Itineraries for 8-14 Days

A Circumnavigation of Iceland

Top Highlights

• Experience all of Iceland’s geological manifestations: glaciers, geysers, thundering waterfalls, immense cliffs, geothermal springs, boiling mud pots, and lava-scapes of unearthly beauty
• Meet local Icelandic experts ranging from economists to filmmakers and enjoy exclusive music performances.
• Explore Iceland’s wild western coast; Siglufjörður in the north; the rarely visited rugged east coast; and the Westman islands in the south, among the planet’s youngest archipelagos
• Actively explore by taking Zodiacs into fjords and serene bays
• Customize your experience by taking an expedition extension

A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islands to Baja California

Top Highlights

• Discover the incredible biodiversity of Channel Islands National Park, home to over 2,000 species including 145 endemics.
• Go behind the scenes and enjoy a private lunch at a boutique vineyard in the world-renowned Valle de Guadalupe.
• Explore the waters and experience the wildlife of peninsular Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve; meet the fishermen of Isla Natividad’s model fishing co-op.
• Observe breaching humpbacks and acrobatic dolphins from the bow of a small ship.
• Snorkel in Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, the only hard coral reef in North America; featuring over 220 species of fish.

New Ancient Polynesia: Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands

Top Highlights

• Dive and snorkel in clear, warm waters in an extraordinary undersea world of melon-headed whales, 16-foot manta rays, green sea turtles, and vast schools of pelagic fish
• Experience the world’s largest Marine Mammal Sanctuary, where 20 species of whales and dolphins include resident spinner dolphins, nomad sperm whales, and migrating humpback whales
• Learn about Polynesian history on visits to an 8-foot tiki and ancient petroglyphs
• Connect with island residents through a cultural dance performance at a me-ae (sacred site), sample local foods, and attend a church service
• Appreciate the skilled artisanry of tapa (cloth made from tree bark), carvings in bone and rosewood, and oils and perfumes crafted from local natural sources like the tiare flower
• On hikes and excursions in kayaks and Zodiacs, be on the lookout for birds including endangered ultramarine lorikeet, zebra doves, manakins, and fairy terns

Baja California: Among the Great Whales

Top Highlights

• See Gray whales and their newborn calves up close in lagoons, and witness breaching humpbacks from the bow of our ship, or on Zodiac excursions
• Snorkel amidst the vibrant sea life and pristine coral reefs of Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, a conservation success story
• Hike desert islands and sculpted sand dunes, and witness a variety of desert flora and fauna
• Conditions permitting, swim with playful sea lions at Los Islotes
• Get steeped in culture walking the quaint maze of streets and sun-drenched promenades in lively La Paz

Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey

Top Highlights

• Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark and their legendary Corps of Discovery expedition
• Spend a day cruising through the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, taking in the views from the bow and perfecting your landscape photography skills
• Taste the bounty of the region through their harvests and fresh, local, and delectable cuisine
• Experience the region up close on water-level Zodiac and kayak forays on the Palouse River or by hiking monumental Beacon Rock
• Transit a series of eight locks that lift the ship 700 feet—10 times the elevation of the Panama Canal

Costa Rica and the Panama Canal

Top Highlights

• Venture into remote wilderness: hike among monkeys, sloths, and tropical birds, and explore far from any inhabited places
• Transit the Panama Canal over two days to see it by day and in the coolness of night—plus an exclusive stop at the Smithsonian Research Institute
• Discover the wild rainforests of Corcovado National Park, which National Geographic dubbed “the most biologically intense place on Earth”
• Explore idyllic islands, snorkel over a vibrant coral reef, and take a Zodiac cruise up a wild river
• Meet the Emberá people of Panama, who welcome us into their village, and meet others working to protect this eco paradise

Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness

Top Highlights

• Hike through lush forests and muskegs, kayak into secluded inlets, and cruise by Zodiac among electric blue icebergs and curious wildlife
• By special permit, spend a full day exploring Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
• If schedules permit, our conservation partners from the Alaska Whale Foundation will come aboard to meet with us and speak about the local whale population
• Discover Alaska’s seldom-seen, vibrant marine life revealed by our undersea specialist
• Hike and kayak in the wild remote areas of Tongass National Forest by special permit

Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands

Top Highlights

• Sail among remote islands to kayak or hike where sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, and white-sided dolphins can be found
• Go through Desolation Sound, on the north end of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, a mecca for kayakers with its calm, sheltered waters and outstanding natural beauty
• In Alert Bay visit the U'Mista Cultural Center to see a stunning collection of potlatch masks created by the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples
• Search for humpbacks and orcas, visit the Whale Museum, and learn about local populations from a researcher for the Center for Whale Research
• In lovely Victoria tour private gardens, take a bike ride, and enjoy a private evening event at the Robert Bateman Centre

Exploring Peru: Land of the Inca

Exploring the Gulf of California: A Living Sea & Desert Isles

Top Highlights

• Search for large pods of dolphins and a variety of marine wildlife including sea lions and, with luck, leaping mobula rays, which flap for a moment before belly-flopping back in the water
• Explore water-level caves by kayak, hike uninhabited beaches, and snorkel among fish and acrobatic sea lions
• Photograph the landscape as the light changes and the golden hour approaches, with its deep red hues that seem to engulf the desert environment
• Conditions permitting, visit Isla Rasa. Composed of Pleistocene and Holocene basalt lava flows, this is where 90 percent of the world’s Heermann’s gulls and a large population of elegant terns come to breed
• Visit the old mining town of Santa Rosalia, with its wooden homes and historic steel church, designed by Gustave Eiffel

Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II

Top Highlights

• Benefit from our 50+ years of experience in Galápagos and deep knowledge of the archipelago to see all you came for and more
• See more of the archipelago’s varied islands and habitats
• Have up-close encounters with incredible wildlife
• Experience the Galápagos undersea, too

Iceland's Wild West Coast to East Greenland

Top Highlights

• Discover the wild west coast of Iceland with its incredible geology, quiet coves, and majestic waterfalls
• Explore the largest national park in the world—Northeast Greenland National Park—and search for polar bears, musk oxen, whales, and more
• Sail into Scoresbysund, ice permitting, the world’s largest and longest fjord system and home to a remote Inuit community
• Learn how to capture northern lights displays, conditions permitting, with our National Geographic photographer by your side