Embark in Glasgow (Greenock)

Start in Scotland’s stylish city of culture

A former industrial powerhouse, Glasgow has reinvented itself as a cultural hot spot, packed with museums, galleries, and parks. Discover the splendid Art Nouveau architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh before your expedition cruise begins.

MS Spitsbergen, one of our smaller vessels and built for close up exploration, will be waiting for you. Explore the ship before meeting the Expedition Team, your guides for your adventure ahead. Enjoy your first dinner aboard as we set sail.

Beautiful Isle of Arran

Enjoy spotting wildlife on Arran

Welcome to the Isle of Arran, known for its heather-cloaked landscapes. It’s the perfect place for a scenic hike. Why not try the popular Goat Fell trail and see if you can spot Scotland’s ‘Big Five’ – the golden eagle, red deer, red squirrel, otter, and harbor seal, all of which can be found on Arran.

Explore the woodland and gardens of Brodick Castle and marvel at the Neolithic treasures and huge upright slabs at the Machrie Moor Stone Circle. No stop here would be complete without visiting the Isle of Arran Distillery to taste their distinctive malt.

Islay’s whisky and nature

Fire up your spirit of discovery on ‘whisky island’

Islay is the proud home of world-famous peaty single malts, but that’s far from the only reason to visit. Here, you’ll discover fascinating ancient monoliths and the enigmatic settlement of Finlaggan.

Today, Islay is a wildlife paradise, with over 200 species of birds. These include oystercatchers, gannets, and golden eagles. From its sandy beaches, you can sometimes spot dolphins and basking sharks.

Port Ellen is the gateway to three of the island’s nine distilleries. Of course, no trip to Islay is complete without a ‘wee dram’ from a famous and historic whisky producer, including Laphroaig or Ardbeg.

Sustainable Isle of Gigha

Discover a slice of paradise in the Hebrides.

Today, our Scottish isles cruise takes us to tiny Gigha (pronounced ‘gee-ah’), a little sandy slice of paradise in the Hebrides. The island is community-owned, bought by its 163 residents in 2002, and has a sustainable local economy. Try some of the seafood, such as Gigha halibut and oysters.

At only seven miles long, the best way to get around Gigha is on foot or by renting a bike. Visit the woodland gardens of Achamore House and admire the colorful rhododendrons. Then explore white sandy coves and turquoise waters along the coast, such as the Bàgh Rubha Ruaidh and Bàgh na Dòirlinne beaches.

The spirit of Iona

See Iona’s sacred abbey and Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

Your adventure continues to Iona, off the coast of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. Visit the restored sixth-century abbey, one of Scotland’s oldest and most sacred Christian pilgrimage sites. Or enjoy a hike with the Expedition Team up Dùn I for breathtaking views of St. Columba’s Bay – and take a sip from the ‘Well of Eternal Youth.’

Next, we sail to the Treshnish Isles, home to Atlantic puffins, razorbills, and Atlantic gray seals. At nearby Fingal’s Cave, marvel at the hexagonal basalt columns, superb natural acoustics, and mesmerizing colors in the water.

Wild St. Kilda

Discover the untamed beauty of St. Kilda

A visit to this UNESCO double World Heritage Site is an unforgettable experience. If conditions allow, we’ll spend the day here.

This is one of Europe’s most important seabird colonies. St. Kilda’s volcanic outcrops are home to thousands of nesting seabirds, including northern fulmars, black-legged kittiwakes, and over 60,000 pairs of northern gannets.

In 1930, St. Kilda’s last residents asked to be evacuated due to the island’s wild and windswept conditions. Explore the abandoned village and see the distinctive cleits – circular stone buildings used to store peat, eggs, and smoked puffins. Then, head back to the ship and happily indulge in more contemporary dining options.

Stornoway

Experience Gaelic culture in the Hebrides.

We travel next to Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides, home of the famous Harris Tweed cloth. We’ll visit the Gothic-style Lews Castle, full of trails and fantastic views. You can also see ‘Scotland’s Stonehenge’ at the Callanish Standing Stones, visit a crofting village, or hike the Great Bernera Trail.

We’ll also explore the wild and beautiful Shiant Isles, a tiny archipelago set in the Minch Strait. It is one of the most important breeding colonies for seabirds in Europe, so keep an eye out for European shags, common eiders, northern fulmars and great skuas in the surrounding waters or on volcanic ledges.

Isles of beauty

Dramatic scenery awaits on the Isles of Skye and Eigg.

Sail to Loch Scavaig on the Isle of Skye, where dramatic scenery surrounds you. ‘The wildest scene in the Highlands’ is how the Victorian poet Lord Tennyson described Loch Coruisk and the surrounding jagged peaks of the Cuillin Mountains. We’ll strap on our hiking boots to explore the loch with the Expedition Team.

Then, it’s on to the remote Isle of Eigg, home to incredible wildlife. You might spot golden and white-tailed eagles, red-throated divers, stonechats, seals, dolphins, and porpoises. Stroll along the white sands of Laig Bay to the quartz beach, where the sand sings, or hike to the top of An Sgùrr.

A delightful sound

Prepare for the dreamy beauty of the Sound of Mull.

Brightly colored Georgian houses line the waterfront in the picturesque fishing port of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Learn about the local heritage at the whisky distillery and Mull Museum, or stroll around the loch in Aros Park and see the Baliscate Standing Stones.

The Isle of Mull is a magnet for birders, with the highest breeding density of golden eagles in Europe. Meanwhile, white-tailed eagles can often be seen soaring above the coast. We’ll also explore Loch Sunart, a protected marine area known for otters, dolphins, and porpoises, then stop by Mingary Castle.

Colonsay birds and blooms

Immerse yourself in unspoiled island beauty.

Take a coastal walk on the Isle of Colonsay and enjoy breathtaking views from Kiloran Bay and Plaide Mhòr. You could also go for a paddle in a kayak to catch sight of whales, porpoises, and dolphins.

Flora also thrives on Colonsay, with over 400 species blooming. You’ll see some of them in the woodland gardens of Colonsay House. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise, with choughs, red northern divers, eagles, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and shags among the birds you can spot. Be sure to listen for the rattle of the elusive corncrake.

Back to Glasgow (Greenock)

Experience the culture of Scotland’s cities.

Your Scottish Isles expedition cruise ends in Glasgow. In the harbor, you’ll find the striking Riverside Museum and the tall ship Glenlee beside it. Admire the Gothic architecture of Glasgow Cathedral and view eclectic art and natural history at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum before heading home. It’s an excellent way to round off your adventure.