For Immediate Release
Zegrahm Expeditions Celebrates 1,000 Years Of Discovery
With Passage Of The Vikings Voyages
SEATTLE, WA — A thousand years have passed since Leif Ericsson and his Vikings ruled the seas, performing great feats of seamanship and adventure. In celebration of those intrepid Norsemen and their many North Atlantic discoveries (including North America), Zegrahm Expeditions is offering two extraordinary expeditions following the Passage of the Vikings from the Scottish Isles to Iceland.
Slated for June 2000, both 15-day voyages offer something for everyone: history and culture, geysers and glaciers, fjords, farmlands and plenty of spouting whales, chattering puffins, and wheeling clouds of seabirds. Sailing aboard the 238-foot M/S Explorer, the first expedition "Voyage from the Scottish Isles to Iceland" departs from Edinburgh, Scotland, and continues on to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, home to an array of significant archeological sites. From the Shetland's Isle of Noss, the ship will voyage to the Faroe Islands, where passengers will have two days to explore the Viking ruins, small villages and stunning scenery, before sailing on to Iceland and its many geological wonders.
From the majestic extinct volcano featured in Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, to Reykjavík's spectacular Geysir area, to towering seaside pillars of basalt, passengers can expect six days of breathtaking sights. Here, too, are countless seabird colonies of puffins (King Arthur hoped to come back as this colorful bird), guillemots, kittiwakes, and more.
The second voyage, "Circumnavigation of Iceland with the Faroe Islands," begins and ends in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital, and offers passengers 15 days amid the fjords, glaciers, volcanoes and seabird colonies of this beautiful island country. In addition to Zodiac excursions to remote beaches, scenic fjords and impressive bird cliffs, passengers can expect a snowmobile journey across Europe's largest glacier, found in Iceland's southeast corner. This voyage also includes two days in the historically and culturally rich villages of the Faroes, where sod-roofed farmhouses, Viking longhouses and an ancient Runic stone can be found.
Both voyages are timed for optimum wildlife viewing. Some twenty species of whales can be found in these nutrient-rich waters and sleek seals will be lounging along the beaches of small islands and fjords. Birds will number in the hundreds of thousands, most caught up in a seasonal frenzy of courting and breeding. Early summer will also bring a profusion of wildflowers to the fields and hillsides, providing a beautiful backdrop to the many Viking ruins. The Orkney, Shetlands and Faroes, colonized by Vikings in the late 700s, are known for their archeological wonders. Passengers will visit the chambered cairn of Maes Howe, which contains tombs dating from approximately 1800 B.C., as well as the 4,500-year-old Neolithic village of Skara Brae and the Standing Stones of Stennes. Jarlshof, in the Shetlands, is one of Europe's great archeological sites, which only came to light in 1905 after ruins were revealed following a storm. Dating back to the Stone Age, this fascinating site shows evidence of habitation from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Viking and Medieval periods. Iceland, also, has its own Viking ruins, particularly the tiny hamlet of Sandvik, which was settled by an eccentric group of Vikings with an obsession for playing chess.
As with all Zegrahm voyages, a host of naturalists and lecturers will be onboard to add a depth of knowledge to the areas visited. Among them will be Icelandic specialist Ragnar Hauksson and world-renown ornithologist and Zegrahm co-founder Peter Harrison, author and illustrator of over a dozen books, including Seabirds: An Identification Guide. According to Harrison, the scenery has not changed much in the past thousand years.
"It's astonishing how little has changed in the waters since the days of the great Viking Age," he said. "We'll see what the Vikings saw — the gentle moorlands of the offshore Scottish Isles with grazing sheep amid historic archeological sites; the Faroes' rugged seascapes packed with nesting birds; and Iceland's sizzling geysers and icy-blue glaciers."
The M/S Explorer accommodates just 98 passengers in outside-view cabins and suites, all with private facilities. She also boasts public social and lecture areas, library, fitness center and sauna. The ship carries a fleet of Zodiac landing craft, allowing passengers to go ashore for landings on remote beaches, explore Icelandic fjords in detail and circle under bird cliffs for premier photographic moments.
For the past nine years, adventure travel company Zegrahm Expeditions has specialized in expert-led adventure cruises and tours to remote locations around the world, from Antarctica to the Arctic and many points in between. Zegrahm's "Voyage from the Scottish Isles to Iceland" runs from June 5 – 19, 2000; "Circumnavigation of Iceland with the Faroes" is slated June 15 – 29. Prices for each expedition start at US$5,490, per person, double occupancy. Airfare is not included.
Note to editors: Artwork available upon request. |
