. If that resonates with you – welcome. You’ve found your place with us.
We understand that, out here, less is more. Less waiting to board Zodiacs, more time ashore. Less strict itineraries, more adventure. Less crowd, more immersion.
We don’t aspire to be a massive corporation. Instead, we measure our growth by the quality of our expeditions and how you – our guests – feel when arriving home.
Our goal is to stand out in the cruise industry by charting a different course – one with purpose, that establishes a more responsible connection with the world. Because we are explorers and we care about these locations.
As featured in
Following the footsteps of giants…
Scott. Shackleton. Amundsen. Mawson. Bancroft.
When we explore the polar regions, we follow in the footsteps of giants. Their spirit of adventure guides Us.
So we’re adaptable. Our itineraries evolve to maximise the opportunities presented by the ice, wildlife and weather.
We’re agile. Our micro cruises go places larger vessels can only dream about.
We’re intrepid. Yes, our ships offer home comforts, but the main luxuries we offer are the freedom and time to explore.
We’re conscious. We lead the way in responsible travel wherever we set sail.
We’re transformational. We set the course for journeys of self-discovery, encouraging guests to connect with each other, nature, and themselves.
"We’re set on keeping the wilderness wild!"
— Mariano Curiel, Secret Atlas owner
..leaving small footprints
When you explore the polar regions, you gain a newfound respect for them - and feel an overwhelming urge to protect them.
Explore. Respect. Protect. It’s in our DNA.
To help with our impact goals, rather than just talking about change, we seek out partnerships that make a real difference.
Above all else, transparency is important to us. We’ll tell you what we’re doing to lower our impact - and where we can do better.
Featured expeditions
All our Expedition Micro Cruises are aligned with nature, itinerary-free, and take small groups into the wildest places on Earth.
Expedition Micro Cruises
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Landscape photographers adore Svalbard in the early season, when puzzle-piece sea ice and snow-enrobed shorelines glow under pastel sunrises and sunsets.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Follow photographer Virgil Reglioni into the bewitching pastel light and frozen fairytale landscape of the Arctic spring.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Lana Tannir
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join photographer Lana Tannir on an early-season adventure to Svalbard, when the frozen Arctic scenery shimmers under the studio-soft spring light.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Head north with world-renowned photographer and tutor Randy Hanna, capturing the frozen Arctic landscape of Svalbard in the spring.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, shooting Svalbard blanketed in snow and puzzle-piece sea ice.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Amos Nachoum
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join world-renowned nature photographer Amos Nachoum in the High Arctic, scoping out unforgettable wildlife encounters on the ice-edge of Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
A compact adventure for landscape photographers, our shortened early-season tour gets you shooting the best of springtime Svalbard in fewer days.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite with Piet van den Bemd
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join pro photographer Piet van den Bemd on a special compact adventure to shoot Svalbard in the springtime.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Spring Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
A frozen fairytale of iceberg-strewn fjords, snowy peaks, and puzzle-piece sea ice – as animals take their first steps following winter.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Micro Cruise Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Our compact early-season adventure packs in all the highlights of Svalbard in just a short space of time – with no fear of missing out.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Summer Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set sail in summer, when Svalbard blooms with life, the best time to spot wildlife in Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Micro Cruise Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Witness Svalbard alive with wildlife on this specially curated Expedition Micro Cruise, exploring the archipelago's summer highlights in a shorter time.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Summer Solstice Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Our longest photo tour sails when the midnight sun is at its zenith, providing 24-hour photo opportunities in the company of your pro photographer guide.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north to photograph Svalbard as summer sweeps across the archipelago and the Arctic bursts into life.
- — guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Paul Goldstein is a nature-photography heavyweight, a go-hard, all-hours maestro – and the perfect guide to take your wildlife photography up a gear (or 10) in Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Explore summertime Svalbard with nature photographer Randy Hanna, capturing intimate shots of wildlife in their stunning Arctic habitat.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Circumnavigation Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
The big one. As the sea opens up under the midnight sun, take the unique opportunity to circumnavigate Svalbard, Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Wildlife and landscape photographers rush to catch Svalbard at this unique part of the year, when languorous sunrises and sunsets paint the scenery in autumnal colours and far-flung destinations like Austfonna are still within reach.
- 12 guests
- 11 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Piet van den Bemd
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join all-action photographer Piet van den Bemd on this late-season adventure to Svalbard, where the goal is to reach Austfonna ice cap and photograph meltwater waterfalls cascading down its face.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set off on a late-season adventure, when sunsets and sunrises cast spellbinding colours the archipelago, and capture the meltwater waterfalls of the Austfonna ice cap with top polar photographer Virgil Reglioni.
- 12 guests
- — days
Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise
76°50'N, 29°99'W
The ultimate Greenland experience – a unique two-week adventure into Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park, and Scoresbysund, the longest fjord system on Earth.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Scoresbysund Autumn Micro Cruise
70°50’N, 25°00’W
An autumn micro cruise to Scoresbysund, East Greenland. For landscape lovers and aurora chasers – the ultimate expedition of Earth and sky.
- 12 guests
- — days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Capture the heavens bursting with light above the monumental icebergs and high-drama landscape of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
70°50’N, 25°00’W
With 0% light pollution and insane iceberg sculptures, paired with the world’s finest aurora borealis photographer, you’re in for a treat.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Head out into wild and remote East Greenland with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, capturing the aurora borealis blossoming above the fjords of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- — days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Photograph the northern lights illuminating the skies above Scoresbysund with nature photography legend Randy Hanna.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Photography expeditions
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Landscape photographers adore Svalbard in the early season, when puzzle-piece sea ice and snow-enrobed shorelines glow under pastel sunrises and sunsets.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Follow photographer Virgil Reglioni into the bewitching pastel light and frozen fairytale landscape of the Arctic spring.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Lana Tannir
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join photographer Lana Tannir on an early-season adventure to Svalbard, when the frozen Arctic scenery shimmers under the studio-soft spring light.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Head north with world-renowned photographer and tutor Randy Hanna, capturing the frozen Arctic landscape of Svalbard in the spring.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, shooting Svalbard blanketed in snow and puzzle-piece sea ice.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Amos Nachoum
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join world-renowned nature photographer Amos Nachoum in the High Arctic, scoping out unforgettable wildlife encounters on the ice-edge of Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
A compact adventure for landscape photographers, our shortened early-season tour gets you shooting the best of springtime Svalbard in fewer days.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite with Piet van den Bemd
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join pro photographer Piet van den Bemd on a special compact adventure to shoot Svalbard in the springtime.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Spring Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
A frozen fairytale of iceberg-strewn fjords, snowy peaks, and puzzle-piece sea ice – as animals take their first steps following winter.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Micro Cruise Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Our compact early-season adventure packs in all the highlights of Svalbard in just a short space of time – with no fear of missing out.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Summer Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set sail in summer, when Svalbard blooms with life, the best time to spot wildlife in Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Micro Cruise Lite
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Witness Svalbard alive with wildlife on this specially curated Expedition Micro Cruise, exploring the archipelago's summer highlights in a shorter time.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Summer Solstice Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Our longest photo tour sails when the midnight sun is at its zenith, providing 24-hour photo opportunities in the company of your pro photographer guide.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north to photograph Svalbard as summer sweeps across the archipelago and the Arctic bursts into life.
- — guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Paul Goldstein is a nature-photography heavyweight, a go-hard, all-hours maestro – and the perfect guide to take your wildlife photography up a gear (or 10) in Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Explore summertime Svalbard with nature photographer Randy Hanna, capturing intimate shots of wildlife in their stunning Arctic habitat.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Circumnavigation Micro Cruise
78°22’N, 15°65’E
The big one. As the sea opens up under the midnight sun, take the unique opportunity to circumnavigate Svalbard, Europe’s last great wilderness.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Wildlife and landscape photographers rush to catch Svalbard at this unique part of the year, when languorous sunrises and sunsets paint the scenery in autumnal colours and far-flung destinations like Austfonna are still within reach.
- 12 guests
- 11 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Piet van den Bemd
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join all-action photographer Piet van den Bemd on this late-season adventure to Svalbard, where the goal is to reach Austfonna ice cap and photograph meltwater waterfalls cascading down its face.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set off on a late-season adventure, when sunsets and sunrises cast spellbinding colours the archipelago, and capture the meltwater waterfalls of the Austfonna ice cap with top polar photographer Virgil Reglioni.
- 12 guests
- — days
Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise
76°50'N, 29°99'W
The ultimate Greenland experience – a unique two-week adventure into Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park, and Scoresbysund, the longest fjord system on Earth.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Scoresbysund Autumn Micro Cruise
70°50’N, 25°00’W
An autumn micro cruise to Scoresbysund, East Greenland. For landscape lovers and aurora chasers – the ultimate expedition of Earth and sky.
- 12 guests
- — days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Capture the heavens bursting with light above the monumental icebergs and high-drama landscape of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
70°50’N, 25°00’W
With 0% light pollution and insane iceberg sculptures, paired with the world’s finest aurora borealis photographer, you’re in for a treat.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Head out into wild and remote East Greenland with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, capturing the aurora borealis blossoming above the fjords of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- — days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Photograph the northern lights illuminating the skies above Scoresbysund with nature photography legend Randy Hanna.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Looking to explore the world with friends, family, or colleagues?
Plan a private charter with us.
