Iceland to Norway and Spitsbergen in Luxury

Arrive and transfer to hotel. Spend time this afternoon and tomorrow morning exploring this northern capital and enjoying interesting shops, galleries and the beautiful, modern cathedral

Embark in the afternoon and set sail. We may even spot our first whales offshore this evening!

Head northwest out of the Bay of Faxafloi and round the dramatic Snaefellsnes Peninsula and on towards Grimsey. Our route depends on weather and sea conditions, but we hope to explore many of the following sites:

Snaefellsnes and the imposing Snaefellsjokul volcano and Kirkjufell mountain, which overlook local fishing villages

Flatey Island, which is home to not only some beautifully restored old houses, but also puffins and other birds.

Latrabjarg, Europe's largest bird cliff at 14 km long and upto 440m high and home to millions of birds including razorbills, gannets, guillemots and puffins.

Dynjandi in the Vestfirdir region with its breathtaking waterfalls

Siglufjordur on the Troll Peninsula, a picturesque village with multi-coloured houses

Grimsey Island, which sits right on the Arctic Circle and has a historical lighthouse as well seabird rich cliffs

Watch for seabirds and whales as we pass along the Arctic Circle on the way to Norway in perpetual daylight.

On this exploration of Arctic Norway, we expect to take in the amazing landscaps of the Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, including the picturesque Engabreen Glacier on the way to the beautiful and scenic Lofoten Islands. Here, we plan to visit small fishing villages and sail into narrow fjords such as the wild Trollfjord.

Then, the city of Tromso, with its impressive Arctic cathedral and the far north town of Hammerfest, a centre for Sami culture. Finally, before leaving the mainland, we stop at Nordkapp or North Cape and take pictures at the famous Globe Monument.

As we cross the Barents Sea on the way to Svalbard, we pass Bear Island, with its seabird cliffs. The island was named by the explorer Willem Barents who saw a polar bear swimming nearby when he 'discovered' the island in 1596

We approach Spitsbergen from the south and, depending on sea, weather and ice conditions, plan to explore the south-west part of the island, where we hope to encounter the icon of the Arctic, the magnificent polar bear, along with walrus, whales and other marine mammals. Hornsund is one of the most scenic areas, surrounded by dramatic peaks and glaciers. Around Bellsund are tundra plains with wildflowers, herds of reindeer and nesting geese. At the head of St.Jonsfjorden, we should see icebergs calving off the glacier face; this is also a great place for walking on glaciated terrain - conditions permitting.

As we sail in Isfjorden, we pass the bird cliffs of Alkhornet and their lush tundra slopes, when reindeer and Arctic fox are often seen.

Arrive and transfer to airport or hotel