Iceland Circumnavigation Cruise

This morning, ensure any cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags and take it down to hotel reception. Luggage will be collected from the hotel and transferred directly to port for clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of embarkation. Keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day.

Explore the main sights of Reykjavik on a half-day city tour before transferring to the pier for embarkation. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as the crew “throws the lines” and sets sail with spectacular views of Reykjavik. This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and the friendly expedition team and crew at the captain’s welcome dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure.

Stykkisholmur is the starting point of your adventures on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, gateway to Snæfellsjökull National Park. Stykkishólmur is located by Breiðafjörður Bay on the north of Snæfellsnes peninsula and is surrounded by wonderful views of the innumerable islands. One of the defining landmarks in Stykkishólmur are the old houses in the old city center, some of which were owned by Danish traders. Every year in August there is a Danish town festival in Stykkishólmur called Danskir dagar or Danish days. The oldest house in Stykkishólmur is the Norwegian house, which dates back to 1832. The inhabitants take great pride in preserving the old houses and walking in the center of town is like walking in another era.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula is an area of diverse landscapes that is characterized by lava fields and glistening fjords and home to bird-rich Breidafjordur Bay. The area is crowned by the magnificent, ice-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano, a 700,000-year-old dormant subglacial volcano, visible from Reykjavik on a clear day and immortalized in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Disembark the ship at approximately 8:30am to commence today’s full day excursion visiting the following areas:

Arnarstapi was an important trading post in the past and had a much bigger population than it has now. Columnar basalt, ravines and grottoes surround the Arnarstapi pier. There is a large arctic tern colony in the village itself, and a walk along the coastline is a great way to see birds such as kittiwake, arctic tern and fulmar. You will also pass magnificent lava formations. The seaside and the cliffs between Arnastapi and Hellnar were made a Natural Reserve in 1979. A sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson stands by the beach at Arnarstapi.

At Bjarnarhöfn enjoy a guided tour of the shark museum and have the opportunity to taste the famed cured shark.

Though Grundarfjörður is not the most well-known town in Snæfellsnes, Mount Kirkjufell is certainly one of the most famous mountains in Iceland, if not the world. It is not unusual for photographers from all over the world to make their way to Grundarfjörður for the sole purpose of photographing this unique landmark which has even starred in a number of films. However, there is a lot more on offer in Grundarfjörður than just Mount Kirkjufell. Nature abounds, with vibrant birdlife and spectacular waterfalls.

This evening, in route to Isafjordur, sail past the immense Látrabjarg cliffs, Iceland’s westernmost point and home to a huge population of razorbills and puffins.

Over the next two days, explore the Westfjords region featuring outstanding landscapes with jaw-dropping views of dramatic fjords carved by ancient glaciers, sheer table mountains that plunge into the sea and pristine North Atlantic vegetation. The region features attractive towns such as Isafjordur, the famous birdcliffs at Latrabjarg, and spectacular fjords where you can kayak, hike and birdwatch.

In genuine expeditionary style, the captain and guides keep your itinerary flexible to allow for spontaneity to discover one of Iceland’s most remote and pristine regions, filled with many deep and dramatic fjords, towering bird cliffs, stunning natural beauty and opportunities for wildlife encounters. Enjoy the bountiful silence and magnificent landscapes seen by the few adventurers that make their way here.

Picturesque Akureyri is Iceland’s second largest city outside the capital area with a superb snowcapped mountain backdrop. Explore the old town, with its beautifully maintained period houses before heading inland to nearby Mývatn region, an area said to be the most geologically active area in Iceland.

Shore excursions here include the Akureyri Public Park and Botanic Garden. The garden is one of the northern most botanical gardens in the world. The Public Park was opened in 1912 but the botanic gardens section was opened in 1957. There are about 6,600 different species of plants grown in the garden, of which 430 species are native to Iceland.

The Goðafoss waterfall is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland. In the year 1,000 the Lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði made Christianity the official religion of Iceland. After his conversion, Þorgeir threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall earning the waterfall its name: waterfall of the gods.

Námaskarð is well known for its sulphurous mud springs called solfataras and steam springs called fumaroles. Even though you won’t find any pure spring water in this wonderful geothermal site of Iceland, the beauty of the colorful minerals is impressive and the gigantic mud craters are truly impressive.

Another stop is to Mývatn Nature Baths. Drawing on a centuries-old tradition, the tastefully designed complex offers bathers a completely natural experience that begins with a relaxing dip amidst clouds of steam rising up from a fissure deep in the Earth’s surface, and ends with a luxurious swim in a pool of geothermal water drawn from depths of up to 8,200 feet.

Later, transfer to Húsavik, where you can explore the small town at your own leisure before re-boarding the ship to sail to Grímsey Island.

Located approximately 25 miles off the mainland, Grímsey is a verdant grassy island, probably best known for its proximity to the Arctic Circle, which cuts across the island. Many people travel to Grímsey just to say they have stepped across the imaginary line. With a tiny population of approximately 100 inhabitants, it’s a fantastic place for Zodiac cruising, kayaking and photographing seabirds such as guillemots, gulls and puffins.

Leaving Grímsey to return closer to the mainland, spend time scanning the waters of Skjálfandi Bay around Húsavik, a town known as the Iceland’s whale watching capital, home to up to 24 different whale species, as well as dolphins and 30 varieties of birds. The largest animal on earth, the blue whale, has also been spotted in Skjálfandi Bay, and if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of this magnificent creature as well as others, such as orcas, fin whales and pilot whales.

Explore the east coast of Iceland today, starting by enjoying a sail along a long, scenic, calm and deep fjord that snakes for 10.5 miles from its mouth to the head of the fjord to the town of Seydisfjordur, nestled beneath Mounts Strandartindur and Bjolfur.

Seydisfjordur is a picturesque fishing village that is renowned for its charming collection of colorful wooden buildings located around the lagoon. Take a stroll around town and discover the timber houses that are remnants from when the Norwegians settled here and established the herring fishing facilities from 1870-1900. From the valley above the town, the river Fjardara tumbles down in beautiful cascades to the lagoon.

There are a number of delightful hiking trails to explore, or alternatively, you can discover a flourishing cultural scene with an arts center, the Technical Museum of East Iceland, the famous blue church that stages music concerts, and the only two cinemas in the east of Iceland. Located on a mountainside above the town find Tvisongur, a unique sound sculpture by German artist Lukas Kühne. To reach the sculpture, hike for 20 minutes on a gravel road that starts from the Brimberg Fish Factory. Back in town, browse the stores where you will discover handicrafts by local artists and artisans, perfect as a souvenir or gift.

Höfn is a lively fishing town with a healthy population of 1,800, and gateway to Vatnajökull National Park, one of the most spectacular and special parts of Iceland. It’s home to Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, your shore excursion for the day.

You’ll also hike in Skaftafell National Park, which was established in 1967, but from 2008 it became part of the larger Vatnajökull National Park, Europe’s second largest after Yugyd Va in Russia. The park also boasts colorful mountains and deep valleys, as well as rich birdlife, reindeers and seals.

Inside the national park find glacier tongues resting on the green fields of the lowland, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs that wash up on shore and stand gleaming on the nearby black-sand beach, dubbed Diamond Beach. Enjoy an amphibian boat excursion on the lagoon to photograph the icebergs.

Located off Iceland’s south coast, the Westman Islands were formed by volcanic eruptions around 10,000 years ago. Sail past Surtsey Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site that emerged from the sea in 1963 and is one of the youngest land masses on earth. Westman Islands are surrounded by 15 other uninhabited islands and around 30 rocks and skerries offering refuge for a rich array of seabirds. Westman Islands are considered to have the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the world, and when sailing around the islands it is not uncommon to see puffins but also whales and seals.

Heimaey is the main island in the archipelago, and it has a population of around 4,200. Ashore on Heimaey, the only inhabited island in the archipelago, see half-buried houses that remain from a violent 1973 eruption of Eldfell volcano, which you can hike up if you wish. A visit to the weather station offers bird-watching opportunities and splendid views of the surrounding islands.

Eruptions are a big part of the history of the Westman Island, where there are two volcanoes – one that erupted some 6,000 years ago, and Mount Eldfell that erupted in 1973, forcing all of the island’s inhabitants to evacuate for the mainland. Serendipitously, due to bad weather the day prior to the eruption, all the fishing boats remained in the harbor and were able to help transport the inhabitants of Heimaey to the mainland. You can learn more about the story of the eruption and the aftermath at the fascinating Eldheimar museum, which includes a display of a house that was buried in ash during the eruption.

After breakfast, bid farewell to the expedition team, crew and newfound friends as you disembark in Reykjavik, where the voyage ends. A transfer is included to your hotel or to Keflavik airport.