Relax in Reykjavík

Discover Iceland’s modern capital.

Your Grand Expedition Cruise starts in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík, a city full of art, culture and history. Visit Laugavegur, the main shopping street, then head toward the striking Hallgrímskirkja Church. You could also explore the galleries and museums dotted around the city.

With so much to explore, you may want to arrive early to join one of our optional Pre-Programs.

Once aboard MS Fram, a smaller ship built for more personal exploration, it’s time to settle in, meet your Expedition Team, and enjoy a laid-back welcome dinner before your circumnavigation of Iceland, the first stage of your Grand Expedition Cruise.

Gateway to spectacular Snæfellsnes

Gateway to spectacular Snæfellsnes

Time has stood still at Stykkishólmur, the small fishing town in Breiðafjörður bay. Here, the colorful houses stand in contrast to the distant mountains.

Nearby, you’ll find Snæfellsnes Peninsula National Park, with the ice-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano at the peninsula’s western tip. Its wide array of landscapes has earned it the nickname ‘Little Iceland’.

At the national park, visit Djúpalónssandur’s black-sand beach and the Lóndrangar basalt cliffs. Ride a snowcat to the top of the Snæfellsjökull glacier, or take a guided coastal hike with a glacial cave tour.

Beautiful Patreksfjörður

Stunning beach, waterfalls, and superb birdwatching

Patreksfjörður is unforgettably beautiful. Learn about the fishing traditions in Europe’s westernmost village. You can even enjoy a dip in the town’s outdoor pool, which features wonderful fjord views.

Explore the surrounding area on a hike through the fjords or visit Rauðasandur beach and see seals. You can also join a tour to Dynjandi waterfalls. These are six combined falls that, together, comprise the largest and most spectacular in the Westfjords.

Birdwatchers shouldn’t miss a visit to Látrabjarg, where puffins, northern gannets, guillemots, and razorbills cling to Europe’s largest bird cliff.

Explore Iceland, expedition-style.

Explore Iceland, expedition-style.

One of the best things about expedition cruising is the feeling of freedom. We plan to spend the day in Iceland’s northwestern region, but as conditions can vary, we won’t know exactly what’s in store until the day itself. Rest assured, your Captain and expedition team will find the best opportunities for adventure.

We may take you ashore in our small boats (RIBs) for a hike, swim, or beach clean-up. Or perhaps we’ll launch our kayaks to explore a pretty cove. Be ready for anything!

Don’t forget, you can also join onboard lectures, visit the Science Center, get tips from our professional photographer, or soak in a hot tub!

Djúpavík’s old factory

The history of the herring entrepreneurs

There is an eerie charm about the remote village of Djúpavík, at the edge of the Westfjords. A vast abandoned herring factory contrasts with a stunning rural setting. A guided tour of the old herring factory should not be missed.

Explore these magical surroundings on foot and take a short and invigorating hike to the waterfall just above the old factory.

Eyjafjörður to Akureyri

Explore Akureyri and see volcanic moonscapes.

Today we cruise along Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s longest fjord, to Akureyri, Iceland’s northern capital. It’s a prime area to see humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises.

Stroll the interesting streets of Akureyri, which feature charming, colorful houses. Learn about the city’s history at the Akureyri Museum and visit Norðurslóð (Into the Arctic), a museum dedicated to Iceland’s settlement, culture, and daily life.

Further afield you can visit the picturesque Goðafoss (‘God’s Waterfall’) where turquoise waters pound against black rocks. You can also seek out eider ducks and Harlequin ducks at Lake Mývatn, one of Iceland’s most active volcanic areas.

Grímsey’s puffins

Cross the Arctic Circle and see Atlantic puffins.

Grímsey is steeped in folklore, including tales of the island’s first settler, Grímur. This remote and windswept island is home to just 60 people and is renowned for its Atlantic Puffin colonies.

Grímsey may be best known for its proximity to the Arctic Circle, which cuts across the island – the only part of Iceland to do so. You’ll have the opportunity to step across that line, hopping over to the Arctic and back.

Hike to the Orbis et Globus sculpture, a huge concrete sphere that is repositioned each year to fit the northward movement of the Arctic Circle. In fact, by 2050, Grímsey will lie outside the Arctic!

Whale watching in Húsavík

Iceland’s best whale-watching spot

Today, you will discover Húsavík, a fascinating town that is one of the best places in the world for whale-watching.

Húsavík looks out over Skjálfandi Bay, a hotspot for humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises – the elusive blue whale even makes appearances here. If you’re lucky, you might see one or more of these giants at sea. Learn more about them at Húsavík’s Whale Museum.

You can also enjoy the geothermal waters at Geosea, which overlooks Skjálfandi bay, and pep yourself up with a beer at the local microbrewery.

Hike in Bakkagerði

Local folklore and staggering natural beauty

Your Iceland cruise continues to Bakkagerði, a tiny settlement off the beaten track. According to folklore, Bakkagerði is inhabited by a large population of local land spirits or elves, known as huldufólk, meaning ‘hidden people’.

This popular hiking area features lush valleys and gorgeous scenery among colorful rhyolite rocks. The coastal cliffs are home to fulmars, kittiwakes, eiders and puffins – a paradise for nature lovers and wildlife photographers.

Heimaey’s explosive past

Discover the town that defied a volcano.

Heimaey is the only inhabited island in the Westman Islands, found off the south coast of Iceland. It has a fascinating history and still bears the scars of the powerful volcanic eruption that nearly destroyed the island in 1973.

Visit Eldheimar, a museum that features an excavated home frozen in time, and learn more about the eruption and its aftermath. You could also take a hike to find puffins at Stórhöfði, where nearly 8 million of them nest every summer. Don’t pass up the chance to climb Mount Eldfell to the volcano’s summit, where you’ll have incredible views of the town below.

Return to Reykjavík

Explore Reykjavík at your leisure.

Your Iceland expedition cruise returns to fascinating Reykjavík. This is a great chance to see the places you missed when you arrived.

Experience an authentic part of Icelandic culture by soaking in the geothermal waters of a heittur pottur. Visit Iceland’s most famous place to do so: the Blue Lagoon. This is one of the true natural wonders of the world. You will experience the blend of silica, algae, and minerals in its geothermal waters.

Then you’ll board your ship again for the next stage of your adventure in remote east Greenland.

Crossing the Denmark Strait

Crossing the Denmark Strait

We sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait. Relax and explore the stylish onboard facilities.

Your Expedition Team will explain the protocols of visiting Greenlandic wildlife habitats and how to respectfully interact with the Indigenous Arctic communities. In the Science Center, learn more about Greenland’s geology, or join one of our Citizen Science projects.

Why not hit the gym? You can also just relax in the panoramic sauna before enjoying a delicious meal in one of our onboard restaurants.

Scoresby Sund fjord system

Largest fjord system on Earth

Cruising peacefully against a backdrop of looming mountains, blue icebergs, and mirror-like waters, you’ll seek out wildlife like whales and Greenlandic gyrfalcons. We will make the most of current conditions and pack in as many shore landings, nature walks, kayaking tours, and wildlife sightings as possible.

Visit Ittoqqortoormiit, the most remote inhabited community in the Western Hemisphere. Conditions permitting, we’ll sail towards the ever-changing eastern ice edge of the Greenland Sea to scout for wildlife.

If you want to do your part, participate in Citizen Science projects that help preserve the region for future generations.

Denmark Strait

Heading back to Iceland

After exploring the remote beauty of Greenland, we’ll set our course back to Iceland. Spend the days at sea recapping your experiences with your new friends, studying nature in the Science Center, listening to a lecture or two, or just relaxing on deck. Look out for the seabirds that follow our ship and keep an eye out for whales.

Greenland’s beauty is sure to have left its mark on you, so reflect on what you’ve seen – from the delicate ecology of the fjord systems to the ethereal elegance of the floating ice.

End of the expedition

End of the expedition

After our Grand Expedition Cruise circumnavigating Iceland and discovering the fjords of east Greenland, we say a fond farewell to MS Fram in the fabulous city of Reykjavík.

If you want to discover even more of Iceland, we recommend joining one of our optional Post-Programs before you head home.