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10 Night Shetland Faroe Islands and Iceland Wild Islands and Lands of Legends Cruise from Bergen

Ship: Le Champlain

Cruise Line: Ponant Cruises

Sailed: Saturday, Aug 3, 2024 from Bergen, Norway

Ended: Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Saturday, Aug 3, 2024 departure of the Le Champlain. If Ponant Cruises modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Saturday - Aug 3, 2024

Bergen, Norway

Depart: 7:00 pm

Located at the end of Byfjord, Bergen was the capital of Norway in the 12th and 13th centuries and has preserved some very beautiful monuments from the time when it was home to royalty. Wandering through Bergen's streets means going back in time, in search of the hidden treasures that have been listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. A veritable open-air museum, Bergen is home to a thriving artistic community of painters, potters, and jewellers. The Bergen cable car offers you a splendid panorama over the port and the surrounding fjords. Do not miss the visit to the old quarter with its narrow streets, a testimony of the power of the Hanseatic League that controlled trade in Northern Europe at the end of the Middle Ages.

Day 2 - Sunday - Aug 4, 2024

Hardangerfjord, Norway

In the heart of Norway's natural scenery, to the southeast of Bergen, you will sail the peaceful waters of the Hardangerfjord, the second-longest fjord in Norway. At the wide mouth of this majestic fjord, gently sloping valleys offer the sight of lush meadows and fruit trees galore. Moreover, it is rightly nicknamed the "fruit orchard of Norway". As you continue sailing and move further inland, the fjord narrows and the rolling surroundings make way for vertiginous walls and high mountainous areas. Enhanced by the reflections of the light on the soft waters, at times clear, at times deep, the landscapes become wilder and reveal an uncut diamond of singular beauty.

Day 3 - Monday - Aug 5, 2024

Lerwick, United Kingdom

The small and charming capital of the Shetland Islands, with a seafront of old houses and narrow streets, offers travellers old districts and a warm port atmosphere. Geopark Shetland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located to the north. Incredibly well-preserved archaeological sites and ruins prove that the islands' occupation dates back to the first Neolithic colonies. The Shetland Museum and Archives recounts the Shetlands' history of heritage and culture: Lerwick's abundant waters were even fished by the Dutch in the past.

Isle of Noss, United Kingdom

Many colonies of birds have chosen to nest on the towering sandstone cliffs on the eastern coast of the Isle of Noss. The many ledges sculpted into the rock effectively make for ideal breeding sites for the gannets, puffins, guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, razorbills, arctic fulmars, and great skuas that populate this territory. Separated from the island of Bressay by a sound only 100 meters (328 feet) wide, this wild island in the Shetland archipelago has been a national nature reserve of Scotland since 1955. Make the most of this unique opportunity you have to discover this isolated Eden, bathed by the North Sea.

Day 4 - Tuesday - Aug 6, 2024

Kirkwall, Scotland

Capital of the Orkney archipelago, Kirkwall, is an ideal stopover before continuing on to the Northern Isles. Sheltered in a wide bay, the lively town welcomes visitors with its charming paved alleyways, edged by old houses and craft shops. Tankerness House, the oldest homestead in the town, is a must-see landmark. But the true architectural treasure is its remarkable cathedral. And because whisky is inseparable from Scotland's identity, stop at the Highland Park Distillery for a highly instructive visit.

Day 5 - Wednesday - Aug 7, 2024

Suduroy, Faroe Islands

Suduroy Island, literally "South Island", has one of the smallest populations in the Faroe Islands. It has sheer cliffs along its western face. The island is an important breeding ground for seabirds, including northern fulmars, black-legged kittiwakes, Atlantic puffins, and guillemots. Your expedition team will guide you as you discover the island, its authentic villages with black, tarred-wood churches typical of the Faroe Islands, and its hiking trails lined with peat fields and stone sheepfolds. Sheep are indeed omnipresent throughout the Faroe Islands - in fact, there are more sheep than humans - and they add to the charm of these wild landscapes.

Day 6 - Thursday - Aug 8, 2024

Eysturoy, Denmark

Your stop on Eysturoy Island ("East Island" in Danish) will be an opportunity to immerse yourself in a traditional village of the Faroe Islands. The locals only welcome a few dozen visitors each year, so this is a rare privilege. In the company of your naturalist guides and local guides, you will discover the village, where certain houses have a typical Scandinavian roof, made from birch bark covered with sod. Here, you will enjoy a traditional coffee. Our more athletic guests will be able to hike along the trails that connected the island's villages when people got around on foot. These trails are marked with cairns due to the frequent presence of fog.

Day 7 - Friday - Aug 9, 2024

Eysturoy, Denmark

Day 8 - Saturday - Aug 10, 2024

Traelanipa, Faroe Islands

Tindholmur, Faroe Islands

Vestmannabjorgini, Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands, an archipelago formed by volcanic rock, reveal an incredible diversity of reliefs where the sea is ubiquitous: you'll sail past stone pinnacles and unique coastlines. To the west of the island of Vagar stand Tindholmur and Drangarnir, rocky outcrops that marine erosion have detached from the coast, thus forming independent islets known as stacks. The impressive Traelanipa cliff, also known as Slave Mountain, stands 142 meters (466 feet) high. It overlooks the superb Lake Sorvagsvatn. Located 30 meters (98 feet) above sea level, this is the archipelago's largest lake. On the island of Streymoy, you'll be able to spot guillemots, screeching fulmars, or penguins, nesting in the welcoming crevices of the Vestmanna cliffs.

Day 9 - Sunday - Aug 11, 2024

Djupivogur, Iceland

Djupivogur is a small town and municipality located on a peninsula in the Austurland region in eastern Iceland. The coastline consists of three magnificent fjords, Berufjordur, Hamarsfjordur, and Alftafjordur which create a striking landscape to explore. On land, the town is shadowed by Bulandstindur, a pyramid-shaped basalt mountain peaking at 1069 m, making for an incredible sight. Numerous local legends surround this mountain, which is said to grant wishes during the summer solstice.

Day 10 - Monday - Aug 12, 2024

Heimaey, Iceland

This land seated off the southern coast of Iceland is the largest of the Westman Islands, and is the only inhabited island in the archipelago. The steep Eldfell volcanoes and the green prairies of Herjolfsdalur offer rich contrast of nature. On the Storhofdi road, look out over grey sand beaches and cliffs carved out by the Arctic ocean. From here, you can also see the bronze landscapes of the mountaintops. You could visit Eldheimar, an ultra-modern and interactive museum which traces the volcanic eruption Heimaey has experienced in 1973.

Day 11 - Tuesday - Aug 13, 2024

Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland's capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the "Pearl of Reykjavik", a museum located on Oskjuhlid hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrimskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skolavordustigur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.