Enjoy the best of Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs, and beluga whales rise from the sea. Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers, keep watch for arctic fox, and discover historical camps of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to find walrus and bearded seals, and delight in the breathtakingly beautiful fjords.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 – Embarkation day.

Day 3-11 – Svalbard.

Day 12 – Disembark in Longyearbyen.

Voyage highlights

-Venture close to 80° north, searching for polar bears on pack ice.

-Discover the thrill of seeing walrus, seals, whales, reindeer, arctic fox, guillemots and puffins.

-Cruise along blue glacier fronts and through stunning fjords.

-Enjoy tundra hikes amid stunningly beautiful scenery.

Trip details

Ship: Greg Mortimer

Trip length: 12 days

Travel dates: 29th June – 08th July 2024

Embark: Longyearbyen, Norway

Disembark: Longyearbyen, Norway

On this expedition, AE Expeditions combines three unique worlds on one unforgettable journey. From Stone Age villages to Iron Age forts, the Orkney and Shetland Islands reveal a proud Scottish heritage, while Vikings, fjords and fishing folk feature along the sublime Norwegian coastline, which includes a visit to famous Lofoten Islands. Crossing the Arctic Circle to Svalbard, discover a landscape of towering cliffs alive with breeding birds; a frozen wonderland of gleaming glaciers and where the mighty polar bear reigns supreme.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Aberdeen and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 – Embarkation day.

Days 3-4 – Orkney Islands.

Day 5 – Shetland Islands.

Day 6 – At sea.

Days 7-10 – Norwegian coastline.

Days 11-14 – Bear Island and Svalbard.

Day 15 – Disembark in Longyearbyen.

Voyage highlights

– Visit picturesque villages and castles that were once strongholds of Scottish clans.

– Encounter Neolithic sites dating back more than 5,000 years.

– Sail north across the imaginary line that defines the boundary of the Arctic Circle.

– Experience some of the north’s most spectacular fjords and glaciers in Svalbard.

– Search for the mighty polar bear and encounter enormous walrus haulouts.

– Sail beneath towering cliffs alive with breeding birds.

Trip details

Ship: Greg Mortimer

Trip length: 15 days

Travel dates: 06th June – 20th June 2024

Embark: Aberdeen

Disembark: Longyearbyen, Norway

Explore Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, walrus haul out on sea ice and guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs. In East Greenland, sail deep into the world’s largest fjord, Scoresbysund, visit Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the world’s remotest Inuit settlements, cruise among iridescent icebergs sculpted into fantastic shapes, and walk across tundra blooming in brightly coloured flowers, while tasting delicious wild berries.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Longyearbyen and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 – Embarkation day.

Days 3-4 – Svalbard.

Days 5-6 – Greenland Sea.

Days 7-13 – East Greenland.

Day 14 – Denmark Strait.

Day 15 – Disembark in Reykjavik.

Voyage highlights

– Watch arctic fox hunt beneath towering cliffs that are home to enormous colonies of guillemots and fulmars.

– In Svalbard, push through pack ice, searching for polar bears and ringed seals.

– Quietly approach musk oxen and reindeer on tundra walks.

– Zodiac-cruise along vast glacial fronts and into Øfjord as sunset paints the surrounding 2,000-metre (6,562-feet) walls a vibrant pink.

Trip details

Ship: Sylvia Earle

Trip length: 15 days

Travel dates: 23rd June – 07th July 2024

Embark: Longyearbyen

Disembark: Reykjavik

Discover some of the United Kingdom’s most historically significant and wildlife-rich destinations on this voyage from Portsmouth to Aberdeen. With numerous islands located in the Atlantic Ocean, a vast amount of the UK coastline is ideal for exploration by ship. In England, Wales and Scotland, there are designated Heritage Coasts, some which fall within national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and some standalone coastal strips that are protected simply because they are part of a particular location’s heritage. Stroll through charming fishing villages, visit majestic castles, cathedrals, historical homes and gardens, encounter magnificent archaeological sites, witness a dazzling array of birds, and soak up the remarkable history of a land that has been continuously inhabited for over 5,000 years.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in London and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay. Welcome reception and pre-embarkation briefing.

Day 2 – Embarkation day. Complete final health screening/testing prior to embarking the Greg Mortimer in Portsmouth.

Days 3 – Fowey, Cornwall.

Day 4 – Tresco, Isles of Scilly.

Days 5 – Penzance, Cornwall.

Day 6 – Lundy Island, England.

Days 7 – Pembrokeshire Islands, Wales.

Day 8 – Holy Island, Wales.

Day 9 – Isle of Man, England.

Day 11 -Staffa and Iona, Scotland.

Day 12 – St Kilda, Scotland.

Day 13 – Fair Isle and Papa Westray, Scotland.

Day 14 – Disembark in Aberdeen.

Voyage highlights

– Discover Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home to two of the most iconic ships in British maritime history.

– Be charmed by Cornwall’s dazzling coastline, castles, legends and iconic harbours.

– Experience some of the UK’s most remarkable birdlife at Pembrokeshire Islands.

– Visit Britain’s highest sea cliffs at UNESCO World Heritage-listed St Kilda.

Trip details

Ship: Greg Mortimer

Trip length: 14 days

Travel dates: 04th – 17th May 2023

Embark: London

Disembark: Aberdeen

Experience the enormity of Greenland – the world’s largest island – where jagged peaks pierce azure skies, and countless glaciers snake their way towards the coast. Discover ancient rocks at Skaergaard Peninsula dating back some 55 million years. Hikes across in search of Arctic fox, reindeer and Arctic tundra, tasting delicious wild berries along the way. Zodiac-cruise along sounds filled and see ringed seals lazing on sea ice calved from Greenland’s enormous ice sheets—the largest in Arctic, and encounter humpback and minke whales feeding in the nutrient-rich waters. Sail Prince Christian Sound, flanked by imposing mountains, as it carves its way through south Greenland where green pastures signal the presence of human settlement, and where the Viking ruins of Erik the Red still stand at Hvalsey. Weaving through the fjords and channels, we enter west Greenland, the country’s most developed region, home to the nation’s capital, Nuuk, and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ilulissat Icefjord.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Reykjavik.

Day 2 – Embarkation day.

Days 3 – At sea.

Day 4 – Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

Days 5 – Tasiilaq, Sermilik Fjord.

Day 6 – Skjoldungen Island.

Days 7 – Prince Christian Sound.

Day 8 – Tasermiut Fjord, Klosterdal, Nanortalik.

Day 9 – Hvalsey, Qaqortoq.

Day 10 – Paamiut.

Day 11 -Nuuk.

Day 12 – Sisimiut.

Day 13 – Ilulissat.

Day 14 – Eqip Sermia.

Day 15 – Eternity Fjord.

Day 16 – Disembark in Kangerlussuaq.

Day 17 – Depart Toronto.

Voyage highlights

– At Kangerlussuaq Fjord on Greenland’s remote east coast, we visit Skaergaard Intrusion, known to geologists worldwide for their unusual layering, formed some 55 million years ago.

– Sail along Prince Christian Sound, surrounded by towering mountains with glaciers that calve directly into the sea.

– Enjoy thrilling Zodiac cruises to glacier fronts and watch for tail flukes from diving whales.

– Stand in awe in front breathtakingly beautiful Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World-Heritage Site.

-At the National Museum in Nuuk, see the fascinating exhibit of the Qilakitsoq mummies dating back 545 years, which were accidentally discovered in 1972.

Trip details

Ship: Sylvia Earle

Trip length: 17 days

Travel dates: 06th – 22nd July 2024

Embark: Reykjavik

Disembark: Toronto

Explore the ‘Land of Ice and Fire’ where snow-capped peaks rise above glaciers and active volcanoes rumble. Explore Westfjords, one of the remotest and most pristine regions in Iceland—ideal for nature hikes and sea kayaking. Discover Hjalteyri, a hidden gem that was once the centre of the Icelandic herring fishing industry, now a base for whale-watching adventures. Across the Arctic Circle at Grimsey Island, stretch your legs on hikes across the island and discover cliffs teeming with seabirds. Our team of experts will interpret this fascinating country— one of the world’s youngest. It’s a land of spectacular geology that is rich in wildlife, culture and human history.

Note: In order to experience some of the incredible scenery of Iceland, a number of the shore excursions on this itinerary require coach travel away from the coast.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Reykjavik.

Day 2 – Embarkation day.

Days 3 – Stykkisholmur.

Day 4-6 – Westfjords.

Days 7 -Hjalteyri.

Day 8 – Grimsey Island.

Days 9 – Seydifjordur.

Day 10 – Westman Islands.

Day 11 – Reykjavik.

Voyage highlights

– Witness the incredible diversity of Iceland’s landscapes forged by the powerful seismic activity that has shaped the island’s appearance and way of life of the people.

– Visit Grimsey Island, located above the Arctic Circle, and features impressive cliffs teeming with nesting seabirds including charismatic puffins.

– Once the centre of the herring industry, Hjalteyri now boasts some of the best whale-watching experiences in Iceland.

– Discover Seydisfjordur, a hidden gem on Iceland’s east coast.

Trip details

Ship: Sylvia Earle

Trip length: 11 days

Travel dates: 21st – 31st May 2024

Embark: Reykjavik

Disembark: Reykjavik, Iceland