Viking Cruises

Call us on 138 747 (AU), 0800 447 913 (NZ), contact your local Viking travel agent or visit viking.com | 27 the port and we were on the ship and settled into our stateroom in no time. 5 WATERFALLS Godafoss and Gullfoss are two of the most famous waterfalls but you'll also see plenty of others. In the port of ĺsafjördur we took an included Viking tour to a nearby waterfall for a sip of the ice cold water that's believed to grant everyone who drinks it 10 years of good luck. On another afternoon, we watched a waterfall across from where the ship was docked grow bigger and bigger as the snow in the mountains melted under the summer sun and ice cold water tumbled down the cliff. 6 WILDLIFE GALORE On a small ship like Viking Star, we were able to dock right in the heart of town and slip into small bays and coves along the way. Watching puffins nesting in the nearby cliffs and zooming past us from the comfort of our balcony was an unexpected highlight, made possible by Iceland's deep harbours and our captain's skill. Just when we thought our trip couldn't possibly get any better, a whale waved its tail fin in the air in front of the Explorers' Lounge during the cocktail hour on the last night, providing a grand finale for seven wildlife packed days. 7 ICEBERG ADVENTURE It's not a trip to Iceland without some ice so on the morning we docked in Djúpivogur, we set off early for a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) adventure at the base of a glacier. Sheets of ice towered above us in the distance as we held our breath, waiting to see if a section of ice would break off and plunge into the water. Shimmering blue icebergs floated around us as our guide manoeuvred the boat to the best position so we could take photos of the jagged icy wall and marvel at one of Europe's largest glaciers. 8 YOU'LL DISCOVER MORE THAN JUST THE SIGHTS Local guides were waiting to show us around each port on the Viking included tours and didn't just show us the highlights, they also provided an insight into what it was like living in Iceland's coastal towns: tales of friends and family getting together for midnight picnics to watch the northern lights dancing across the sky; why in winter there were so many wonderful singers and musicians at every port we visited (affordable music lessons are made available to every child in Iceland); and why a tiny university with only 80 students is so popular for students studying marine science. The things I saw and did in Iceland were incredible, but it's the country's people that we'll remember long after we return home. FAXI WATERFALL REYKJAVÍK ICELAND

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