Nansen Polar Expeditions Bridges the Gap Between Luxury and Adventure

Launched this month, Nansen Polar Expeditions is an expedition yacht charter company which fills the gap between adventure expedition tours, luxury yacht charters and wildlife conservation.  

Its website name and motto ‘We Follow Heroes’ was inspired by Norwegian explorer and scientist Fridtjof Nansen, highlighting a strong synergy with the origin of the Scandinavian company.  

The founders have expert knowledge of remote regions, with over 30 years of operational experience demonstrating a valuable testimony to their backgrounds in expedition guiding, wildlife photography, biology, engineering and operations.

Skilled in delivering high-end hospitality and managing logistics to exotic locations, the Nansen Polar Expeditions team excels at coordinating private luxury cruises and have been expert advisors for filming in remote polar regions for world-class productions including Frozen Planet 2, Blue Planet 2 and The Penguin King.

Exceptional encounters with comfort in mind

Nansen Polar Expeditions operates a rugged yet luxurious vessel, MS Villa, that is the perfect blend of a working vessel and expedition platform.  The boat is an ice-strengthened ship (ice class B) with modern navigational equipment, ample dry deck space for protection of production gear and spacious guest accommodation on board.

The first expedition is scheduled to depart in August 2020 from Svalbard in Norway. Due to its proven expertise, the company is gearing up for global demand from film, science and ocean research trips with discussions about upcoming projects already underway.

Co-founder and expedition leader Martin Enckell says: “What sets Nansen apart is the yacht benefits and functionality, as well as our highly-skilled team. We’re  honored to have Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesen as the ship’s Godmother and have named one of MS Villa’s cabins 'ARNESEN', which fits right in with 'NANSEN', 'AMUNDSEN' and the rest of our heroes we named the guest accommodations after. At the inaugural opening ceremony we were proud to welcome Nicolai Nansen, who is the great-grandchild of Fridtjof Nansen, who was present to cut the ribbon to mark this special occasion.”

Regardless of the latitude and longitude, the appeal to travel and document off-the-beaten track destinations is growing. One of the objectives is to highlight awareness and respect for the oceans and environment they visit, by providing a way for charter clients to be able to give back to wildlife and conservation initiatives that have a positive impact.  

Nansen Polar Expeditions offers a unique approach that stretches the possibilities of adventure cruising beyond sheer imagination. It is set to become an industry leader for customised small-group charters that bridge a gap between luxury and adventure. 

Watch an interview with Martin Enckell on Yachting International Radio:

About Nansen Polar Expeditions: 

Nansen Polar Expeditions (NPE) is a Norwegian, Smøla-based company that is built on decades of solid Norwegian polar traditions. Brought to life with vast expedition history and a passion for the outdoors, the company is committed to providing safe, high-quality expeditions offering unparalleled service and exceptional wildlife encounters.  NPE shall be the preferred international provider of exclusive polar expeditions, with a maximum number of 12 passengers per trip.