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In the Wake of the Vikings: Scotland, Iceland & the Faroes
Aboard the Clipper Odyssey
From $9,980 per person, based on double occupancy. Single rates from $13,880.
Trip Overview
From Scotland’s Orkney and Shetlands islands, to the soaring bird cliff's of the Faroes and the hot springs and glacier-carved fjords of Iceland, this expedition presents the finest highlights of northern European waters during the height of summer. Sail the same routes as Viking seafarers to encounter glaciers and geysers, waterfalls and wildflowers, whales and seals, hot springs and a profusion of seabirds.
This tour may be combined with Wild and Ancient Britain, which runs July 1 – 15, 2011.
Trip Itinerary
Wednesday, July 13, 2011: USA
Depart on your independent overnight flight to Edinburgh. (Meals aloft)
Thursday, July 14: Edinburgh, Scotland
Arrive in Scotland’s historic capital and independently make your way to the hotel. Gather for a welcome reception followed by dinner, staff introductions, and a briefing. (D)
Friday, July 15: Edinburgh / Leith / Embark
After a relaxing morning and lunch at the hotel, a city tour showcases Edinburgh’s famous avenue, the Royal Mile. You’ll see Holyrood Palace, once the home of Mary Queen of Scots and now the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Visit St. Giles Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle before continuing to
Leith and embarking the Clipper Odyssey. (B,L,D)
Saturday, July 16: Aberdeen
After breakfast, depart on a city tour of Scotland’s third largest city. Aberdeen is also known as “The Granite City” for its stately gray stone architecture. Drive down Union Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, stopping at the cathedral and at the university that dates back to 1495. Next, visit a fishing village and the greenhouses of the Winter Gardens before returning to the ship for lunch. This afternoon you can visit Archaeolink Prehistory Park or enjoy a tour of local whiskey distilleries – Scotland’s most famous industry. (B,L,D)
Sunday, July 17: Inverness
Sail into the bay known as Moray Firth then choose one of two full-day tour options. You may opt to spend the day at Dunrobin Castle, whose towers and turrets seem to spring from the pages of a fairy tale. Scotland’s most northerly castle has been the private home to the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland since the 13th century. Tour the castle’s interior and explore the gardens, which were inspired by Paris’ Versailles. Lunch is included at the castle. The second option takes you to the historic town of Dornoch for the opportunity to visit a still-active 13th-century cathedral or the History Links Museum, which charts the archaeology and cultural history of the region. Enjoy lunch and then join the rest of the group at Dunrobin Castle for an afternoon tour. (B,L,D)
Monday, July 18: Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Arrive in the capital city of Kirkwall on Mainland Island in the Orkneys. Set off to visit the 12th-century St. Magnus Cathedral, whose red sandstone architecture towers above the landscape. A tour of the Orkney Museum illustrates the Orkney’s long history, with artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. In the afternoon, explore the World Heritage Site known as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Discover Maes Howe, a chambered tomb dating from 3500 B.C. that’s noted for its runic hieroglyphs left by visiting 12th-century Vikings. Investigate the enigmatic Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae, a remarkably well-preserved Stone Age village buried in sand some 4,500 years ago. Enjoy dinner aboard the ship, which remains alongside the dock, giving you the option to explore the town on your own this evening. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, July 19: At Sea / Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, Denmark
Cruise westward and enjoy lectures on the Faroe Islands, which sit nearly halfway between Scotland and Iceland and right in the heart of the Gulf Stream. The ship arrives in Tórshavn this evening. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, July 20: Tórshavn
Visited by Irish monks in the eighth century and later settled by Vikings, this small archipelago offers a mild-tempered climate and pastoral setting where sod-roofed farmsteads have prospered for the last millennium. Take a morning stroll through the historic center of Tórshavn, one of the world’s smallest capitals, then explore the surrounding emerald green hills. A historic wooden farmhouse offers a glimpse into Faroese life, old and new, before a tour of the National Historical Museum in Hoyvik.
After lunch on board, choose from two excursions. The first is a drive along scenic Kaldbak Fjord and through the picturesque Viking settlement of Kvivik. Continue through the three-mile-long undersea tunnel to the village of Sandavagur on Vagar Island, the historic seat from 1555 to 1816 of the løgmadur, the leader of the Faroese parliament. The second option includes a cross-country trek on Streymoy Island, climbing nearly 800 feet among miniature tarns and craggy outcroppings to the top of the Streymoy Sill, a volcanic formation sculpted smooth by glaciers. From there descend by coach into a beautiful valley, where hand-hewn stone salmon ladders lead to Lake Leynar. Stop in the charming village of Leynar before returning to Tórshavn along the stunning mountain road. (B,L,D)
Thursday, July 21: Mykines / Vestmanna
Arrive at the westernmost island of the Faroes – Mykines – whose year-round population hovers at 12 residents. Cruise by Zodiac around huge basalt columns, summer home to thousands of seabirds. Go ashore for an exploratory walk to the village and to view the enormous puffin colony (weather permitting). Upon arrival at the natural harbor of Vestmanna, drive inland to the historic village of Saksun, where a farmhouse museum displays artifacts from earlier centuries. Enjoy dinner onboard with stunning views of the surrounding cliffs. Spend the night in the harbor just as ancient Viking ships once did. (B,L,D)
Friday, July 22: Vestmanna / At Sea
Venture out in local boats to view vast numbers of razorbills, kittiwakes, and fulmars nesting in the element-sculpted cliffs and grottoes. Return to the Clipper Odyssey and set sail for Iceland. The lecture series continues and onboard experts recap our experiences thus far. (B,L,D)
Saturday, July 23: Höfn, Iceland
Arrive in Iceland and step ashore in the fishing community of Höfn, known as the gateway to Europe’s largest glacier. While much of Iceland is pastoral and green, its southeastern corner is covered by the Vatnajökull Glacier. The 1,000-foot-thick ice field sits upon active volcanoes; a 1996 eruption created a remarkable phenomenon – a crater on its surface. A spectacular drive brings you to waiting snowmobiles for a guided excursion across the vast expanses of glittering whiteness. After lunch at a small lodge, set out on an unforgettable boat ride on the glacial lake Jökulsárlón. Sail among aquamarine icebergs and watch as the glacier calves icebergs into the land-locked lagoon. (B,L,D)
Sunday, July 24: Heimay Island / Surtsey Island
A dramatic volcanic history haunts the extraordinary Westman Islands, now home to approximately 5,000 residents and multitudes of puffins, fulmars, and guillemots. A tour of Heimay takes you to a cliff where young islanders learn the sport of rope swinging; which evolved from an age-old tradition of ledge-to-ledge egg collecting. In the Herjolfsdalur Valley explore ruins of farmhouses dating back to 650 A.D. and see breathtaking views from Storhofdi. On the way back to the ship, pass between two volcanoes – one 5,000 years old and the other just 37 years; drive across the new volcano’s crater and into the town locals call the “Pompeii of the North.” Later, circumnavigate Surtsey Island, a fire-and-brimstone result of a 1963 undersea eruption. Approximately 56 species of vascular plants now grow on the island, and seals haul out to breed on its shores. Nearly 90 species of migrating birds, including graylag goose and snow bunting, use the island as
a rest stop. (B,L,D)
Monday, July 25: Reykjavík
After breakfast, set off by coach to explore Iceland’s “Golden Circle” – Thingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfosss. The tour begins with Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by mountains and encompassing a vast lava plain of moss and wildflowers. Icelanders regard the parklands as a sacred place; in the year 930, the world’s oldest legislative body first convened here. Continue to Gullfoss Waterfall where the Hvita River drops 96 feet in two voluminous cascades. The Geysir Center is a huge geothermal field of both hissing and tranquil multi-hued hot springs and bubbling mud pools. After lunch, drive to the Nesjavellir geothermal area to visit the power plant, where hot water is harnessed to heat the houses of Reykjavík. Return to the ship for dinner. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, July 26: Reykjavík / Disembark / USA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your independent flight home. (B)
