REMOTE REACHES OF SCANDINAVIA BY PRIVATE JET

As Your Tour Manager, Denise Van Sever Welcomes You On This Journey

As Your Tour Manager, Bas Bosschieter Welcomes You On This Journey

Your Accompanying Tour Doctor For This Journey is Dr Michele Zwi

Your Accompanying Tour Doctor For This Journey is Dr Chet Pager

On arrival in London, we are met and transferred to the charming and historic surrounds of Down Hall Estate in Essex, about an hour’s drive from the capital. This afternoon, we can enjoy the hotel’s facilities or take a stroll through the magnificently landscaped gardens. At our Welcome Dinner, we meet our fellow travellers and share our anticipation of the thrilling days to follow.

After a delicious breakfast at Down Hall, we transfer to Stansted Airport’s private jet terminal and board our Business Class-configured Boeing 737 for the flight to Reykjavik, a journey of about three hours. Lunch will be served on board. After our early-afternoon arrival, we split into two smaller groups.

Our first group remains in Iceland, choosing to either head straight to the Canopy by Hilton hotel or the Blue Lagoon. Bathe in the mineral-rich waters, famous for their healing properties. You can also make the most of the indoor pool and geothermal sauna while here. Feeling revitalised, spend the afternoon on your own personal discovery of Reykjavik before reconvening for this evening’s dinner.

Our second group, meanwhile, transfer to our chartered Air Greenland Dash 8 aircraft for the short flight to Ilulissat, where you will be greeted and taken to your home for the next three nights, Hotel Ilulissat, situated in the heart of this remote Arctic town. There, enjoy dinner.

Those in our Reykjavik group begin today with an exploration of the Golden Circle Route, which is composed of Thingvellir National Park, as well as the Gulfoss waterfalls and Geysir geothermal area. These breathtaking natural wonders offer a glimpse into the region’s remarkable geology. Close by, visit Fridheimar Farm and try the local tomato schnapps. Take the rest of the afternoon on your own schedule before selecting from some of the city’s finest restaurants for dinner. You may prefer to dine at your hotel.

Our Ilulissat guests begin with a tour of the town. Visit its oldest parts, including buildings dating from its earliest years as a Danish trading post. See the busy fishing harbour, the 18th-century church and the new Icefjord Centre, which tells the story of the region’s glaciers, as well as its human history, in the contemporary context of climate change.

After a traditional Greenlandic barbecue lunch prepared by a private chef, you have a choice of Your World experiences:

— One option is to walk to the old settlement of Sermermiut, one-and-a-half kilometres from Ilulissat. Over 4000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in this place, with significant archaeological remains, including the ruins of turf huts, to be seen to this day. Hear tales of the Inuit people’s lives and traditions before Europeans came to Greenland and touch the permafrost with your own hands.
— The other choice is to kayak among icebergs calved from the Ilulissat Icefjord. Dry suits and all safety equipment is provided.

Dinner will be at the hotel or at your choice of the local restaurants, and afterwards there is an optional evening cruise of the Icefjord, a wonder of natural ice sculptures and intense colours.

Those in Iceland today will select from the Your World experiences on offer:

— Spend a full day visiting the country’s second largest glacier, Langjökull. Journey along the white slopes of ‘the long glacier’ by Super Jeep and venture inside man-made ice tunnels.
— On this morning option, accompany a geologist to the Hellisheidi power plant and learn how Iceland is transforming to sources of clean energy.
— Take the afternoon to uncover some of Iceland’s fascinating history. Visit the Settlement Center and the National Museum of Iceland. Learn about the region’s Viking past and hear about the Sagas, one of the pillars of Icelandic literature.

Dine at your hotel this evening or choose from one of the area’s other fine restaurants.

In Greenland, the massive Eqi Glacier (Eqip Sermia) is the ultimate destination on a full-day cruise. Travel north along the coast from Ilulissat, as your boat passes Bredebugt Bay, Oqaatsut village, and the Paakitsoq fjord system, where you may encounter whales and seals. Cruise through Ataa Sound, which is rich in birdlife and framed by steep mountains from which tumble waterfalls. Spend a couple of hours at a safe distance from the stunning sight of Eqi Glacier, watching in wonder as it calves into the bay. Return to Ilulissat in the afternoon for dinner at the hotel.

Following breakfast, our two groups swap destinations as we continue our journey. Our Iceland group board an Icelandair Dash 8 aircraft for their flight to Ilulissat. On arrival, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Following an afternoon tour of the town, check in to Hotel Ilulissat.

The remainder of our group enjoy lunch while flying to Reykjavik, before adjourning to the Canopy by Hilton hotel for dinner and a three-night stay.

Breakfast is at our respective hotels this morning. Those in Greenland enjoy a morning tour of Ilulissat, visiting its oldest parts, including buildings dating from its earliest years as a Danish trading post. See the busy fishing harbour, the 18th-century church and the new Icefjord Centre, which tells the story of the region’s glaciers, as well as its human history, in the contemporary context of climate change.

After a traditional Greenlandic barbecue lunch prepared by a private chef, spend your afternoon on one of these Your World experiences:

— Walk to the old settlement of Sermermiut. Over 4000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in this place, with significant archaeological remains, including the ruins of turf huts, to be seen to this day. Hear tales of the Inuit people’s lives and traditions before Europeans came to Greenland and touch the permafrost with your own hands.
— Kayak among icebergs calved from the Ilulissat Icefjord. Dry suits and all safety equipment is provided.

Enjoy dinner at your hotel or choose from the local restaurants. Depart on an optional evening cruise of the Icefjord, a wonder of natural ice sculptures and intense colours.

In Reykjavik today, explore the Golden Circle Route, comprising Thingvellir National Park, the Gulfoss waterfalls and Geysir geothermal area. These spectacular natural wonders provide a glimpse into the region’s remarkable geology. Close by, visit Fridheimar Farm and sample the local tomato schnapps. Take the rest of the afternoon on your own schedule before selecting from some of the city’s finest restaurants for dinner. You may prefer to dine at your hotel.

In Greenland, the massive Eqi Glacier (Eqip Sermia) proves the ultimate destination during a full-day cruise. Travel north along the coast from Ilulissat, as your boat passes Bredebugt Bay, Oqaatsut village, and the Paakitsoq fjord system, where you may encounter whales and seals. Cruise through Ataa Sound, which is rich in birdlife and framed by steep mountains from which tumble waterfalls. Spend a couple of hours at a safe distance from the stunning sight of Eqi Glacier, watching in wonder as it calves into the bay. Return to Ilulissat in the afternoon for dinner at the hotel.

Those in Iceland today will select from the Your World experiences on offer:

— Spend a full day visiting the country’s second largest glacier, Langjökull. Journey along the white slopes of ‘the long glacier’ by Super Jeep and venture inside man-made ice tunnels.
— On this morning option, accompany a geologist to the Hellisheidi power plant and learn how Iceland is transforming to sources of clean energy.
— Take the afternoon to uncover some of Iceland’s fascinating history. Visit the Settlement Center and the National Museum of Iceland. Learn about the region’s Viking past and hear about the Sagas, one of the pillars of Icelandic literature.

Dine at your hotel this evening or choose from one of the area’s other fine restaurants.

Our group in Ilulissat board a flight for Reykjavik after breakfast. Following lunch on board the aircraft, arrive in Reykjavik. Here, you’ll meet our Business Class private jet for your onward flight to the Faroe Islands.

Our guests already in Reykjavik will have the choice of a free morning or an optional morning visit to the Blue Lagoon. Absorb its mineral-rich waters, responsible for the lagoon’s otherworldly hue. Sooth your tired muscles and also take advantage of the indoor pool and geothermal sauna, which are also on the site. After lunch, transfer to the airport for your flight to the Faroe Islands, where our two groups reunite.

We check into Hotel Føroyar in Tórshavn, the islands’ capital, for an overnight stay.