59-day wild Scottish isles, Iceland & Greenland in depth

Your voyage begins in Leith (Edinburgh), Scotland, United Kingdom.

In 1933, an enterprising editor in Inverness enlivened a slow news week with the story of an odd sighting in Loch Ness. The legend grew overnight - and today individuals still scan the dark waters of the Loch for a sight of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Legend goes back as far as the 6th century and insists that the celebrated Loch Ness Monster inhabits a cave beneath the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle. Welcome to Invergordon, your gateway to Loch Ness and that area of the Highlands known as the "Great Glen."

Just north of Scotland lay the Orkney Islands. Washed by the furthest reach of the Gulf Stream, this chain of over 70 islands offers dramatic landscapes that range from sea cliffs rearing 1,000 feet above the waves to sweeping white sand beaches. Bird watchers flock to the Orkney Islands, drawn by the multitudes of sea birds. Divers explore the wrecks lying in the clear waters of Scapa Flow, the Royal Navy's fleet anchorage in two world wars. And most fascinating of all, the Orkney Islands boast the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in all Europe, including the mysterious Ring of Brodgar and 5,000-year-old Skara Brae.Vikings - Norsemen - ruled the Orkney Islands from the 9th to 13th centuries, leaving in their wake such monuments as St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. This hint of Scandinavian influence can be heard in the lilting accent with which Orcadians speak.

Your ship calls at Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Mousa, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom.

The Shetlands are the most northerly of the British Isles and consist of over one hundred islands, of which a mere 16 are inhabited. Lerwick is the capital of the archipelago. Located on the eastern shore of Mainland, the largest Shetland Island, the town was largely developed by Dutch herring fisherman in the 17th century. The islands are renowned for their superb crafts ranging from woolen and cashmere knitwear to intricate lace shawls and fine jewelry.Note: Lerwick is an anchorage port. Guests transfer to shore by ship's tender.

A second day in Shetland Islands (Scotland), Scotland - time to explore at your own pace.

Your ship calls at Tvoroyri, Faroe Islands.

Your ship calls at Torshavn, Faroe Islands.

A second day in Torshavn, Faroe Islands - time to explore at your own pace.

Another day in Torshavn, Faroe Islands.

Your ship calls at Klaksvik, Faroe Islands.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Seabourn Venture's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Considered the cultural capital of Eastern Iceland, Seydisfjordur lies at the head of a narrow fjord flanked by high mountains. This town of some 700 souls achieved municipal status in 1895, the first town in the East of Iceland to do so. The city is also the terminus for the ferry service linking Iceland to the Faeroe Islands and Denmark. Seydisfjordur is your gateway to the wild and isolated scenery of the Eastern Fjords. In myth, these narrow bays and towering mountains were once the home of trolls, elves and ogres.Seydisfjordur boasts a wealth of well-preserved 19th century homes and buildings. In the summer the small town can take on a cosmopolitan air as visitors flock to town aboard the ferry.

Your ship calls at Siglufjordur, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Patreksfjordur, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Dynjandi, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Grundarfjordur, Iceland.

Iceland is a land of volcanoes and glaciers, lava fields and green pastures, boiling thermal springs and ice-cold rivers teeming with salmon. This unspoiled demi-paradise is also home to a very old and sophisticated culture. The northernmost capital in the world, Reykjavik was founded in 874 when Ingolfur Arnarson threw wood pillars into the sea, vowing to settle where the pillars washed ashore. Today, Iceland is an international center of commerce and home to one of the most technologically sophisticated societies in the world.Reykjavik is the gateway to Iceland's natural wonders, which range from ice fields to thermal pools. The island is in a continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology.

Your ship calls at Exploring The Outer Islands of Heimaey.

Your ship calls at Heimaey, Westman Islands, Iceland.

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Venture with a leisurely day at sea.

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

Your ship calls at Kangikitsok, Greenland.

Your ship calls at Prins Christian Sund, Greenland.

If you're a seasoned traveler with a taste for destinations untrammeled by modern tourism, Qaqortoq is the ultimate port of call. Qaqortoq means "White Palace" in Greenlandic, and this small town of about 3,400 is the cultural and commercial center of Southern Greenland. Inuit and then Europeans were drawn to the site over 200 years ago, they were lured by the wealth of marine mammals that thrive in the offshore waters during summer. The climate is, at best, highly unpredictable. Summer temperatures normally compare to summer temperatures in Northern Europe, but weather is variable even in summer. In winter, Qaqortoq is frequently isolated by winter sea ice and accessible only by airplane or helicopter. The harsh landscape and harsher climate have helped preserve traditional Greenlandic culture - the centuries-old Inuit skills of hunting, kayaking, and fishing are still revered in this unique place. Organized shore excursions for Qaqortoq may not available on select voyages, but the town is easy to explore on your own. The ship's launches drop you off at the pier, providing you with the opportunity to stroll the streets, visit the small local museum, talk to the local residents, buy a souvenir stamp at the Post Office and perhaps purchase an Inuit handicraft as a remembrance of your visit to one of the unique communities on the planet. Note: Your ship anchors at Qaqortoq and passengers are transferred to shore via ship's launches, weather conditions permitting.

Your ship calls at Hvalsey, Greenland.

Your ship calls at Brattahlid (Qassiarsuk), Greenland.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Seabourn Venture's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Your ship calls at Nain, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Nachvak Fiord, Torngat Mts, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Saglek Fjord, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Hopedale, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Indian Harbour, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at L Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada.

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Venture with a leisurely day at sea.

As Canada's most easterly province, the island of Newfoundland is situated on the North Atlantic, with St. John's as its provincial capital. The city of St. John's is on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, and is the oldest city in North America. It has always been a busy fishing port with a good natural harbor bounded by hills. Its history and cultural spirit show strong Irish and Scottish influences evident in its pubs and music. The surrounding land is rugged, with a dramatic coastline heavily indented with bays and inlets, which give way to an interior terrain of wild mountains, hills, lakes and rivers.

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

Your ship calls at Red Bay, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Battle Harbour, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship returns to Indian Harbour, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship returns to Nain, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship returns to Saglek Fjord, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Eclipse Channel, Labrador, Canada.

Your ship calls at Resolution Island, Nunavut, Canada.

Your ship calls at Lower Savage Islands, Nunavut, Canada.

Your ship calls at Monumental Island, Nunavut, Canada.

Your ship calls at Lady Franklin Island, Nunavut, Canada.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Seabourn Venture's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Your ship calls at Isabella Bay (Ninginganiq), Nunavut, Canada.

Your ship calls at Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, Canada.

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Venture with a leisurely day at sea.

Your ship calls at Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Greenland.

Your ship calls at Kangerlussuaq, Greenland.

Your ship returns to Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Greenland.

Your ship calls at Evighedsfjorden, Greenland.

Your ship calls at Nuuk (Godthab), Greenland.

Your ship calls at Ivittuut, Greenland.

Your ship returns to Brattahlid (Qassiarsuk), Greenland.

Your ship returns to Qaqortoq, Greenland.

Your ship returns to Hvalsey, Greenland.

Nanortalik means "place of bears" in Greenlandic. Summer visitors to this extraordinary - and extraordinarily isolated - port may spot polar bears on the offshore flow ice. Those offshore waters also teem with seals and Minke, humpback and fin whales. Ashore, brightly painted wooden houses cluster to a rocky peninsula in the harbor. Dramatic boulders dot the landscape, and mountains surround the port. (Nanortalik is well known to the world's elite rock climbers.) Ruined Viking farmsteads and ancient Inuit sites dot the surrounding countryside.The port was founded 1797 as a Danish whaling station. Today, Nanortalik is a fishing port, and many people are traditional seal hunters.

Your ship returns to Kangikitsok, Greenland.

Your ship returns to Prins Christian Sund, Greenland.

Another day in Prins Christian Sund, Greenland.

Your ship calls at Umivik Bay, Greenland.

Your ship calls at Tasiilaq, Greenland.

Your ship calls at The Seabourn East Greenland Experience (Day 1).

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

Your ship returns to Grundarfjordur, Iceland.

Your voyage concludes in Reykjavik, Iceland.