HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore Northeast Greenland, the world’s largest national park with polar bears, muskoxen, reindeer, seals and walruses
- Sail through Greenland’s breathtaking ice-filled fjords to remote indigenous settlements
- Step foot onto the soil of the rarely visited, most northerly volcanic island of Jan Mayen Island
- Sail past Spitsbergen’s most beautiful glacier, Monacobreen, as it calves icebergs
- Spy on hundreds of polar bears as they roam their natural habitat
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
Jun 23, 2023 | Jul 06, 2023 | 0 |
|
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
Jun 23, 2023 | Jul 06, 2023 | 0 |
|
ITINERARY
DAY 1
REYKJAVIK
In the centre of Iceland’s sprawling capital city, the modern
organ-pipe-shaped Hallgrimskirkja church dominates the top of town.
Cosy bars, cafes and shops line the surrounding streets heated by
Iceland's geothermal waters. The regenerated harbour is home to a
striking modern concert hall. Popular trips include to the Blue Lagoon,
a geothermal spa near the village of Grindavik, and the Golden Circle
tour taking in Gullfoss Waterfall and the mighty Strokkur geyser in
Thingvellir National Park.
DAY 2
ISAFJORDUR
Surrounded by fjords in the Westfjords region,
Ísafjördur is a bustling fishing town in northwest
Iceland with colourful wooden 18th- and 19th-century houses in the old
town of Neskaupstadur. Ísafjördur was one of the
largest fisheries in Iceland, but tourism has now taken over. Nearby is
Sudavik, home to the Arctic Fox Centre. Iceland’s only
mammal, the arctic fox lives on the lush tundra of Hornstrandir Nature
Reserve - the northernmost peninsula in the Westfjords with two of
Europe’s largest bird cliffs.
DAY 2
VIGUR ISLAND
Island of Vigur is a real pearl of the Western Fjords. The
second-largest island in the fjord, measuring two kilometres by 400
metres, it’s a significant seabird colony, which is home to
arctic terns, puffins, black guillemots and eider ducks. As one of only
two inhabited islands in the fjord, Vigur is also the site of a single
farm, which has been in the same family for generations. During your
time on the island, you might see Iceland’s only windmill,
the country’s smallest post office and oldest boat, which was
built more than 200 years ago and in regular use until relatively
recently.
DAY 3
GRIMSEY ISLAND
Grímsey is a remote island located 40km off
Iceland’s north coast. Many people travel here for the
purpose of setting foot in the Arctic Circle, the only place in Iceland
where you can do so. The island is also home to fewer than 100 people,
but over one million seabirds. Birdlife thrives here thanks to the lack
of egg predation (there are no rats or mice on the island) and the
rich, well-stocked surrounding seas. Grímsey has one of
Iceland’s largest tern nesting sites and largest puffin
colonies.
DAY 4
AT SEA
You can spend your day at sea enjoying the many facilities available.
Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or
relax in the jacuzzi whilst taking in incredible views along the way.
If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to
an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable
on-board experts.
DAY 5
JAN MAYEN ISLAND
The snow-covered stratovolcano Beerenberg dominates the ice cap and
glaciers at the northeast end of Jan Mayen Island. Halfway between
Svalbard and Iceland, the only residents on this Norwegian island are
members of the Norwegian Armed Forces or working at the meteorological
station. During a nature walk to the station, and along the black sandy
beach, you can see numerous plant species. Nesting northern fulmars,
Brünnich’s and black guillemots and little auks make
the island an important birding area.
DAY 6
AT SEA
You can spend your day at sea enjoying the many facilities available.
Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or
relax in the jacuzzi whilst taking in incredible views along the way.
If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to
an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable
on-board experts.
DAYS 7-12
SVALBARD
Located deep inside the Arctic Circle, approaching the Svalbard
archipelago feels a lot like sailing towards the edge of the world.
Known as the kingdom of the polar bears, we’ll be hoping to
spot some of its subjects as we explore some of the most varied polar
landscapes in the Arctic. Down in our Zodiac boats, we’ll get
close to the gargantuan glaciers, rapidly retreating from the oceans
that they feed. In the north of the archipelago, past the magnificent
fjords, the remaining sea ice offers the perfect hunting ground for
polar bears. Closer to Longyearbyen, the landscape is punctuated with
large areas devoid of snow and ice alongside vast tundra and exposed
beaches. Alongside Svalbard’s 3,000 polar bears, this Arctic
wildlife hotspot is also home to walrus, Svalbard reindeer, ringed
seal, the arctic fox and many species of marine mammals and seabirds.
DAYS 13-14
LONGYEARBYEN
Longyearbyen is the world’s most northerly town and with it
comes the world’s most northerly high street and pub. On
Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s largest island, Longyearbyen is home
to The North Pole Expeditions Museum which chronicles early efforts to
reach the pole by air. The nearby Svalbard Global Seed Vault preserves
duplicates of seeds held in gene banks worldwide. The surrounding
Arctic waters are populated by whales including bowheads and narwhals,
while walruses are regularly seen hauling.
SH Vega (Luxury Expedition, 152-guests)
Making her maiden voyage in April 2022, our 5 star elegant Scandi-design boutique ship offers you an intimate setting from which you will be fully immersed in all the sights and scenery of your voyage.
Our brand new ship has been designed to journey to off the beaten path destinations and remote polar regions in style and comfort. The ship incorporates a PC5 ice-strengthened hull combined with extra-large stabilisers to make your journey as smooth as possible.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Return regional flights to the port of embarkation and/or disembarkation (where specified)
- Group return transfers from the airport to the cruise port (via our included accommodation where applicable)
- One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel or onboard
- All meals onboard
- Onboard accommodation in a stateroom selected category
- 24-hour room service
- Coffee, tea, soft drinks and selected alcoholic beverages available 24-hours per day
- Lecture programmes by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers
- One selected shore excursion/expedition activities per port of call
- Branded Swan Hellenic expedition parka and use of rubber boots in Polar Regions
- Standard WiFi
- Onboard gratuities & port taxes