Iceland Circumnavigation

Having arrived independently on day 1 to Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital city, you can make your way to the hotel for your included overnight stay. The rest of the day will be at your leisure and you may wish to spend some time soaking up the sights and sounds of this unique city.

After breakfast on the morning of day 2 you can join your included half day city tour before transferring to the port to board your expedition vessel. After settling into your comfortable cabin and exploring your new surroundings, the ship will set sail into the beautiful fjord of Hvalfjördur where some time on deck or in one of the observation lounges should reward in sightings of various seabirds and seals. Time permitting, we may enjoy our first Zodiac cruise here or a shore visit to see the old whaling station and war museum.

Throughout your Iceland cruise, our itinerary will be flexible, with your experienced captain and crew choosing the best course each day for optimal experiences.

Our first full day of expedition adventure will bring us to Snaefellnes Peninsula, the gateway to the Snæfellsjökull National Park, where we will arrive at Stykkisholmur to enjoy a full day excursion around the town and its surrounding areas. An area of diverse landscapes, characterised by lava fields and glistening fjords and home to bird-rich Breidafjordur Bay, the area is crowned by the magnificent, ice-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano which will dominate the landscape throughout.

Magnificent areas you will visit on today’s excursion include Arnarstapi, where you can enjoy a walk around the town to see the columnar basalt, ravines and grottoes surrounding the pier and seek out observations of the resident Arctic tern colony. A walk along the coastline here will reward in more bird sightings including fulmars and kittiwakes as well as gaining excellent views of some magnificent lava formations.

Grundarfjörður will be a highlight today as we get up-close views of one of Iceland’s most famous mountains, Mount Kirkjufell. This beautiful area is home to spectacular waterfalls and abundant birdlife. We will also visit Bjarnarhöfn to enjoy a guided tour of the shark museum and have the opportunity to taste the famed cured shark.

After a busy day on land, back on board we will sail towards Isafjordur passing the immense Látrabjarg cliffs along the way. This is Iceland’s westernmost point and is home to a huge population of razorbills and puffins.

We will now spend two days exploring around the spectacular Westfjords region where pristine North Atlantic vegetation, dramatic fjords and sheer table mountains that plunge into the sea create one of the most unforgettably diverse landscapes you might ever see. Our itinerary will be flexible here and may include visits to Isafjordur to see the famous Dynjandi waterfall and enjoy a cruise around the stunning fjords. There will also be ample opportunities for bird-watching, energetic hikes and optional kayaking excursions. Please note, kayaking excursions incur an additional cost and should be booked in advance.

During our time in this region we also hope to visit the Hornstrandir peninsula, among many other places, to enjoy its dramatic fjords, towering bird cliffs, stunning natural beauty and wildlife encounter opportunities.

This morning we will arrive at Iceland’s second largest city, picturesque Akureyri, where we can enjoy a gentle walk around the old town to see its beautifully maintained period houses which are perfectly framed by the glorious backdrop of a huge snow-capped mountain.

Following this we will head inland to the nearby Mývatn region, said to be the most geologically active area in Iceland. There will be a number of options for activities and excursions here, each taking up a full day and bringing you to the area’s most impressive sights. These excursions will take you to places such as the incredible Goðafoss waterfall, one of the most famous of all of Iceland’s many waterfalls, the sulphurous mud springs of Námaskarð, and Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe.

Other options include the Mývatn Nature Baths where you can enjoy a relaxing dip amidst clouds of steam rising up from a fissure deep in the Earth´s surface, the enormous lava rocks and cliffs of Dimmuborgir and the beautiful Akureyri Public Park and Botanic Garden.

Each tour will end with a transfer to Húsavik, where your ship will be waiting for you. You can explore the small town at your own leisure before re-boarding the ship to sail to Grímsey Island. Please enquire for full details of each available excursion.

The next stop on our Icelandic cruise will be the verdant grassy island of Grímsey where an exploration here will see us cross the imaginary line of the Arctic Circle. We will spend some time here enjoying Zodiac cruising through the waters in search of sightings of whales and seabirds including puffins, guillemots and gulls. This will also be another great spot for the kayakers among us.

Sailing back towards the mainland we will enjoy some further whale watching opportunities in the waters of Skjálfandi Bay around Húsavik, Iceland’s ‘whale watching capital’. Here we will hope for numerous sightings of some of the excellent numbers of 24 different whale species that are frequently found here along with dolphins and abundant seabirds. If luck is on our side we may enjoy memorable sightings of orca and even Blue whales, the largest animals on the planet!

Sailing along Iceland’s beautiful eastern coastline, the next stop on our action-packed expedition will be Mjóifjördur, a tranquil 11-mile long fjord hidden away between the Nordfjördur and Seydisfjördur mountains. Here we can enjoy Zodiac cruising and kayaking, as well as views of the area’s spectacular waterfalls.

Next up will be the lively fishing town of Höfn, at the gateway to the Vatnajökull National Park, home of Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. We will take a thoroughly enjoyable shore excursion here through the National Park to the incredible iceberg-filled Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and walk through the colourful mountains and valleys to search for the rich birdlife, reindeers and seals that reside here.

Formed by volcanic eruptions around 10,000 years ago, the beautiful Westman Islands archipelago (Vestmannaeyjar), just off Iceland’s south coast, will be the perfect place to enjoy the last excursions of our trip. We will sail past the UNESCO World Heritage site of Surtsey Island before reaching Heimaey, the archipelago’s main island. Here we will see the remains of, and learn all about, the violent volcanic eruption in 1973 that changed the landscape of this area forever. We will also visit the fascinating Eldheimar museum, and search for more sightings of puffins, whales and seals along the way.

Arrival back in Reykjavik sadly signals the end of our Iceland cruise, and after breakfast a transfer will be provided to either the airport or to a downtown location should you wish to extend your stay in this fascinating city. Various extension tours are available here so please feel free to ask us if you need any advice on continuing your adventures.