Iceland Circumnavigation

Enjoy included airport lounge access as you start your trip in style before flying to Keflavik in southwest Iceland. On arrival, you’ll transfer to the capital, Reykjavik, for a night in a city-centre hotel.

Stay: Reykjavik accommodation

Spend today exploring Reykjavik and its surrounds. Perhaps treat yourself to a soak in the mineral-rich waters of the world-famous Blue Lagoon, or venture out to the Golden Circle, a region of spurting geysers, immense waterfalls and shifting volcanic landscapes. Board your ship this evening to begin your voyage around Iceland.

Stay: SH Vega

Step off the beaten track today to visit one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls, hiking up past five smaller falls to reach Dynjandi’s tumbling cascades. Nearby, Hrafnseyri is the birthplace of Jón Sigurdsson, 19th-century leader of the Icelandic Independence movement. The museum includes an Icelandic turf house.

Stay: SH Vega

Make port in the bustling fishing town of Isafjordur from where you’ll have access to the dramatic landscapes of the Westfjords. Visit Sudavik and its Arctic Fox Centre, where you can learn about Iceland’s only native mammal. Vigur Island is another of the region’s highlights, home to puffins, Arctic terms and eiders as well as Iceland’s smallest post office.

Stay: SH Vega

Grímsey is a remote island located 40km off Iceland’s north coast. Many people travel here for the purpose of setting foot in the Arctic Circle, the only place in Iceland where you can do so. The island is also home to fewer than 100 people, but over one million seabirds. Birdlife thrives here thanks to the lack of egg predation (there are no rats or mice on the island) and the rich, well-stocked surrounding seas. Grímsey has one of Iceland’s largest tern nesting sites and largest puffin colonies. 

Stay: SH Vega

Spend today in and around the northern town of Akureyri, gateway to the magnificent Godafoss waterfall, and an abundance of Game of Thrones filming locations. Perhaps head to nearby Lake Myvatn to discover a landscape of twisted lava formations and bubbling mud pools, or visit the island of Grimsey, which straddles the Arctic Circle and is home to thousands of nesting puffins.

Stay: SH Vega

Regarded as east Island’s cultural hub, brightly painted wooden houses line Seyðisfjörður’s port. With a lively arts scene disproportionate to its small size, Seyðisfjörður has attracted many writers and artists over the years and also hosts an annual summer arts festival. Surrounded by incredible nature, the Skálanes nature reserve is a short distance from the town. The area covered by the reserve is known for its diverse wildlife with over 47 species of bird and over 150 plant species. Reindeer are also seen here, with seals and porpoises frequently spotted along the shores.

Stay: SH Vega

Home to fewer than 500 residents, the quiet fishing village of Djupivogur dates back to the Viking era. Despite its formidable origins, the village is better known these days for its unhurried pace of life. Djupivogur’s most famous artistic offering - the 34 large granite eggs that line the road along the bay are not easy to miss - is named ‘The Eggs at Merry Bay’ (Eggin í Gleðivík in Icelandic) represents the 34 species of birds that nest locally. The nearby Vatnajökull National Park covers 14% of Iceland’s land mass and this vast area is home to giant ice caps, thundering glacial rivers, grumbling active volcanoes and a host of other geological wonders. 

Stay: SH Vega

Sailing southeast, you’ll reach the spectacular Heimaey, part of the Westman Islands and home to up to 10-million Atlantic Puffins. Take it all in on a Zodiac excursion, then head to the town of Vestmannaeyjar where a small museum charts the devastating story of the 1973 eruption of the Edfell volcano. Today, a hike to the volcano’s windy summit offers sweeping island views.

Stay: SH Vega

Arrive back in Reykjavik this morning, where you’ll disembark and transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. If you’d prefer to extend your stay in the capital, or its surroundings, our specialists are on hand to tailor-make you a post-cruise tour.