Ocean Endeavour, North Atlantic Saga ex Aberdeen to Reykjavik

10 Night Cruise sailing from Aberdeen to Reykjavik aboard Ocean Endeavour.

Day 1: Aberdeen, Scotland
Begin Your Adventure
After a day of independent exploration in Aberdeen, you’ll embark for an evening departure.

Many of the historic stone buildings here are made of locally quarried granite; high in mica, they can sparkle like silver.

The city is also famed for its forty-five parks, gardens, and floral displays. Though it is now a modern city, Aberdeen retains its old-world charm.

Day 2: Kirkwall, Orkney
Visit the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wander through the stone walls of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find the 4,000-year-old Ring of Brodgar.

Tour the Hall of Clestrain, childhood home of Arctic explorer John Rae. In Kirkwall, let yourself be captivated by the city’s sights, dominated by the massive St. Magnus Cathedral dating back to 1137.

Experience its lively pubs, vibrant music scene, fabulous shopping opportunities, and thriving artisan community.

Step back 5,000 years to the Neolithic village of Skara Brae. Considered one of the most important Neolithic ruins in Europe today, wander the well-preserved stone houses and learn what daily life was like here.

Day 3: Fair Isle
Enjoy Birdwatching at a Serene Island Community
Journey to charming Fair Isle, once a Viking hub and now an idyllic island colony of artists and shepherds.
Keep your binoculars handy to spot some of the 350 bird species that the island boasts, including puffins and great skuas in substantial numbers.

Take a tour of the local museum, dedicated to preserving the island's heritage.

Day 4: Vágur, Suðuroy Island, Faroe Islands
Immerse Yourself in Faroese Culture
Visit Vágur, where the warm hospitality of its 1,300 residents awaits you. Relish in the opportunity to witness Faroese chain dancing and share in stories of Vágur‘s captivating past. Enjoy the abundance of birdlife that the island boasts.

Let your senses feast on the view of Suðuroy’s towering west side. Admire majestic cliffs, stunning mountains, sea stacks, and the magnificent Beinisvørð mountain as it stands tall from afar.

See for yourself why the island is famed for its dramatic cliffs towering over the North Atlantic and enjoy this paradise for birds, including European storm petrels and Atlantic puffins.

Day 5: Tórshavn
Visit Galleries, Shops, and Restaurants
Explore the splendid little city of Tórshavn (“Thor’s harbour”), the Faroe Islands’ capital and a former Viking trading centre.

Stroll through the enchanting streets of the old town, where you'll discover a treasure trove of galleries, charming shops, and restaurants.

Admire the buildings with their grass roofs and black timber façades, offering a glimpse into traditional Faroese architecture and culture.

Day 6–8: Western Faroe Islands
Soak in Dramatic Mountains and Waterfalls
Eysturoy and Streymoy islands are perfect for hiking, birding, and photography. Charming villages connected by high-tech tunnels through mountains and beneath the ocean floor are a unique and startling feature of Faroese life.

Explore remote Faroese villages Elduvik and Funningur via Zodiac. With a population of only 12 and 70 respectively, these villages offer a glimpse into Faroese island life. As you meander through the dramatic landscape surrounded by beautiful mountains, get to know the locals and enjoy exploring the picturesque bays these villages call home.

The spectacular waterfall at Gásadalur is reached through one such tunnel—but look for the old switchback trail over the mountain, once used by the local postman!

Day 9: At Sea
Learn On Board
Deepen your understanding of the environment, cultures, and history of the region as we steam across the North Atlantic towards Iceland.

Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary, and get out on deck!

Day 10: Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands), Iceland
Marvel at Volcanic Landscapes
Vestmannaeyjar lies off the south coast of Iceland and comprises fourteen islands, numerous rocks, and skerries. Only the largest island, Heimaey, is inhabited.

Numerous species of seabirds, including the famous puffin, nest in the steep rock faces along the ocean cliffs. The volcanically active area has seen two major eruptions in recent times: the formation of the island of Surtsey in 1963, and the Eldfell eruption ten years later that destroyed much of Heimaey.

Day 11: Reykjavík, Iceland
Wave a Fond Farewell
Complete your journey in Reykjavík, Iceland’s cosmopolitan capital that was established in the year 874 CE.

Food, culture, and nightlife abound, while the National Culture House preserves treasures like the Poetic Edda and the Norse Sagas in their original manuscripts.

Disembark in the morning and say your farewells in what is widely considered one of the cleanest, greenest cities in the world.

Sailing with a maximum of 198-passengers, Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising. Outfitted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, multiple lounges and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote environments. The Ocean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, enabling her to freely explore throughout the Arctic summer.

Launched in 1982, she has had numerous upgrades, most recently in 2010 and 2014. At 137 meters (450ft) in length, Ocean Endeavour has plenty of interior and exterior space. Enjoy multiple decks offering comfortable lounge chairs, outdoor dining, a swimming pool, sauna and even a hot tub! The spacious interiors allow for multiple workshops and presentations to occur simultaneously. Community is at the heart of Adventure Canada’s expedition experience. We gather together to learn, enjoy a drink, sing a song or share a yarn – connecting with one and other. The three lounges aboard Ocean Endeavour are fantastic public spaces for seminars, events and dialogue.

Ocean Endeavour’s crew is experienced, and friendly. Her shallow draft and maneuverability allow her to access isolated fiords, bays and secluded communities. The stylish vessel is at home among the glorious settings we seek. Enjoy the class and comfort of a boutique hotel, while venturing to some of the world’s last great frontiers aboard the Ocean Endeavour!

Founded in 1987, Adventure Canada was created to bring travellers to Canada's "blank spaces", those areas whose remoteness alone made them special. Over the last fifteen years, along with our guests, we have discovered that there is so much that is extraordinary about the places we travel, from the landscape, wildlife and culture to the history, art and archeology that is unique to every destination. It is our belief that there is so much to see “beyond the binoculars” that drives us to delve deeper into our favourite places with every expedition and continually seek out new destinations.

We travel by small expedition ship, the best suited mode of transportation for remote exploration. The number of passengers on our voyages run between 45 and 100, depending on the ship we choose. We believe that these small vessels are superior, as they not only allow us to gain access to places not accessible by larger vessels, but our fleet of Zodiac landing craft permit us to visit some of the most remote places imaginable - the key to expeditionary travel.