This voyage to the Arctic and 'sub Arctic' is often one of the very best for seeing marine life, birdlife and dramatic isolated islands.

In the more southerly waters of this voyage, we have very good chances of seeing Minke whales,  White-beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises. Orcas and other cetaceans are less predictable, but the chances are good since they are resident in channels between the Scottish Islands. As we head north into open sea, chances to see the mighty Blue Whale also exists and we were lucky enough to see 5 of these on our 2010 voyage and 6 of them in 2011. As we reach Spitsbergen, the ghostly white Beluga whale is another species we will be on the look out for.

Out into the North Atlantic, you will have the opportunity to see birds in the open ocean and explore the dramatic isolated coastlines of islands rich in seabird colonies and a fascinating cultural history. These include the Shetland Islands and the Faroes with its Viking heritage and dramatic sea cliff.

Jan Mayen is an island of breathtaking beauty which is very rarely visited due to its mid Arctic Ocean isolation. The island is dominated by the 2,300m Mt Beerenberg volcano and glaciers which descend into the sea. Until recently the island was a military based and off limits to tourists - but with permission from the Norwegian authorities we hope to visit the weather station and undertake some treks on the island. Snowshoes are often essential for this and these will be available onboard for anyone to use at no extra charge.  We also plan to explore the island from the water, observing its coastal glaciers and sites where we can expect to thousands of Little Auks and Brünnich's Guillemots which will no doubt be watched over by piratical Glaucous Gulls.

As we continue our bird migration route north we will eventually reach Spitsbergen - the land of pointed mountains.  Thousands of birds will have taken this journey ahead of us and we can expect to see them covering coastal cliffs in the South of Spitsbergen. This is an area of spectacular fjords and bays which we will explore from the ship and in small rigid inflatable boats. We will also be on the lookout for Arctic mammals including Reindeer, Arctic Foxes and of course the symbol of the Arctic itself: the Polar Bear.

Photographs kindly provided by Troels Jacobsen, Chris Dobbs, Rolf Stange, Kelvin Murray, Rinnie van Meurs & Charlotte Caffrey.

Please note that the following itinerary is draft only, designed to provide you with a flavour of this Arctic and sub-Arctic voyage. All polar voyages are expeditionary in nature and the actual route will depend upon sea and westher conditions, seasonal opportunities to sea wildlife, birdlife and scenery, decisions made by the expedition crew, Captain and local authorities - and in particular ice conditions which can vary considerably year by year.

Day 1
This voyage begins in the Scottish city of Aberdeen, famous for its classic granite buildings. It is a city steeped in history. The lighthouse on Girdle Ness was designed by the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson - the man who invented the steam engine.

The channels between the Scottish islands offer excellent possibilities to spot Minke Whales (a small baleen whale), White-beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises. Several other cetaceans, including Orcas (Killer Whales), are also native to these waters.

Day 2
Today we will arrive at Fair Isle in the Shetlands, where we will take a walk to the bird observatory. Later, on Mousa, one of the smaller Shetland Islands, we visit one of the best preserved brochs in Scotland. Brochs are circular stone towers probably built by the Picts. During a night excursion we will watch thousands of Storm Petrels return to their burrows or crevices.

By day we will be hoping to observe Grey Seals, Black Guillemots, Red-throated Divers, Arctic Skuas and a wonderful Spring Flora.

Day 3
Today we arrive at Thorshavn, the capital and cultural centre of the Faroes. Here you will be free to explore the town and keen walkers can make an exciting two hours walk across the hills to Kirkjubøer where they will find a medieval cathedral.

In the early evening we will try to land at Saksun, tucked away at the head of a fjord which was once a superb natural harbour. Today the bay is full of sand and we can only enter by zodiac at high tide. At Saksun is a Natural Heritage Museum. Continuing along the north side of Streymoy we pass huge seabird colonies.

Day 4 & 5
We sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, situated 300 nautical miles north-east of Iceland. During our two days at sea there will be plenty of time to watch for the blow of a Minke, Fin or Blue Whale, which could herald a rewarding encounter with these gentle giants. Perhaps we might run into a pod of Orcas, who can often be quite curious about boats such as ours.

Day 6
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island of breathtaking beauty, dominated by Mt Beerenberg. From the slopes of the 2300m volcano, impressive glaciers spill into the sea. Until recently, the island was off-limits as it is a military base, and was rarely visited by tourists; but with permission from the Norwegian authorities we hope to visit the weather station. We will also walk across the island to Kvalrossbukta to look at the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station and a substantial colony of Fulmars. We also plan to sail by Koksletta where thousands of Little Auks and Brünnich's Guillemots breed close to a glacier, watched over by piratical Glaucous Gulls.

Days 7 & 8
We spend two days at sea, looking out for Whales, Dolphins and Seals and a variety of seabirds.

Day 9
Depending on the position of the sea-ice, we sail into Raudfjord or one of the other fjords in Northwest Spitsbergen, where we have chances of seeing Polar Bears at the heads of the fjords, and seals sunbathing on the fjord ice. At Fuglesangen we have an opportunity to see thousands of Little Auks on their breeding grounds.

Day 10
Fuglehuken, at the northern tip of Prince Karls Forland, is probably the place where Willem Barentsz made the first landing in Spitsbergen. It is an area with beautiful seabird colonies and many remains of the Polar Bear hunting period of a century ago. Later we will look for Walruses at Sarstangen, Engelskmansbukta or Poole-Pynten. In the evening we could land at Alkhornet another seabird colony where at the slopes we can find Reindeer and Arctic Foxes.

Day 11
We disembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward to home.
isembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward to home.