REYKJAVIK TO TROMSO
ICELAND, JAN MAYEN & SVALBARD

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16 DAYS

ITINERARY SUMMARY
DayPlaceHighlights
1Reykjavik, IcelandExplore Reykjavik, Board the Silver Wind
2GrundarfjorudurStunning scenery as you visit Iceland's most photgraphed spot.
3Sudereyri & BolungarvikVisit old fishing villages, view beautiful landscapes
4SiglufjordurExplore Iceland's northernmost town,go hiking to reach stunning views
5HusavilkVisit the European capitol of whale watching, go hiking, horse riding and visit Dettifloss waterfall
6At SeaRelax, unwind and catch up with what you've been meaning to do
7Jan Mayen IslandWhale and birdwatching, view an active volcano, hike to research station for impressive views
8At SeaRelax, unwind and catch up with what you've been meaning to do
9 & 10Svalbard Northen RegionBeautiful fjords, prominent glaciers, hike stunning scenery
11 - 13Svalbard Southern RegionPolar bears, walrus, icebergs, glaciers
14Bear IslandExperience nature in its finest in this southernmost island of the Svalbard Archipelago
15Skarsvag (Nordkapp) & Gjesvarstappan IslandsGlorious scenery, visit one of Europe's largest and most accessible nesting areas for Atlantic Seabirds
16Tromso, NorwayDisembark and explore this fantastic Norwegian Town
Silver Wind Reyk to Tromso

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Silver Wind
Silver Wind Exterior

The Silver Wind is a is a modern and luxurious ship providing cosy ambiance for the 240 passengers on board (she has capacity for 254 passengers but only takes 240 to the polar regions). Originally built in 1995, she has undergone refurbishments in December 2018 with a second planned for summer 2020. She is timelessly elegant and full of opulence throughout all of her 6 passenger decks. Her new and improved strengthened ice-class hull makes for ease and adaptable sailing through the Polar Regions for whatever the conditions may bring.

Day 1 Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation’s nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island’s population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh),Reykjavík presents a colourful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colours and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces. Reykjavík’s name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. Embark Silver Wind

Day 2 Grundarfjorudur

West Iceland

As double acts go, Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall and Kirkjufell Mountain are hard to beat.  The perfectly symmetrical mountain taper of Kirkjufell complements the roaring waterfall, and is said to be the most photographed spot in Iceland. That’s a bold claim, considering the country’s abundance of natural assets, but this natural duo is an undeniably unique and mesmerising sight. Occasionally, as the sun fades away, a stunning trio is formed, with the northern lights dancing overhead, casting its ethereal green haze over the scene below. Reach the stirring views with a short walk from Grundarfjorudur town, or head out into the wilderness on horse, along well-trampled bridleways. The mountain is known as Church Mountain, due to its isolated peak, which pierces the sky like a spire. You might recognise it as a ‘mountain shaped like an arrowhead’ which is how it was described during its Game of Thrones cameo. In Grundarfjorudur itself, fishing boats gently bob amid the dramatic, snow-flecked mountain scenery. With whales cruising the fjords and eagles diving overhead, you’re also at the centre of some of Iceland’s most spectacular and atmospheric wildlife.

Day 3 Sudereyri & Bolungarvik

Isafjordur, Iceland

Suðureyri is a small Icelandic fishing village perched on the tip of the 13 km-long Súgandafjörður in the Westfjords. The community was isolated for years by the huge mountains and rough road that led over them. Now it is connected to Ísafjörður by a 5 km tunnel. The village has tours set up to allow visitors to experience traditional Icelandic life firsthand. This includes going out on original fishing boats or visiting the fish factory in town. You can also go swimming in a geothermal swimming pool.

Puffin

Bolungarvík is a small town and the only built-up area in the municipality of Bolungarvíkurkaupstaður in the northwest of Iceland, located on the Westfjords peninsula, approximately 14 kilometres from the town of Ísafjörður and 473 km from the capital city Reykjavík. It was one of Iceland’s oldest fishing outposts and is close to abundant fishing grounds as well as a natural history museum where a polar bear specimen and the biggest bird collection in Iceland can be seen. Skálavík bay can be reached by gravel road over a mountain pass. That same road also leads to the top of the Bolafjall mountain (638 m.) with views of the village of Bolungarvík, the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord, the Jökulfirðir fjords and the Hornstrandir nature reserve. The surroundings of Bolungarvík are destinations for hiking, horse riding, sea angling and birdwatching.

Day 4 Siglufjordur

Greenlandic Town with Mountains

A tiny town in the scenic north of Iceland, cosseted away by a jagged wall of mountain peaks, Siglufjordur is an isolated gem. With just over a thousand residents, Siglufjordur takes its name from the glassy fjord that stretches out nearby. Iceland’s northernmost town, only a single-lane road tunnel, bored through the snow-capped mountains, provides a land link with the rest of the country. Siglufjordur is a historic Atlantic capital of herring fishing, and you can learn of the industry that gave the town its purpose, and powered Iceland’s economy at the award-winning Herring Era Museum. Take a boat out around the scenic fjord, or embark on lengthy hikes out and above this romantically isolated outpost.

Day 5 Husavik

Husavik, Iceland

There’s simply nowhere better than Husavilk – the European capital of whale watching – for getting up close and personal with the majestic giants of the ocean. Pretty Husavik is framed by the majestic Húsavíkurfjall mountain, which swells up behind, creating a stunning backdrop for the town’s tiny wooden warehouses, cherry red houses and undulating fishing ships. Sail among gentle giants in Shaky Bay, spotting humpbacks, minke whales and the world’s biggest – blue whales. Hikes and horse rides into the surrounding countryside can take you up around Lake Botnsvatn, to views down from the slopes of the Húsavíkurfjall – where purple spired lupin flowers spill down amongst the emerald slopes. From the summit, look out over views of the bay, reaching out to the crumpled snowy peaks beyond. Or feel the full force of this land of natural power, at Dettifloss Waterfall, one of Europe’s most powerful, thrashing flumes.

Day 6 At Sea

Silver Wind Champage

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching or catching up on your reading, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Day 7 Jan Mayen Island

Jan Mayen

Humpback and minke whales cavort and feed in the waters around the impressive volcanic island of Jan Mayen with its towering ebony peaks and broad black lava beaches. The primordial landscape is dominated to the north by the 7,500 feet high (2,300 meters) Mt Beerenberg, an active volcano covered in glacial ice that last erupted in 1985. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, a landing is possible at this rarely visited outpost. Visitors may walk to the research and weather station, or beyond, for birds-eye views of the meteorological station and the long black sandy eastern shore of the island. Birds to be seen here may include Atlantic Puffins, Northern Fulmars, and Snow Buntings.

Day 8 At Sea

Gym Silver Wind

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching or catching up on your reading, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Days 9-13 Svalbard

Svalbard

There are several deep fjords and prominent glaciers in the northern reaches of Svalbard, as well as the northern hemisphere’s widest glacier front. Ice conditions will dictate how much can be accessed in terms of cruising bird islets like the Andøyane Islets or approaching glaciers like Monaco Glacier and Seliger Glacier. The Northern Region is also known to have several walrus haul-outs and areas defined as “Arctic Desert”. Walks and hikes ashore to have a closer look at flora and wildlife are a possibility in the spectacular Northern Region of Svalbard.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Svalbard’s Southern Region and specifically Spitsbergen’s west coast is less ice-clogged than the rest of Svalbard due to the moderating influenced of the Gulf Stream. Several fjords cut into the western coast of Spitsbergen and have been used by trappers and hunters, as well as the different mining companies that tried to exploit the riches of the archipelago’s largest island of Spitsbergen. Remains of huts and mines, as well as active commercial and scientific settlements can be found and visited. Depending on the time of the season, glaciers can be visited on foot or by sea.

Day 14 Bear Island

Bear Island, Norway

Almost half way between Tromsø and Svalbard is isolated Bear Island – considered the southernmost island of the Svalbard Archipelago. The unglaciated island is an impressive Nature Reserve of steep, high cliffs that are frequented by seabirds, specifically at the southern tip. Brünnich’s Guillemots, Common Guillemots, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Little Auks, Northern Fulmars, Glaucous Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and even Atlantic Puffins and Northern Gannets nest along the cliffs south of Sørhamna.  Despite of the name, bear Island, polar bears are very infrequent visitors.

Day 15 Skarsvag (Nordkapp) & Gjesvarstappan Islands

Nordkapp, Norway

For those who prefer comfort, the ship will anchor off Skarsvag, the “most northerly fishing village in the world”, and, weather conditions permitting, head ashore via Zodiac. You will travel by coach to the North Cape where you can admire the glorious scenery, stop in at the visitor’s centre and take photos at the famed globe monument. On a clear day the panorama is quite spectacular. On the return to Ship, watch for reindeer grazing on the surrounding hillsides.

Razorbill, Iceland

Almost a hundred islands and rocks make up the Gjesvarstappan Nature Reserve, one of Europe’s largest and most accessible nesting areas for Atlantic seabirds. Less than 10 nautical miles from Nordkapp more than one million nesting birds have been counted on Storstappen, the largest of the islands, and the minor islands next to it. One of the most significant Atlantic Puffin colonies in North Norway is found in this nature reserve. Zodiacs are the best way to look for the Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Black and Common Guillemots, Northern Gannets, White-tailed Eagles, and Arctic Skuas, Common Eider Ducks, Common Shags and Great Cormorants as well as various other species.

Day 16 Disembark Tromsø

Tromso

Tromsø surprised visitors in the 1800s: they thought it was very sophisticated and cultured for being so close to the North Pole—hence its nickname, the Paris of the North. A visit to Tromsø beckons you to the extremes of this magical country, to explore a fairytale land of jagged mountains, glistening glaciers and husky-pulled sledges. Despite its remote location, you’ll discover a perhaps surprisingly cosmopolitan city. To get the best view over the city, take the cable car to Storsteinen’s amazing viewpoint. Magnificent views down over the city, fjord and Tromso’s arching bridge will unravel before you. The midnight sun shines from May 21 to July 21, and it is said that the northern lights decorate the night skies over Tromsø more than over any other city in Norway.

To book this cruise contact us on 1300 784 794 or email: contact@arctictravelcentre.com.au

We will tailor the perfect holiday to suit your needs.