Highlands of the High Arctic

Overview

This unique voyage departs from Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and starting point of your expedition. The famous Castle rising above the city gives immediate evidence of Edinburgh’s rich history. While the Town area boasts medieval architecture, the New Town accommodates newer 18th century buildings. Then cross the Arctic Circle on our way to the rarely visited island of Jan Mayen.

After stopping at Jan Mayen continue to Spitsbergen in the renowned High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Explore the fjords on the west side of the island in search of polar bears and other iconic wildlife. Complete your Arctic experience by enjoying stunning scenery and visiting places rich with polar history.

Welcome to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and starting point of your expedition. The famous Castle rising above the city gives immediate evidence of Edinburgh’s rich history. While the Town area boasts medieval architecture, the New Town accommodates newer 18th century buildings. Each corner of Edinburgh’s old streets opens beautiful unexpected vistas of green hills or a blue flash of distant sea.

Kirkwall is a small, quiet town, with a gentle pace of life. The town is the capital of the remote and amazing Orkney archipelago. Kirkwall is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in 1046. Such a long history has left a rich heritage that you explore today. The most famous are the sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, considered the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland, the Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace.

Included tour “Ancient treasures of Orkney with St Magnus Cathedral.” Depart Kirkwall and head into the west of Mainland, Orkney’s largest island. This tour passes through the gentle rolling landscape of Orkney and into the Neolithic Heartland of Orkney; an area designated as a World Heritage Site due to its wealth of pre-historic archaeology. Passing the Standing Stones of Stenness, stop at the Ring of Brodgar; a huge ceremonial circle of stones dating back almost 5000 years. Then continue on to the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae, beautifully interpreted in the visitor centre. See the remarkable dwellings revealed from beneath the sand dunes by storms only 150 years ago.

Hear some of the stories from your guide today en route back to Kirkwall. Once back in the island capital we will take a tour of St Magnus Cathedral, built by the Vikings during their 500 year reign over the islands.

Fair Isle is a real paradise for birdwatchers. Huge number of birds inhabits the lush grasslands and spectacular cliffs. Over 345 species have been recorded here – more than anywhere else in Britain. During your walk across the island, you can hope to see northern fulmars, kittiwakes, northern gannets, puffins, and great and arctic skuas.

National Geographic Traveler had designated Faroe Islands as “authentic, unspoiled and likely to remain so”. It seems that the Nature spares no colours in “painting” the islands. Deep-green hills, bright blue sea, colourful houses and boats, orangered puffins’ beaks make the sceneries unforgettable. Stop at the capital of the Faroes—Torshavn. Included tour “Kirkjubøur.” During the Middle Ages, Kirkjubøur was the ecclesiastical and cultural centre of the Faroes. Here was the Bishop’s residence until the Reformation, when the Faroese diocese was abolished. The imposing ruin of Saint Magnus Cathedral still dominates the site. Construction of the Cathedral is thought to have begun in the late thirteenth century, as the style of the building is from the best period of Gothic architecture, common to West Norwegian church building of that time. Tradition has it that it was never finished; yet recent research has revealed that it was probably roofed at one time. The Roykstovan, standing on the wide, stone foundation of a portion of the Bishop’s palace, has been the home of the farmers in Kirkjubøur for centuries and occupied by the same Faroese family for 17 generations. Covered with a traditional turf roof, it is a large building made of logs, which are said to have come drifting all the way from Norway some 700 years ago. The farmhouse interior reflects the lifestyle of a large Faroese farm. On our way to and from Kirkjubøur, we have a magnificent view to the west of the islands of Koltur, Hestur, Sandoy, and Vágar.

Presentations and workshops by the expert staff, as well as a range of onboard recreation facilities, ensure that this day at sea is not idly spent. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks as well as exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

Jan Mayen hosts the landscapes of breathtaking beauty and northernmost sub aerial active volcano on the planet – the Beerenberg. The island is wild and uninhabited not including members of the Norwegian weather station. The signboard at the entrance door says (translated from the Norwegian): “Theory is when you understand everything but nothing works. Practice is when everything works but nobody understands why. On this station, we combine theory and practice in a way that nothing works and nobody understands why”. Northern fulmars, Kittiwakes, and Brünich’s guillemots breeding on steep cliffs and slopes represent the birdlife of Jan Mayen.

The lectures of the invited speakers prepare you for meeting with the unique Arctic wildlife and awesome landscapes of Spitsbergen.

Rick Sammon- the award winning photographer is a special guest on this cruise. Rick started his professional photography career as an underwater photographer. He easily transitioned into travel, landscape, wildlife, cultural and nature photography. Rick’s images, from his travels to more than 100 countries, have been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, and have been featured in his 36 books. Rick will provide a photo workshop and be available for tips and advice – all with the objective of helping you get the most out of your photography. His wife Susan will also offer instructions on better smart phone photography.

In recognition of his talent and influence, Rick has been named a Canon Explorer of Light. Rick is also a Westcott Top Pro Elite, recognized for his skill in portraiture and lighting. He was also named by Squarespace as one of the world’s best photographers.

This is a real expedition in a true High Arctic wilderness. As such your route and exploration opportunities here are heavily dependent on the weather and sea ice conditions you encounter. The experienced captain and expedition leader decides the itinerary and continually adjusts plans as conditions and opportunities warrant. You can be sure that the best possible advantage will be taken of the circumstances presented to you by Nature in this wild and remote corner of the Arctic. Polar bears and other quintessential Arctic wildlife can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Svalbard. Every opportunity will be taken to experience excellent wildlife viewing, to discover incredible scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of the historic polar expeditions that came before you.

Anticipate exploring the spectacular fjords, coasts, and islands in the western part of Svalbard. This area contains the archipelago’s most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Deep fjords and narrow channels are flanked by jagged snowy mountain peaks. Immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters. Fields of flowering tundra are home to grazing reindeer and playful Arctic fox. Bountiful inshore and offshore waters are home to walrus and a wide variety of whales. The whole area is alive with migratory birds, including numerous rare species, taking advantage of summer’s fecundity in 24-hour daylight.

To complete the Arctic experience explore places rich with history. The area of exploration contains the historical remnants of whaling camps, coal mining operations, trappers’ cabins, staging areas for historic attempts to discover the North Pole, and even an abandoned polar research station.

The days are filled with memorable excursions, sumptuous meals, presentations by our experts, and enough stunning scenery and wildlife to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions.

After breakfast say farewell in the town of Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard. A transfer to the airport or to the town center is provided if you wish to spend more time there. In this case, be sure to see the excellent Svalbard Museum and take advantage of quality shopping and dining opportunities in this fascinating Arctic settlement.