Wild Scotland - M/V Sylvia Earle

Arrive at Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) and transfer to our Embarkation Suite. Explore Aberdeen at your leisure before returning to our Embarkation Suite at the designated times for the group transfer to Sylvia Earle.

In the late afternoon join a mandatory group transfer to board the Sylvia Earle. After boarding, there’s time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings before we ‘throw the lines’ to begin our Scotland adventure. This evening, join your fellow travellers for an onboard Welcome Dinner, where your expedition team will introduce you to the expedition ahead and raise a toast to the adventures to come.

Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, rewards exploration beyond its modern harbour. Narrow lanes wind through the historic centre, while the surrounding West Mainland blends fertile farmland, rolling hills, moorland and dramatic Atlantic cliffs. Depending on your chosen excursion, discover some of Orkney’s great archaeological treasures.

Personalise your expedition with an included ‘Your Choice’ experience suited to your interests and fitness level.

Option 1: Orkney Treasures – Skara Brae

Duration: 4 hours

Level of difficulty: Moderately paced

Travel through Orkney’s tranquil countryside into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Pass the Standing Stones of Stenness and pause at the Ring of Brodgar, an immense ceremonial stone circle created almost 5,000 years ago. Continue to Skara Brae, where a remarkably preserved Neolithic village lay hidden beneath sand dunes until storms revealed it in the 19th century. Explore the visitor centre and ancient stone dwellings before walking approximately 200 metres to Skaill House. Built in 1620 on a site with Norse origins, this elegant manor has been home to 12 generations of the same family and contains a fascinating collection spanning four centuries.

Option 2: The Heart of Neolithic Orkney

Duration: 3.45 hours

Level of difficulty: Moderately paced

Journey into Orkney’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Neolithic heartland. At the Ring of Brodgar, contemplate a vast ceremonial stone circle created almost 5,000 years ago, then visit the taller and even older Standing Stones of Stenness. Walk to the nearby settlement of Barnhouse and discover how its Neolithic inhabitants may have lived. Pause at a bird hide overlooking peaceful Harray Loch before returning to Kirkwall to visit St Magnus Cathedral, an enduring expression of Orkney’s Norse heritage. Together, these sites offer a fascinating view of the communities, beliefs and mysteries that have shaped the islands.

Almost 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of mainland Scotland, the Shetland Islands sit at a similar latitude to Bergen and the southern tip of Greenland. Summer brings extraordinarily long days to this archipelago of around 100 islands, rich in nature reserves, archaeological treasures and distinctive island traditions. Depending on conditions, we hope to explore several landing sites.

Between Orkney and Shetland, tiny Fair Isle is renowned for its bird observatory, distinctive knitwear and dramatic shipwreck history. Cliffs surround much of the island, while its small community lives mainly in traditional crofts across the more fertile south.

Positioned beneath major migration routes from Scandinavia, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, Fair Isle is a paradise for birdwatchers. In summer, fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, shags and puffins crowd the cliffs. Wildflowers flourish across the island, and we may meet local residents, hike through the landscape or visit the museum. The surrounding waters are home to grey and common seals, with possible sightings of porpoises, dolphins, orcas and minke whales.

From Lerwick, we plan to discover Jarlshof, one of Shetland’s most complex archaeological sites. Revealed by storms in the late 19th century, the site preserves evidence of more than 4,000 years of settlement, from Neolithic homes and a Bronze Age smithy to Iron Age buildings, Norse longhouses and a medieval farmstead. The name ‘Jarlshof’ was bestowed by Sir Walter Scott in his novel The Pirate.

Noss National Nature Reserve is famed for its kilometre-long seabird cliffs. During breeding season, the calls of around 150,000 birds and chicks fill the air as gannets, guillemots and other seabirds occupy ledges in sandstone cliffs rising almost 200 metres (656 feet). Seals rest along the shoreline, while otters sometimes forage among the kelp.

On the uninhabited island of Mousa stands Mousa Broch, the best preserved of Scotland’s Iron Age fortified towers. Nearly 2,000 years old, its remarkable stonework still rises more than 13 metres. By day, common and grey seals may be seen along the shore, and we will keep watch for otters—known locally as dratsies.

Across Orkney’s 70 windswept islands, layers of human history unfold—from 5,000-year-old Neolithic monuments and Norse heritage to wartime remains and present-day crofting communities. Seabirds crowd the imposing sea cliffs, coastal paths beckon hikers and, when conditions allow, kayakers can discover sections of the archipelago from the water.

On Papa Westray, we plan to visit the Knap of Howar, where Northern Europe’s oldest known stone houses were occupied by Neolithic farmers more than 5,000 years ago. Later, experience the warmth of island hospitality at the local pub, where the Papa Westray folk ensemble Poor Man’s Corner may fill the room with lively tunes and irresistible rhythms.

We continue to the Outer Hebrides, also known as the Western Isles, a 209-kilometre (128-mile) chain facing the open Atlantic. On the Isle of Lewis, we plan to visit the remarkable Callanish Standing Stones, raised around 3,000 BCE and set within a landscape rich in prehistoric history.

Weather permitting, we hope to land at the remote archipelago of St Kilda, recognised by UNESCO for both its natural and cultural significance. Abandoned stone homes tell of the resilient islanders who once raised Soay sheep and harvested seabirds, while immense cliffs and sea stacks support one of Europe’s most important seabird colonies.

Golden beaches, jagged peaks, heather-clad hills and remote island communities make every day in the Inner Hebrides wonderfully different. We may cruise into secluded lochs, walk among extraordinary rock formations and watch for whales, dolphins, otters, seals and basking sharks. Conditions permitting, we may also visit an island reserve where red deer and white-tailed eagles thrive.

We plan to land on the community-owned Isle of Eigg, south of the Isle of Skye. Follow scenic trails through wildflower-rich landscapes while our Expedition Team reveals the island’s wildlife, history and remarkable geology.

The Cuillin mountains on Skye form one of Britain’s most dramatic landscapes. Weather permitting, we may land at Loch Scavaig and walk towards Loch Coruisk for magnificent views of the jagged Black Cuillin and rounded Red Cuillin peaks. More experienced hikers may venture farther, while kayakers could explore the sheltered lochs or paddle towards Soay and the remains of a former shark-fishing station.

On Staffa, we hope to explore Fingal’s Cave, where waves echo between towering basalt columns. The extraordinary acoustics and geology inspired Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture. Depending on conditions, we may approach by Zodiac or land and walk towards the cave entrance. In season, puffins add another memorable dimension to our visit.

Later, we aim to visit the tiny island of Iona, just five kilometres (three miles) long yet central to Scotland’s spiritual history. In 563 CE, the Irish monk St Columba arrived with 12 followers and established a monastery that became an influential centre of Christianity. Iona is also the burial place of early Scottish kings and remains an important place of pilgrimage.

On arrival in Troon, disembark in the early morning and farewell your fellow travellers and Expedition Team before transferring to Glasgow Airport for your onward journey.