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Join us and explore Iceland to its fullest by visiting a variety of islands, towns and settlements. Enjoy spectacular views, interesting excursions, kayaking, hikes or other activities on land and sea to complete your experience of this unique country.

Itinerary

Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital city. In the relatively close surroundings of Reykjavik you will find glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and mountains. Reykjavik also has a vast selection of restaurants, museums and shops in the narrow streets. We will depart from the pier in the evening, and strongly recommend that you acquaint yourself with this charming and vibrant town before departure.

We set course north and plan for a clock-wise roundtrip of Iceland. During the next eight days you will explore the Saga Island to its full, and visit a variety of islands, towns and settlements. We will provide you with spectacular views and interesting sites always accompanied by our knowledgeable Expedition Team. Whilst in Iceland we will attempt to make daily landings for you to explore nature and settlements on you own or on activities together with fellow travellers.

When conditions allow, excursions, kayaking, hikes or other activities on land and sea may be offered. Participation on any hike requires a good level of fitness, and that you are accustomed to hiking in uneven terrain.

Safety is always the first priority and the final sailing schedule will be decided by the ship’s Captain during the voyage. Below we list some of our possible landing sites, the final itinerary will be introduced during daily briefings.

Flateyri and Vigur Island

The morning will be spent in Flateyri, which has been a trading post since 1792 and the base for shark-hunting and whaling operations in the 1900’s. Today Flateyri, like so many other fishing villages, is dependent on tourism. There is a nice sandy beach on the other side of the fjord, and although the sea might be colder for bathing than most people prefer, the sand is great for building sand castles.

The evening will be spent in Vigur where puffins, eiders, guillemoths and Arctic terns are all abundant. In Vigur you will find the smallest post office in Iceland, as well as the only windmill and beautifully renewed houses. Since an end was put to milk production on Vigur island, the inhabitants spend much of the winter preparing the eider down, collected over the summer, for export.

Landings in both Flateyri and Vigur will be by PolarCirkel boats.

Ísafjörður

The capital of the Westfjords (Vestfirðir) region of Iceland and with a population of about 4,100 Ísafjörður is the largest town in the Westfjords. The town has a long history and for centuries it was a major centre of commerce and trading, all based on fish. Take a stroll around this cosy town and enjoy its diverse architecture. You'll find the country's oldest dwelling here, along with other fine examples of timber houses built by wealthy foreign traders in the 18th century.

Hornbjarg Cliff and Siglufjörður

This day we put the PolarCirkel boats back on the water, and make Explorer landings.

We spend the morning in the area of Hornstrandir, where the Hornbjarg cliff is one of the greatest seafowl habitats of the country. Its highest peaks reach 534m above sea level. After lunch we approach Siglufjörður. This village of 1,300 inhabitants offer both facilities for recreation and activities. A few hours in the rugged landscape gives one the chance to savour the peace and tranquillity which emanates from these natural elements.

Akureyri and Grímsey

Akureyri is a lively and energetic town, and home to around 17,200 inhabitants. It is the most populated community outside the Reykjavík area and the centre of trade, culture and services for the north of Iceland. Akureyri is close to many of Iceland’s most renowned natural beauty spots and the town itself is a popular destination. We will spend the day here before we start sailing towards our next landing site around lunchtime. At Grímsey we use the PolarCirkel boats to reach this green and grassy island, probably best known for its proximity to the Arctic Circle, which cuts across the island. You may step across that line, south to north. The distance from “Iceland” is 41 km, and about 100 people live here.

Húsavík is the oldest settlement in Iceland. The Museum House at Húsavík houses a maritime museum, natural history museum, folk museum, district archives, photograph archives, and an art gallery. And of course Húsavík is also home to the Whale Museum. Cultural life is flourishing, the active and enthusiastic drama society being among the best amateur theatre groups in Iceland.

After a morning visit we continue to the peninsula Langanes. This area is about as wild as coastal Iceland gets. A rough road goes to the tip named Fontur. On the north and south of the tip there are steep sea cliffs. The Langanes peninsula is known for its rich birdlife and birdwatching spots where it is possible to watch the gannet and Brünnichs guillermot from land.

We call at Seyðisfjörður, distinguished by excellent harbour facilities and Norwegian heritage. The colourful Norwegian-style wooden houses date from the early years of the 20th century and render this village unique in Iceland. Walking trails around town, out along the coast, or by the Fjarðará River, are pleasurable and relaxing. The town is home to 700 residents, who have traditionally lived off fishing. In the afternoon we call at Eskifjörður, a charming seaside village, which became an official trading post in 1789 and has been a commercial centre ever since. A walk around town is recommended, noting the historical buildings and piers. The attractive seafarers´ lodge Randulfssjóhús remains unchanged since 1890, showing the ways of yesteryear´s fisheries trade. You can even try tasting the shark and dried fish still produced there.

We tender in to Djúpivogur, a charming village with a history of trading since 1589, located in a place of natural beauty. Today the main industry is fishing with tourism increasing rapidly in recent years. Langabúð, the oldest house in Djúpivogur, was originally built in 1790 and now serves as a cultural centre. It houses some of the works of sculptor Ríkarður Jónsson, a heritage museum and a coffee-shop with delicious homemade cakes and a display of local handicrafts. Make sure you don’t miss the outdoor sculpture Eggin í Gleðivík consisting of 34 eggs. We land in Höfn in the afternoon, located in Hornafjörður, close to the biggest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. Höfn has grown from a small village to today’s town from a relatively diverse fishing industry.

The Vestmannaeyjar - or Westman Islands - are a group of 15 spectacular islands and about 30 rock pillars, located off Iceland’s south coast. The islands were formed by submarine volcanic eruptions along a 30-km long fissure lying southwest to northeast. Most of the islands have steep sea cliffs, are well vegetated and provide a habitat for countless birds, including the charming puffin. If weather and sea conditions allow, we will visit Surtsey in the morning and Heimaey in the afternoon. Surtsey is a volcanic island, and the southernmost of Iceland. It was formed by an eruption starting 130 meters below sea level and reached the surface in 1963. Heimaey is the largest of the Westman Islands, and was one of Iceland’s most important fishing ports. During the main season, people flocked here to work long hours and earn money. Today, hunting and fishing are still the traditional mainstays of the economy. Magnificent bird cliffs dominate this stunning volcanic island.

Reykjavik was the first Viking settlement and is today the modern capital of Iceland. The surroundings offer fantastic spots of natural beauty; geysers, mountains, glaciers and the famous Blue Lagoon.