Cruise on the new luxury ships SH Vega and SH Diana

Day 1 Arrival in Reykjavik

You will be met at Reykjavik airport and transferred to the hotel where you will spend the night before the cruise. On this day you can explore the capital of Iceland on your own.

The most popular sights in and around Reykjavík are Hallgrímskirkja Lutheran Church, Blue Lagoon geothermal center, and the Golden Circle in Thingvellir National Park, including Gullfoss waterfall and Strokkur geyser.

Day 2 Boarding the ship

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the port and board the ship. During a welcome cocktail, you will meet the ship's crew and expedition members. The ship will sail out to the sea in the evening, passing the picturesque bay.

Day 3 Dynjandi waterfalls

Today you will visit Iceland's largest series of waterfalls on the Dynjandi River. They are located near the Dynjandisvogur Fjord, an area with stunning views, picturesque coastlines, and rich fauna.

Water cascades falling from a height of 100 m, flowing over moss-covered rocks. Climbing up to the observation deck near the waterfalls, you can take fantastic photos.

Not far away there is the Hrafnseyri town. It is the birthplace of Jón Sigurðsson, 19th-century leader of the Icelandic Independence movement. A local museum tells the history of Iceland, and the property also includes a church and a prototype of a traditional Icelandic turf-roofed house.

Day 4 Ísafjördur and Vigur Island

Today you arrive in Ísafjördur, the largest town on the Westfjords peninsula in northwest Iceland. The first settlements appeared here shortly after the Vikings landed in Iceland. Today it is a lively fishing town with colorful wooden houses of the 18th and 19th centuries. People come here to see Rauðisandur beach on the west coast of Westfjords and the abandoned American radar.

You will also visit Vigyur, the largest and most picturesque island in the Ísafjarðardjúp Fjord. Here you will find the country's only surviving windmill, the oldest metal-hulled ship, and the smallest post office in Europe.

Nearby are the Látrabjarg Cliffs, Iceland's westernmost point, where hundreds of seabirds nest. It is one of the world's best places to see the famous Atlantic puffins. They are nicknamed "sea parrots" because of their massive beaks and colorful plumage.

Day 5 Grímsey Island

On this day, you will cross the Arctic Circle boundary that runs through the small Grímsey Island. You will be given certificates of your achievement.

The island is very picturesque: it is covered with flowering meadows where the local population grazes sheep and Icelandic horses. The vertical basalt walls of the cliffs gently transition into slopes overgrown with colorful lupines. From here you can see the Arctic Ocean stretching to the horizon in all its glory.

Also, you will see a lighthouse and a church built in 1867 from driftwood nailed to the shore.

Day 6 Akureyri city and Mývatn Lake

Today you will find yourself in the Northern Capital of Iceland, Akureyri city. Approaching it you can see humpback whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Akureyri is located at the mouth of the picturesque Eyjafjörður fjord and is surrounded by mountains. It is the second largest city in the country, but only about 20,000 people live here. Walking through its streets, you will see traditional houses with turf roofs, the Arctic Botanical Garden, and unusual traffic lights glowing with red hearts.

Then you will head to the suburbs, to the famous Mývatn Lake. You will see vast lava fields, volcano craters, giant figures made of frozen magma, and a hot water cave. Nearby are the Game of Thrones filming locations and Goðafoss, one of Iceland's most famous waterfalls.

Day 7 Seyðisfjörður

You will move to the east coast of Iceland and visit the Seyðisfjörður’s port. Fantastic views of mountains, fjords, and waterfalls attract many artists here.

While walking around the town, you will see the old wooden structures built by the first settlers, Danish traders. At the beginning of the 20th century, this small port town was the site of a technological breakthrough: the first telegraph station in Iceland, a modern power station, and a machine shop powered by hydroelectricity were built here.

Day 8 Höfn and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

With a population of only about 1,700, Höfn is nevertheless the largest city in eastern Iceland. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean, next to Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull. Only the glaciers of Greenland and Antarctica are bigger than it in terms of water reserves. The area of the glacier is about 8,300 km², and under its massif, there are several active volcanoes.

In the vicinity of the city is the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Here melted glacial water mixes with salty sea water, and ice blocks breaking off from the glacier form a variety of bizarre shapes. The waters of the lagoon are full of fish, which are hunted by seals.

Day 9 Heimaey Island

Heimaey is the largest and only inhabited island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. We recommend you be on the open decks when approaching the island: this region is known as the best place in Iceland to see orcas and fin whales. It is also home to the largest colony of Atlantic puffins in the world, and millions of birds come here every summer.

Cape Stórhöfðii on the south side of the island is the best point to see and capture nesting puffins up close. There is also an early 20th-century lighthouse and a viewing point overlooking the sea

Next, a city tour awaits you. In the Eldheimar Museum, you will be told about the large-scale volcano eruption in 1973 and how firefighters used seawater to stop the lava.

In the evening the ship will take a course back to Reykjavik. You will enjoy a gala dinner with the captain, officers, and expedition team.

Day 10 Return to Reykjavik

In the morning, the ship will anchor in the port of Reykjavik. After breakfast, a transfer to the airport will be organized for you.