Delightful Dakar

Your adventure begins in Senegal's captivating capital

Welcome to Dakar, a vibrant kaleidoscope of colour, where your expedition cruise begins. Visit Medina’s maze of streets, bustling Marché Tilène, and the imposing Grand Mosque.

If you want to explore more before your expedition, why not join our optional Pre-Programme, that includes a city tour and an excursion to the historical UNESCO site Gorée Island.

You'll meet your expedition ship MS Spitsbergen at the dock, ready to take you on your West African adventure. Pick up your complimentary expedition jacket, settle into your cabin and meet your Expedition Team before we set sail.

En route to Cape Verde

Get set for island adventures

Your expedition cruise heads west to the Cape Verde Islands. That'll give you plenty of time to get acquainted with your fellow adventurers and your Expedition Team - hand-picked for their expertise on our destinations.  You'll also have the chance to enjoy the comforts on board your expedition ship – from delicious restaurant dishes or a drink in the Explorer Bar to relaxing in the panoramic sauna and the hot tubs up on deck.

To learn more about what's ahead, join us for fascinating lectures in the Science Center, and pick up pointers from our professional photographer as you watch for marine life and sea birds.

Santiago, Cape Verde

Vibrant Praia bursts with African and European influences

Santiago embodies the spirit of the Cape Verde archipelago. There’s a little of everything – historical sites, bustling markets, lush valleys and craggy mountains. African culture is everywhere. Music follows wherever you go, from the Presidential Palace in Praia’s main square to the sandy beaches, and out to Maria Pia lighthouse. You'll explore the area’s culture in an included city tour. Visit the museums and buildings around the Plateau, displaying a trove of artefacts recovered from the islands’ shipwrecks. Stop by viewpoints, the local market, and more.

Volcanic Fogo

A fascinating landscape of lava, craters and calderas

Today's expedition day takes you to Fogo – an island dominated by a conical-shaped active volcano. Centuries of eruptions – the last in 2014 – have left an incredible landscape for us to explore.

Enjoy an included tour of São Filipe’s cobbled streets and visit the historic centre of Meia Laranja. Or join our optional excursion to the incredibly beautiful lava fields of Chã das Caldeiras. It's a challenging hike but worth it for the views.

With no natural harbours, we can only land if conditions allow us to launch our smaller expedition boats. If not, we’ll take in the spectacular volcanic scenery as we cruise around the island.

Ribeiras of Santo Antão

Discover this island wilderness on a nature drive

Too inhospitable for agriculture, Santo Antão's peaks, gorges and canyons remain untouched. This wilderness sanctuary is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. We’ll land in Porto Novo, the island’s main town, with lovely beaches and spectacular views across to São Vicente. You'll enjoy an included island drive, taking you on a nature tour through the island’s ribeiras – deep, narrow canyons with near vertical walls.

You can also join an optional nature walk to take in the local beauty spots up close. Walk along trails through mango and almond groves, punctuated by the delicious aroma of roasting coffee wafting through the villages.

Birds of Boa Vista

Surrounded by stunning biodiversity

You've now reached Cape Verde’s easternmost island, Boa Vista. Don’t be fooled by the island’s desert-like appearance – it offers many habitats for wildlife with reefs, dunes, oases and wetlands.

Its waters attract breeding humpback whales in winter, so keep your eyes peeled. It's also a vital layover for many migratory birds and an important nesting site for loggerhead turtles between June and October.

You'll take an included tour of the island’s capital, Sal Rei, where you can explore its history and traditions, and visit Santa Isabel church. The Ponta do So nature reserve is within hiking distance and a great way to enjoy the scenery.

A day of discovery at sea

Prepare to experience the Bissagos Islands

We leave Cape Verde as our expedition cruise continues to Guinea-Bissau. As we sail, your Expedition Team will brief you on what lies ahead. You'll hear presentations about the extraordinary biodiversity of this tropical region.

You’ll learn about the culture too, like the matriarchal society of the Bijagos people, and the historical impact of Portuguese exploration and the slave trade.

You can take part in our Citizen Science projects and contribute data to important research. Now might be a good chance to brush up your photography skills with our onboard photographer in readiness for the sights to come.

Bissagos' biodiversity

Stunning ecosystems and wildlife in this UNESCO wonder

Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1996, the Bissagos Islands are a wildlife watcher’s dream. They support turtles, manatees, crocodiles and snakes, plus more than 500 types of bird. Look out for saltwater hippos, best be spotted in November and early December.

Over the next four days, you'll explore Bissagos' maze of islands and channels. Renowned for their diverse ecosystems, we'll go into mangroves, rainforest, savannah woodlands and coastal lagoons. Our expedition boats will take us down the smaller channels, on shore landings with the Expedition Team, and perhaps out in sea kayaks.

You'll meet and discover more about the local Bijago people – a fiercely independent, matriarchal society organised in clans. Practising a subsistence lifestyle, they hold the natural world sacred, beliefs that have helped protect this area from exploitation.

Local conditions will determine when and where we can land and explore, but whatever we do you can be sure you’ll experience the rich diversity of the archipelago up close.

The Gambia's tiny capital

Explore the past and present history of tiny Banjul

Your West African expedition cruise reaches The Gambia and the tiny capital of Banjul. It may be bijou, but its location at the mouth of the River Gambia means it was an important trading hub.

It also played a role in ending the slave trade, as its garrison was used by the British Navy to uphold Abolition Laws. Close by is the birthplace of Kunta Kinte, the protagonist of Alex Haley's famous book Roots.

This city is easy to explore on foot. The National Museum houses Gambia’s best archeological and ethnographical collections. Lively Albert Market is a great place to pick a souvenir. Back on board, you'll enjoy an included cultural show, introducing you to the music and traditions of The Gambia.

Return to Dakar

Enjoy a tour of bustling Dakar after you disembark

We return to Dakar where you'll have another chance to experience this vibrant capital, known for its music and arts scene. After you disembark MS Spitsbergen, we'll take you on an included Dakar city tour to explore further.

Highlights include Independence Square, the African Renaissance Monument, the cathedral and the west and east Corniche. Listen out for the many languages of Western Africa, such as Wolof, Pular and Serer. A wonderful way to round off your trip.

With the tour complete, you’ll be taken to a hotel for lunch. You'll spend the rest of the day relaxing in comfort at the hotel, before being taken to the airport to start your return journey home.