2017 - APT Small Ships

62 CRUISE APPEAL This Soft Expedition cruise will feature regular Zodiac excursions as well as docking alongside select ports. It will appeal to guests who: ✫ Wish to explore Norway's pristine fjords, many of which are only accessible by small ship ✫ Are interested in learning about age-old Viking culture and traditions ✫ Want to explore verdant countryside decorated with spectacular waterfalls ✫ Visit the home of Edvard Grieg and be treated to a private recital of his classical masterpieces in Bergen ✫ Enjoy a fascinating excursion to the village of Undredal ✫ Board an enchanting ride on the scenic Flåm Railway ✫ Cruise along Sognefjord, the largest fjord in Norway ✫ Explore the open-air Sunnfjord Museum, before taking a drive through the region known as 'waterfall country' ✫ Enjoy a full day to explore the fascinating islands of the Lofoten Archipelago ✫ Freedom of Choice Sightseeing™ in Lerwick and Torghatten CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS Land of the Midnight Sun 13 Day Soft Expedition Cruise | MS Hebridean Sky United Kingdom | Norway Day 1. Arrive Oban. Arrive at the airport in Edinburgh and be transferred to Oban, where you will board your small ship. This evening, get to know your fellow travellers and Expedition Team during a Welcome Dinner. 12 Night Stay: aboard the MS Hebridean Sky. D Day 2. Tanera Mòr, Handa. From Oban, cruise north to Loch Broom and the Summer Isles, with the goal of landing on Tanera Mòr, the archipelago's only inhabited island. On a guided walk, enjoy the stunning views, keeping an eye out for otters and seals as well as the island's many birds. Stop at the post office, which produces stamps so rare that they are highly sought-after by collectors. Later, arrive at Handa and board a Zodiac to explore the sea cliffs of Torridonian sandstone that rise from the Atlantic. At times, up to 100,000 seabirds gather here, including guillemot, razorbill, puffins and great skua. BLD Day 3. Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Freedom of Choice. Reaching the main port of the Shetland Islands, Lerwick, perhaps visit Jarlshof, where archaeological ruins date from the Stone Age to the 17th century. Alternatively, explore Viking heritage towns on a guided walking tour. BLD Day 4. Bergen. Spend the day in the lovely World Heritage- listed city of Bergen in Norway, home to one of the world's oldest symphony orchestras. Embark on a guided sightseeing tour of the old quarter, with its quaint wooden houses and cobbled streets. You will also visit the home of Norway's most famous composer, Edvard Grieg. Following the tour, enjoy a private recital of some of Edvard Grieg's most well-known classical masterpieces. BLD Day 5. Sognefjord, Naeroyfjord. Spend much of today cruising the majestic fjords of Norway. Begin by cruising over Sognefjord, the country's largest fjord and the third longest in the world. Continue on to World Heritage-listed Naeroyfjord, a dramatic fjord lined on either side by rugged mountain peaks, tumbling waterfalls and luscious emerald valleys. BLD Day 6. Flåm, Undredal. Embark on one of Europe's most scenic rail journeys along the Flåm Railway. Traverse countryside set more than 850 metres above sea-level. Then, after lunch, traverse spectacularly remote countryside on the way to Undredal, a fairytale-like village located along the beautiful Aurlandsfjorden. BLD Freedom of Choice TM Sightseeing Signature Invitation Take in the beauty of Svartisen Glacier lit up by the midnight sun E X P E D I T I O N S O F T E X P E D I T I O N www.aptouring.com.au

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