Discover all of Icelands best highlights onboard the luxurious Endeavour on this exceptional 11 day Iceland voyage.
FLATEY Island - BEAUTIFULLY REMOTE
Largest of a constellation of pint-sized islands in Breidafjordur Bay, Flatey is barely a mile long and flat enough to deserve its Icelandic name. The one scruffy road from town dock to “old village” never sees a rush hour – even on foot. Few are hearty enough to winter here, but summer’s far more genial and the clutch of restored houses seems downright inviting. Island birding is topnotch, the sheep pose well for photos, and a Zodiac spin in these waters is sure to yield rewarding sights.
LATRABJARG CLIFFS - CRUISE TO SEABIRD CENTRAL
The crags of this rugged Westfjords promontory provide a perfect breeding environment for puffins, gannets, guillemots and razorbills. In fact, this towering bird cliff – Europe's largest – is vital to the continued survival of its avian residents. Don’t try counting them; there are millions here. Top photogenic honors go to the colorful, comical puffins, often seen with a short stack of sardines balanced in their beaks. It’s the puffin version of bringing home the bacon for your family.
PATREKSFJORDUR - THE WILD WEST OF ICELAND
Some 600 inhabitants call this remote Icelandic village home; thousands of times that if you count seabirds. Vast throngs of gannets, guillemots, razorbills and puffins live and breed along the Látrabjarg Cliffs – an 8-mile stretch of birdwatching heaven just across the inlet – and these critters certainly aren’t camera-shy. Nearby Rauðasandur beach will tempt your lens as well; its unique red and pink sands contrast dramatically with the surrounding black cliff-blue water landscape.
DYNJANDI WATERFALL - ITS NAME MEANS THUNDER
How’s this for a visualization exercise: close your eyes and imagine standing deep inside a rugged Icelandic mountainscape watching frigid glacier-melt waters thunder down through a series of seven spectacular falls on their way to the sea. Better yet, sail with us into unspoiled Arnarfjörður fjord, Zodiac to a remote landing spot, trek up to the storied cascades at Dynjandi – and visualize the real thing. It’s an eyeopener, to be sure.
VIGUR - IT’S FOR THE BIRDS
This barely-populated Westfjords islet is a floating nature preserve where the locals harvest eiderdown for a living and upwards of 8,000 puffins nest in comical profusion. Enjoy a rare chance to observe these endearing creatures in their native environment, along with plenty of their avian brethren including eider ducks, black guillemots and swooping arctic terns, who don’t provide nearly as warm a welcome as your human hosts. Iceland’s tiniest post office and sole windmill are here, too.
AKUREYRI - CAPITAL OF NORTH
Situated on one of the most magnificent fjords in Iceland, bounded by snow-capped mountains and gently sloping pastures, the weather here is surprisingly moderate despite being just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle. Charming and historical, here you’ll find over 2,000 species of plants in the Botanical Gardens, which thrive without the benefit of a greenhouse.
SEYDISFJORDUR - MOUNTAIN DELIGHTS APLENTY
Tucked deep inside a mountain-walled fjord, this colorful town would look right at home in Norway. The bright wooden houses, the wandering reindeer, barking seals, snow-dusted peaks and cascading waterfalls. But its 100% Icelandic, rich with outdoor adventures and home to a vibrant arts scene. Hiking in Skalanes Nature Reserve promises sightings of diverse wildlife, on land and in the air. The floating geothermal pools at Vok Baths spa are a luxury not to be missed. Kayaking’s great here, too.