Tour Arctic Saga: Spitsbergen, Faroes & Jan Mayen, Operated By Qu | Visit United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Meals

All meals while on the ship included. Typical Meals The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale. Breakfast: Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal. Lunch: Three course set meal, or the occasional buffet or BBQ. Dinner: Three courses with a starter of soup, salad or anti-pasto, a choice of three mains with at least one vegetarian and one seafood option and a dessert of sweet pudding or ice cream or fruit, tea and coffee. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this holiday - please do inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared.

Flights

Mandatory transfer package including flights from Longyearbyen to Helsinki We can include flights from the UK. Please contact us for a quote.

Transport

During the expedition, you will visit remote and isolated sites that are accessible only by Zodiac landing craft. Designed for expedition work, these large and heavy-duty inflatable vessels are extremely safe.

Guide

The Exodus group forms part of the ship’s complement (max of approx. 100), enjoying the relaxed, intimate and informal atmosphere, which breaks into smaller groups to facilitate the frequent excursions. We offer these cruises in conjunction with our partner, Quark Expeditions, and Exodus participants will join an international group, not all of whom have booked through Exodus. Occasionally some of these may be younger than 12 years old, the Exodus’ stated minimum age for this trip. We work with many fine Expedition Leaders and Polar Experts, bringing a diversity of interests including zoology, Polar history, geology, ornithology and ocean sciences. The ship’s operating crew have many years of experience in Polar Regions and are committed to ensuring a safe and memorable journey. Each day your cabin will be serviced by the housekeeping crew, and your meals served by the friendly and attentive restaurant staff. There is also a resident medical officer.

Others

All listed activities

Accommodation

The Arctic Saga: Exploring Spitsbergen via the Faroes and Jan Mayen voyage is offered on the Ultramarine which is a Polar Adventure Ship. Full board accommodation on the ship, generally on a twin share basis in a variety of cabin types, all with en suite facilities. Polar Adventure Ships These are small ice rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are superb and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.

Not included:

Optional

Every traveler must have suitable travel insurance to take part in this tour.

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Others

— Travel insurance — Single accommodation (available on request) — Visas or vaccinations

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Start In Aberdeen, United Kingdom
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Start In Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Arrive any time on Day 1 and make your way to your included hotel. The gateway for your Arctic adventure, the Scottish city of Aberdeen, has many monikers, but its most famous is Granite City, as it was once the granite capital of the world. Wandering the streets, you’ll soon see why, as the Victorian buildings sparkle in the sun. A bustling cultural hub, Aberdeen also offers a range of museums, galleries, theatres, shops, cafés and restaurants to explore.
Day 2 Day 2: Embarkation Day (Breakfast,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Embarkation Day (Breakfast,Dinner)

Today you will have some free time before being transferred to the port to board your ship. As you set sail this afternoon, you’ll want to be out on deck, camera in hand—the area’s coastal waters offer excellent possibilities for spotting Bottlenose and White-beaked dolphins, Harbor porpoises and Minke whales.
Day 3 Day 3: Exploring Fair Isle (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Exploring Fair Isle (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

The U.K.’s most remote inhabited island, the extraordinary Fair Isle is located halfway between the Shetland and Orkney Islands. Boasting a rugged beauty, Fair Isle’s landscape is diverse, with fields and moors dominated by seaside cliffs and an astounding amount of sea stacks, natural arches and caves. Despite its small size, the island offers activities for history, nature and photography buffs alike. Visit the museum to immerse yourself in local artifacts, photos, knitwear and other historic memorabilia. Don’t forget to snap a shot of the circa 1935 classic red phone booth by the post office! In terms of wildlife, Orcas are native to the waters around Fair Isle, and they sometimes come close in pursuit of seals. But the island is best known for its coastal cliffs teeming with seabirds in spring and summer. The star attraction is the Atlantic puffin, a clown-like bird that clings to the steep slopes. Photographers will surely want to capture pictures of their bemused expressions, and Fair Isle’s easily accessible grassy banks make it one of the best places in the Shetlands to observe these colourful creatures. Northern fulmars, kittiwakes, Storm petrels, razorbills and guillemots are also likely to be spotted, soaring over the open waters. Visitors to this community of crofters, artisans and artists may be able to pick up a traditional Fair Isle sweater to keep you warm during the rest of your arctic voyage. Be sure to pick one up, along with a matching hat, scarf and mittens, at the town hall.
Day 4 Day 4-5: Exploring The Faroe Islands (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4-5: Exploring The Faroe Islands (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Known for its beautiful, unspoiled landscape, with verdant pastures giving way to rugged, steep cliffs, the Faroe Islands have a storied past, though the details of the archipelago’s early history are a bit hazy. The first settlers may have been seventh-century Irish monks seeking solitude on these islands far removed from any continent. Their isolation ended in 800 AD, with the arrival of Norse farmers, and Norwegian colonization continued throughout the Viking Age. Today, many of the inhabitants of the Faroe Islands, now a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark, are descendants of Norwegian Vikings. We will have two days to explore this unspoiled and seldom-visited archipelago made up of 18 rugged islands located about halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The mighty North Atlantic is omnipresent wherever we go with no place on the Faroe Islands farther than 3 miles (5 km) from its shores. The sea has always dominated life on the Faroes – throughout history as much as today: rich fisheries, magnificent ocean views and thriving sea bird colonies make up this rare Nordic jewel – often referred to as Europe’s best kept secret. We will spend a day exploring the outer islands of the archipelago which are separated by narrow sounds and fjords and delight in their surreal landscapes, dramatic cliffs and rock formations, green valleys engulfed by steep dramatic mountains, protecting small picturesque villages with colorful turf-topped housed. Wind, weather and sea conditions will influence and shape our activity options, but we will of course always keep our eyes out for marine and bird life especially the iconic Atlantic puffin. Our second day in the Faroes will be dedicated to the capital city of Tórshavn, where the Vikings established their government in 825 AD. One of the world’s smallest capitals, the picturesque Tórshavn has a relaxed vibe and a number of historical and cultural sites. Meander the maze of narrow laneways of the Old Town, admiring the quaint wooden houses with traditional sod roofs and white paned windows. If you’re looking for more action, a hike up to the historic fort, built in 1580 to guard against pirate raids, offers stunning views of the port below. Or perhaps you prefer to wander the charming harbor, filled with cafés, pubs and old warehouses, and simply gaze out at the sea while sipping a latte.
Day 5 Day 6-7: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6-7: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Say goodbye to the Faroes as we cruise toward the world’s most northerly volcanic island, Jan Mayen. There are several activities to keep you engaged while at sea. Learn to identify seabirds gliding alongside your ship, attend dynamic presentations by the Expedition Team, relax in our polar library or simply spend some time on deck, admiring the sea. With your binoculars and camera at the ready, keep your eyes peeled for the blow of a Humpback, Blue or Fin whale. Encounters with Minke whales or Orcas are also possible, since their curiosity can bring them near the ship. If you’re lucky, you may even see Harp seals.
Day 6 Day 8-9: Exploring Jan Mayen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8-9: Exploring Jan Mayen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

North of the Arctic Circle, about 280 miles (450 km) east of Greenland and 340 miles (550 km) north of Iceland, is the mysterious Jan Mayen, deep in the North Atlantic Ocean. Often shrouded in thick fog, the small mountainous island was declared a nature reserve in 2010 and is rarely visited, save for the 18 rotating personnel of the Norwegian military and Norwegian Meteorological Institute, who are the only inhabitants. Landing here will be dictated by the weather and sea. If conditions allow, as we approach, keep watch on deck as the spoon-shaped island’s highest summit emerges. At 7,470 feet (2,277 metres) high, the breathtaking Beerenberg volcano features a symmetrical cone shape and impressive glaciers that spill into the sea. During the summer months, the island’s lower landscape is covered with grass, moss and a smattering of hardy flowers that add a cheery pop of color to the otherwise barren black lava terrain. One site we hope to visit is Olonkinbyen and the surrounding area. Named after Russian-Norwegian Polar explorer Gennady Olonkin, it’s the island’s only settlement and the location of the meteorological station, where you may have the chance to learn about Polar research while seeing how weather is monitored at the top of the world. Another option might be the black sand beach at Kvalrossbukta, where the remnants of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station and a large fulmar colony can be found. In 1632, two Basque ships landed at the small bay and plundered the station. A Dutch party was sent here the following year to protect the land stations during winter, but all seven men perished from scurvy. Whaling in the area came to an end about 20 years later. If we’re fortunate, we may view the volcano and the stratified cliffs of the spectacular north coast as we Zodiac cruise around the island, searching for wildlife. Designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the large numbers of breeding seabirds, Jan Mayen supports colonies of Northern fulmars, Little auks, Glaucous gulls, kittiwakes, and Black and Brünnich’s guillemots (Thick-billed murres). And if we are fortunate, you might see “sea parrots,” the Atlantic puffin again. The waters here are rich feeding grounds for marine life, so keep a lookout for Minke, Fin, Blue or Humpback whales.
Day 7 Day 10: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

As we sail farther north, spend some time with your shipmates in the lounge, swapping stories and photos, or pause for a moment on the bridge, joining in as the Expedition Team looks out for whales, seals and a variety of seabirds.
Day 8 Day 11-13: Exploring Spitsbergen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11-13: Exploring Spitsbergen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Rugged, wild, unspoiled and situated entirely within the Arctic Circle, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago is unforgettable. From immense glaciers to Polar deserts, the landscape here is as varied as the wildlife. As we explore the fjords of the southwestern corner of this magical island, it won’t take long for you to see firsthand why Spitsbergen is the “wildlife capital of the Arctic.” Some areas we hope to visit include Hornsund and Bellsund fjords and the Lilliehöök Glacier. The possible landing sites at Hornsund, the island’s most southerly fjord, have rich histories. En route to Isbjornhamna, a bay at the southern end, where we hope to explore the former science station, you may have the opportunity to discover old whale bones. You may spot Svalbard reindeer and colonies of delightful Little auks. A 12-mile (20 km) long sound, Bellsund lured miners a century ago to its natural resources. Today, visitors come to Bourbanhamna and Calypsobyen to see historic mining and trapper sites and marvel at the magnificent vistas. It may also be possible to hike along the colourful tundra, dotted with flowers bursting for a taste of sunshine. Viewing reindeer here is likely, as they frequent the area.
Day 9 Day 14: Disembark In Longyearbyen (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Disembark In Longyearbyen (Breakfast)

The time has come to say farewell to your newfound friends and Expedition Team. After disembarking, you will be transferred to the airport for your included flight to Helsinki where your adventure ends.

14 days tour

Arctic Saga: Spitsbergen, Faroes & Jan Mayen, Operated By Qu

This tour includes:

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Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Arctic Saga: Spitsbergen, Faroes & Jan Mayen, Operated By Qu

Day 1: Start In Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Day 2: Embarkation Day (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 3: Exploring Fair Isle (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 4-5: Exploring The Faroe Islands (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 6-7: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 8-9: Exploring Jan Mayen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 10: At Sea (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 11-13: Exploring Spitsbergen (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

Day 14: Disembark In Longyearbyen (Breakfast)

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