WILD ISLES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Seabourn Venture

Seabourn Venture was launched in July of 2022, designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards. She includes a plethora of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ship’s global deployment and capabilities. This ship features an innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveller. She is also designed to carry a complement of double sea kayaks as well as 24 Zodiacs that can accommodate all onboard guests at once, which will allow for a truly immersive experience. Venture features 132 all veranda, all ocean-front suites.

Day 1 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Embark the ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s fun-loving and cosmopolitan capital. Its seat of government is Stormont Castle, a beautiful baronial mansion. There is something of interest here for everyone: Victorian architecture, a glittering waterfront, modern art, and over 90 Irish pubs. The Giants Ring, a 5,000-year- old stone ‘henge’ shows occupation here since the Bronze Age. The magnificent copper dome of Belfast City Hall dominates the city centre. Belfast is also the site of the memorial statue for R.M.S Titanic, because it was here that the ship was built in 1909. Some additional icons of the city include the 113’ (34 m) Albert Memorial clock tower, the 12^th century Belfast Castle, and the twin spires of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Discover art galleries, the Opera house, fountains, botanical gardens, and a zoo in this dynamic city.

Day 2 At Sea

Spend this day at your own leisure. Attend the numerous expert lectures, look for wildlife from the observation decks, or relax and enjoy the ship’s onboard amenities.

Day 3 Kirkwall, Scotland

The Orkney Archipelago, a collection of stark, treeless islands off Scotland’s northern coast, is steeped in history dating back over 5,000 years. Here you’ll find Europe’s densest concentration of ancient Neolithic sites, and rugged coastlines framed by towering cliffs of Old Red Sandstone from the Devonian period.

Choose from the following two included shore excursions to explore Kirkwall:

Option 1: Heart of Neolithic Orkney

Option 2: Highlights of Orkney with Guided tour of Stromness

Day 4 Fair Isle and Mousa, Shetland Islands

Fair Isle is a haven for bird enthusiasts and lovers of traditional knitwear. Owned by the National Trust for Scotland, this tiny island is home to a close-knit community of about 70 people. The landscape is etched with remnants of ancient stone houses and turf and stone walls, revealing evidence of Neolithic settlements dating back up to 5,000 years.

Between April and August, the cliffs echo with the symphony of Northern Fulmars, Black-Legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Common Guillemots, Black Guillemots, and Atlantic Puffins. Skuas and Arctic Terns fiercely guard their nests on the moorlands, while a small colony of Northern Gannets can also be spotted. The Fair Isle Bird Observatory has been conducting scientific research on bird migration and seabird colonies for over 55 years. The island’s marine life includes Grey and Common Seals, Harbour Porpoises, and occasionally, dolphins, Killer Whales, and Minke Whales.

Mousa is a tiny island set just off Scotland’s southeast coast, and is dominated by its eponymous broch, one of the country’s best-preserved prehistoric monuments. A unique Scottish phenomenon, brochs or fortified round towers represent the apex Iron Age dry-stone wall construction. Hundreds of these windowless towers once peppered northwest Scotland; of those that remain, the Mousa broch stands as the finest and most famous, mentioned twice in Norse sagas. Built around 300 BC and boasting 16-foot-thick walls, the 43-foot-high broch offers commanding views across Mousa Sound. Today the island is uninhabited – except, that is, for some 12,000 pairs of breeding storm petrels, one of the United Kingdom’s largest colonies. (Many nest inside the broch.) It also offers refuge for great skuas, Arctic terns, black guillemots and other seabirds, as well as seals and otters.

Day 5 Lerwick

People have lived and prospered on Shetland since Neolithic times. Shetland was ruled by the Norse for several hundred years, but Norse culture and practice survived long after the period of Norse rule. Placenames are almost exclusively Norse, while there is also genetic evidence showing that around 60% of Shetlanders stem from a western Norwegian lineage. Houses are of Scandinavian style and the Shetland flag is based in the design of the main Scandinavian flags. Perhaps the strongest clue of the relationship between these places lies in the dialect spoken by Shetlanders today, which contains many Old Norse words.

The main town of Lerwick was built on the herring trade and modernised by the oil trade, the town has a strong maritime feel. Today it is home to a third of the islands’ population. Britain’s most northerly town, is a small, bustling, cosmopolitan seaport with a population of over 7,000 people and fine architecture. The name Lerwick is derived from Norse and means ‘bay of clay.’

Choose from the two following included shore excursions to explore Lerwick:

Option 1: Shetland Panorama and Ponies

Option 2: Jarlshof and Southern Shores

Day 6 Isle of Noss

The Isle of Noss is a small gem of an island offering one of the most spectacular wildlife sights in the world. Its truly striking landscape provides for the perfect environment that supports a colossal number of birds. Its grass-topped, vertical cliffs, some 500’ (152 m) high, plunge straight into the sea.

Established as a National Nature Reserve in 1955, Noss is home to over 300,000 breeding seabirds. The first sighting of Noss always imprints strongly on a visitor’s memories. Even those with no previous interest in birds cannot help being impressed by the stupendous aural chorus of around 150,000 adult birds and chicks at the peak of the breeding season. This wildlife reserve is an important colony for nesting gannets, shags, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, herring gulls, fulmars and skuas. Without a doubt, a visit here is one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife experiences on earth. For that reason, Noss is often referred to as ‘Seabird City’ or the ‘Garden of the Cliffs.’

Day 7 Vagur, Faroe Islands

Nestled in a deep fjord on Suðuroy, Vágur is a picturesque village where dramatic cliffs meet the North Atlantic. Explore the pastoral landscape, hike to the iconic Eggjarnar viewpoint, or learn about the island’s rich seafaring traditions in this peaceful corner of the Faroes.

Day 8 Torshavn

Unfathomably beautiful and mysteriously tucked away, Tórshavn is a quaint and pleasant town. Serving as the gateway to the Faroe archipelago, it has been called ‘Europe’s best kept secret.’ The 18 jagged, volcanic Faroe Islands are an idyllic escape, peacefully furnished with lush green valleys, imposing basalt cliffs, grand treeless moorlands and waterfalls plunging directly into the wind-crested ocean. Norse settlers established their parliament here in AD 850, ensuring Tórshavn as the capital of the Faroe Islands. By the outbreak of WW1 the cod fishing grounds off the coast of Iceland saw regular visits by Faroese fishermen.

The National Museum of the Faroe Islands, The Nordic House and the old grass-roofed buildings of Tinganes, comprise the attractive, historic centre of town. Explore elegantly simple Tórshavn Cathedral, built in 1788, painted white and roofed with slate. Nearby one can also discover the small fortification of Skansin, built in 1540 to defend Tórshavn against marauding pirates.

Day 9 Klaksvik

Nestled between steep mountains and deep fjords, Klaksvík is the cultural and economic heart of Borðoy, one of the northernmost islands in the Faroese archipelago. As the second-largest town in the Faroe Islands, it reflects the region’s deep connection to the sea — fishing remains central to daily life and local identity. Klaksvík is also home to the striking Christianskirkjan, a modernist church built in 1963 that blends traditional Faroese design with Nordic architectural influences. Its use of basalt stone, wooden beams, and a boat-shaped interior pays homage to the islands’ seafaring heritage. Brewing is another thread in the cultural fabric here, with local beer production reflecting a broader Faroese tradition of craftsmanship and community. Surrounded by dramatic natural beauty, Klaksvík offers a glimpse into the diversity of landscapes and lifestyles that define the Faroe Islands.

Day 10 Oyndarfjordur

This quiet village on Eysturoy is famed for its mysterious “rocking stones” — boulders that sway with the tide. Surrounded by steep mountains and lush valleys, Oyndarfjørður offers a serene setting for cultural encounters and scenic walks. Visit the village of Eiði on Eysturoy Island, featuring colorful houses spread out of the flat isthmus that gives the village is name. First settled by the Vikings in the 9th century, Eiði was once the second biggest town in the Faroe Islands.

Day 11 Djupivogur and Papey Island, Iceland

Djúpivogur is a very small, quaint town of some 456 people, located in East Iceland in Berufjörður fjord. Towering, pyramid-shaped Mount Búlandstindur dominates the landscape, rising to 1,069m. It is a place of unspoiled nature, with quiet lagoons and a tranquil harbor populated by colorful fishing boats. The area is well-known for the diversity of birdlife, especially in nearby Búlandsnes Bird Sanctuary where most of Iceland’s bird species can be observed.

Djúpivogur is a creative community, displaying its local arts and crafts in workshops and galleries. The Eggs of Merry Bay, ‘Eggin í Gleðivík,’ is a large outdoor art installation by renowned Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson. It consists of 34 large sculpted stone eggs representing the 34 bird species found in the vicinity. Located only a kilometre from the town center, it makes an easy and pleasant stroll along the shore.

Papey, Celtic for ‘Friar’s’ Island, is situated 5 kilometres off of the eastern coast of Iceland. Although the largest island in Eastern Iceland, it is only 2 square kilometres in area. Its windswept, grassy slopes rise to 58 metres culminating in a rock formation called the Castle. Rocky sea cliffs surround much of the island, providing excellent habitat for nesting sea birds. Guillemots occupy Papey until mid-summer while Atlantic puffins abound until mid-September. Seals and eider ducks can be found here during breeding season.

Although there is evidence of early Norse settlement, the island takes its name from Irish monks known as ‘papar’ who presumably occupied the island. The medieval Icelandic ‘Book of Settlements’ mentions this as a place inhabited by these ‘Vestmen’ (men of the west). Today, a lighthouse, a dwelling and a church are on the island. The small church, with its white picket fence and red roof is the oldest wooden church in Iceland, built in 1902.

Day 12 Grimsey

The small Icelandic island of Grimsey is the most northerly inhabited part of Iceland, sitting right under the Arctic Circle. There is a monument where the Arctic Circle was a few years, and due to Earth’s oscillations, the Polar Circle now lies further north.

The quaint Icelandic island of Grimsey stands as the northernmost inhabited part of Iceland. A few years ago, the Arctic Circle was marked by a monument on the island, but due to Earth’s oscillations, it now lies further north. This small island is home to a close-knit community and hosts bustling colonies of seabirds.

Day 13 Siglufjordur

Hidden in the northernmost reach of the Icelandic mainland, Siglufjörður is a charming fishing hamlet of approximately 1,200 residents. Founded in 1918, it was once the thriving hub of North Atlantic herring fishing. Today, the legacy of this industry lives on at the Síldarminjasafnið Herring Era Museum, one of Iceland’s largest maritime and industrial showcases, where visitors can delve into both traditional and modern aspects of herring fishing. High mountains, serene freshwater lakes, the meandering Hólsá river, black sand beaches, and a plethora of birdlife create a diverse and captivating landscape — the perfect backdrop to this serene destination.

Day 14 Dynjandi and Patreksfjordur

Nestled in the Westfjords, a remote and rugged section of Iceland, Arnafjörður, a long fjord branches in many directions.

One of the highlights of the fjord is the impressive Dynjandi Waterfall. Also known as Fjallfoss, it cascades for about 100m down the side of a mountain and from a distance it resembles a bridal veil. Dynjandi and the grasses that grow along its base provide important habitat for various species of sea birds and ducks. A visit to any of the levels of the falls is a true adventure.

The small village of Patreksfjörður serves as gateway to the Westfjords peninsula in northeastern Iceland and some of the country’s most spectacular attractions. Fishing is the main industry here, although tourism is quickly growing thanks to Patreksfjörður’s proximity to such natural wonders as Dynjandi waterfalls. Látrabjarg, a rocky promontory that marks the westernmost point of Europe (not counting the Azores), is recognized as one of the best birdwatching spots on the planet. Látrabjarg’s four rugged, wind-battered cliffs — stretching for nearly nine miles and reaching close to 1,500 feet in height — are home to more than 1 million birds, including massive colonies of colorful puffins and around 40 percent of the world’s nesting razorbills. The red sands of Rauðasandur beach are a stark contrast to most of the country’s black volcanic beaches, while the wreck of Gardar BA 64, Iceland’s oldest steel whaling ship, lies in rusting ruins along Patreksfjörður’s shore.

Day 15 Reykjavik

Disembark in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Steeped in history and bursting with contemporary flair, Reykjavík was founded around 870 C.E, marking the birth of the first permanent settlement on this island nation. Today, it is home to approximately 200,000 inhabitants, making up nearly 60% of Iceland’s population. Reykjavík holds the title of the world’s northernmost national capital, and it takes pride in its reputation as one of the cleanest, greenest, and safest cities globally. Its commitment to sustainability and eco-consciousness is evident in every corner, from its energy-efficient buildings to its pollution-free skies.