Day 1: | Arrive Oban
Travel from Glasgow to Oban through some of the most scenic parts of Scotland (please contact our team to discuss flights or train fares as appropriate). Embark your ship in the small harbour town of Oban. |
Day 2: | North Rona & Sula Sgeir Islands
Out in the Atlantic to the north-west of Scotland lie the tiny islands of North Rona and Sula Sgeir. Landing on North Rona visit seabird colonies and see grey seals. Leach's Petrels can be heard calling from their nesting burrows in the ruined walls of a small church. Later visit Sula Sgeir, the last island in Britain on which gannets are harvested annually. Keep an eye out for the black-browed Albatros, we spotted one here in 2006! |
Day 3: | Thorshavn
Visit Thorshavn, the capital and cultural centre of the Faroes. In the harbour the small Faroese boats are a reminder of the Viking origins of the islanders. You can walk across the hills to Kirkjuboer and visit a medieval cathedral. In the early evening we will try to land at Saksun, home to a Natural Heritage Museum. Continuing along the north side of Streymoy we pass huge seabird colonies. |
Days 4-5: | Whale watching at Sea
We sail north towards the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, situated 300 nautical miles north-east of Iceland. During two days at sea there will be plenty of time to watch for the blow of a minke, fin or blue whale. Perhaps we might run into a pod of orcas, who can often be quite curious about boats such as ours – the question is who is watching who?! |
Day 6: | Jan Mayen Island
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island of breathtaking beauty and mystique, dominated by Mt Beerenberg. From the slopes of the 2300m volcano, impressive glaciers spill into the sea. Until recently, the island was off-limits, but with permission from the Norwegian authorities we hope to visit the weather station. Walk across the island to Kvalrossbukta to look at the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station and a colony of fulmars. We also plan to sail by Koksletta where thousands of little auks and Brünnich's guillemots breed close to a glacier. |
Days 7-8: | Wildlife watching at Sea
We spend two days at sea, looking out for whales, dolphins and seals and a variety of seabirds. |
Day 9: | Bear Island
At Bear Island visit the remains of a whaling station. Walk across the desolate hills and tundra and see Arctic skuas and great skuas. Weather permitting we then sail along the west coast, where you can observe one of the largest seabird colonies in the North Atlantic teeming with little auks, Brünnich’s guillemots, common guillemots and kittiwakes. Alternatively we will sail along the east coast to visit Tunheim, an abandoned mining settlement. |
Day 10: | Hornsund fjords
Depending on the position of the sea-ice, we cruise the maze of fjords in the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, which is ringed by towering mountain peaks such as Hornsundtind, which rises to 1,431m. There are 14 magnificent glaciers in the area, but as well as spectacular scenery, the area is renowned for its abundant and varied Arctic wildlife. We have very good chances of seeing seals and with a little luck, polar bears. We may visit the Polish research station and behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting little auks. |
Day 11: | Kapp Toscana & Recherchefjord
Land at Kapp Toscana on Ahlstrandhalvoya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjord, where piles of beluga skeletons are a reminder of the 20th century exploitation of these small magically white whales. Numbers are now recovering and there is a good chance of spotting small groups in the area. We then move to Recherchefjord, where you may see Spitsbergen reindeer while walking on the fragile tundra. Alternatively we may land at Midterhuken to explore the remains of 17th century English whaling sites. |
Day 12: | Arrive Longyearbyen
Early morning arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward home (please contact us to discuss a possible flight itinerary and receive a quotation for travel arrangements). |
Note: | Please note all itineraries are for guidance only. Programmes may vary depending on local weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for wildlife expedition cruises. |