HIGHLIGHTS
- Neolithic
standing stones at Stenness and Brodgar, Scotland
- Prehistoric
village of Skara Brae, an UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Fulmar,
puffin, gannet, skua and other North Atlantic seabirds
- Woolens
and other unique handicrafts in the Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroes
- Faroe
Islands’s dramatic, otherworldly landscapes and seascapes
- Heimaey,
Westman Islands: a town nearly destroyed by a volcano!
- Reykjavik:
a clean, green, ancient and contemporary city bustling with culture
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
Start Date | End Date | CAT 1 - Quad Inside | CAT 2 - Triple Inside | CAT 3 - Interior Twin | CAT 4 - Exterior Twin | CAT 5 - Main Twin | CAT 6 - Comfort Twin | CAT 7 - Select Twin | CAT 8 - Superior Twin | CAT 9 - Junior Suite | CAT 10 - Suite |
Jun 23, 2025 | Jul 03, 2025 | 5,395 | 6,395 | 7,695 | 8,995 | 9,995 | 10,995 | 11,995 | 12,995 | 13,995 | 14,995 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
Start Date | End Date | (Starting from) CAT 1 - Quad Inside | (Mid-range) CAT 6 - Comfort Twin | (High-end) CAT 10 - Suite |
Jun 23, 2025 | Jul 03, 2025 | 5,395 | 10,995 | 14,995 |
Day
1: Aberdeen
Many
of Aberdeen’s historic stone buildings are of locally
quarried granite; high in mica, they can sparkle like silver. The city
is famed for its forty-five parks, gardens, and floral displays. In
recent years, Aberdeen has become the gateway to the North Sea oil
industry, but the city retains its old world charm and is a wonderful
place for a walkabout. We board the Ocean Endeavour in the afternoon.
Day
2: Stromness
Off
the north coast of mainland Scotland, Orkney is a gateway to ancient
realms. The ancient village of Skara Brae and the standing stones at
Stenness and Brogdar reveal a palpable prehistoric presence. Neolithic
archeological sites include villages, ceremonial sites, and burial
chambers dating to 8,000 years ago. From Viking times, the Kings of
Norway held a strong presence here until the sixteenth century.
Stromness was the last European port of call for Hudson’s Bay
Company ships and for the Franklin Expedition of 1845.
Day
3: Fair Isle
Fair
Isle was a Viking hub and is now an idyllic island colony of artists
and shepherds. Its sixty residents include global citizens who have
relocated to help maintain Fair Isle’s traditions including
world-famous woolen crafts. Fair Isle boasts sightings of three hundred
and fifty bird species including puffins and great skuas in substantial
numbers. The local museum is dedicated to preserving island heritage.
The National Trust Bird Observatory is now being reconstructed after a
fire in 2019.
Day
4: Suduroy Island and Sumba
Suðuroy
Island, Faroes, is famed for its dramatic cliffs towering over the
North Atlantic. It’s a paradise for bird, including northern
fulmars, European storm petrels, European shags, black-legged
kittiwakes, Atlantic puffins, common guillemots, and black guillemots.
The village of Sumba, population 239, occupied since the seventh
century, is a stronghold of Faroese chain dancing. Hiking is excellent
in the foothills of nearby Beinisvøro Mountain, affording
spectacular, panoramic views of the region.
Day
5: Tórshavn
Tórshavn,
literally “Thor’s harbor,” is the Faroe
Islands’ capital and largest town, with a population of
19,000. A former Viking trading center, Tórshavn is a
splendid little city to explore. The National Art Gallery is a
treasure, surrounded by gorgeous grounds with walking trails. Nordic
House is a must, widely considered the finest example of architecture
in Scandinavia. Torshavn offers excellent shopping and handicrafts,
restaurants and pubs, and a cathedral dating 1788.
Day
6-7: Western Faroe Islands
The
northwestern shores of Eysturoy and Streymoy islands are beyond
spectacular. Hiking, birding and photography are outstanding. Charming
villages connected by high-tech tunnels through mountains and beneath
the ocean floor are a unique and startling feature of Faroese life. The
spectacular waterfall at Gásadalur is reached through one
such tunnel— but look for the old switchback trail over the
mountain, once used by the local postman!
Day
8: Mykines Island
Mykines
is the westernmost of the Faroes and a geological marvel. Great columns
of balsalt (called the Stone-wood) tower thirty meters above the ocean.
On the western end of the island, connected by a forty-metre
footbridge, is the islet Mykinshólmur, famed for its sea
stacks and a lighthouse dating to 1909. Mykines has been identified as
an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for its large numbers
of puffins and gannets, guillemots, razorbills, northern fulmurs, Manx
shearwaters, European storm petrels, European shags, and black-legged
kittiwakes.
Day
9: At Sea
Today
we will enjoy a day at sea! With onboard education and time spent
on-deck, we will keep our eyes open for marine wildlife and seabirds!
Day
10: Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)
Vestmannaeyjar
lies off the south coast of Iceland and comprises fourteen islands,
numerous rocks and skerries. Only the largest island, Heimaey, is
inhabited. Numerous species of seabirds, including the famous puffin,
nest in the steep rock faces along the ocean cliffs. The volcanically
active area has seen two major eruptions in recent times: the formation
of the island of Surtsey in 1963, and the Eldfell eruption ten years
later that destroyed much of Heimaey and nearly blocked its harbor.
Day
11: Reykjavik
Reykjavík,
“steamy bay”, is a cosmopolitan capital city on the
site of what is believed to be the first permanent settlement in
Iceland, established in AD 874. Entirely powered by geothermal energy,
Reykjavik is among the cleanest, greenest, and safest cities in the
world. Night life, cuisine and culture are vibrant here during the
summer months, when locals and visitors alike make the most of the
midnight sun. The Culture House promotes Icelandic national heritage,
including treasures like the Poetic Edda, and the Norse Sagas in their
original manuscripts. Today we will disembark Ocean Endeavour and
journey home!
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Passage
aboard the Ocean Endeavour
- Applicable
taxes and Credit card fees
- Complimentary
Expedition jacket
- Contribution
to Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund
- Special
access permits, entry and park fees
- Team
of expedition staff
- Guided
activities
- Sightseeing
and community visits
- All
Zodiac excursions
- Port
fees
- Pre-departure
materials
- Educational
program
- Nikon
Camera Trial Program
- Interactive
workshops
- Evening
entertainment
- All
shipboard meals
Not Included:
- Commercial
and charter flights
- Program
enhancements/optional excursions
- Gratuities
- Personal
expenses
- Mandatory
medical evacuation insurance
- Additional
expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
- Possible
fuel surcharges
- Pre-
& post-trip hotel accommodation