15 July

Iceland: Flatey Island

The island of Flatey lives up to its name, flat and almost devoid of hills, its colourful cottages only inhabited during the summer months. The nutrient-rich waters along the coast support a healthy population of birds including Atlantic puffins, Arctic terns, eider ducks, red-necked phalaropes and snow buntings.

16 July to 17 July

Iceland: Westfjords

Remote and sparsely populated, the wild Westfjords region extends out from Iceland's northwest corner like a many-fingered hand. Highlights include the thundering Dynjandi waterfalls and the towering bird cliffs of Látrabjarg, where a staggering number of sea birds nest during the summer months, including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, fulmars and kittiwakes.

18 July - At sea

19 July

Greenland: East Greenland

20 July

Greenland: Prince Christian Sound

The spectacular Prince Christian Sound provides a protected passage for ships rounding the southern tip of Greenland, at times narrowing to just 1,500 feet across. Waterfalls cascade down the rugged mountain sides, and you can often spot whales and seals amongst the icebergs.

20 July

Greenland: Tasermiut Fjord, Klostertal

21 July to 22 July

Greenland: Qaqortoq

Qaqortoq is southern Greenland’s largest town, though with just 3,000 inhabitants it’s hardly crowded. A trip to the nearby hot springs at Uunartoq is recommended; relaxing in the 38°C water and watching icebergs drift across the bay is quite something.

23 July

Greenland: Nuuk

Greenland’s capital and largest town, Nuuk is positively cosmopolitan compared to the rest of this remote and isolated country. The setting amongst mountains and fjords is striking, and attractions include the Greenland National Museum and the picturesque Old Harbour.

24 July - At sea

25 July

Greenland: Sisimiut

The name Sisimiut means ‘the people living in a place where there are fox dens’, though these days the town is better known for being Greenland’s northernmost year-round ice-free port. Around 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it’s a common stop for ships making the journey north to Disko Bay.

26 July to 27 July

Greenland: Disko Bay

Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most spectacular sights, where calving glaciers send huge icebergs floating out across the water. These bergs can be several kilometres in length, and are sculpted into weird and wonderful shapes by the weather. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera!

28 July

Greenland: Uummannaq

Uummannaq is one of the most northerly towns in Greenland, situated on an island at the foot of a jagged mountain. Learn more about Inuit culture at the small museum, or explore the spectacular natural surroundings in 24-hour daylight; for three months every summer, the sun never sets.

28 July

Greenland: Qilakitsoq

29 July - At sea

30 July

Greenland: Nuuk

Greenland’s capital and largest town, Nuuk is positively cosmopolitan compared to the rest of this remote and isolated country. The setting amongst mountains and fjords is striking, and attractions include the Greenland National Museum and the picturesque Old Harbour.

31 July

Greenland: Sisimiut

The name Sisimiut means ‘the people living in a place where there are fox dens’, though these days the town is better known for being Greenland’s northernmost year-round ice-free port. Around 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it’s a common stop for ships making the journey north to Disko Bay.

1 August

Greenland: Disko Bay

Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most spectacular sights, where calving glaciers send huge icebergs floating out across the water. These bergs can be several kilometres in length, and are sculpted into weird and wonderful shapes by the weather. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera!

1 August

Greenland: Ilulissat

The spectacular Ilulissat ice fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's the source of the many icebergs that float out across Disko Bay. The town of Ilulissat itself is Greenland’s third largest settlement, and activities on offer here include dog sledding and whale watching.

2 August to 4 August

Canada: Baffin Island

5 August to 15 August - At sea

16 August

Canada: Herschel Island

17 August to 19 August - At sea

20 August

United States: Nome

Only accessible by air or sea, the remote Alaskan town of Nome sits overlooking the Bering Strait, surrounded by miles of largely featureless tundra. This was once a boomtown; the discovery of easily extractable gold in 1898 led to a gold rush, and you can still see the remnants of the mining industry which thrived here.

21 August

United States: Pribilof Islands

22 August

United States: Saint George Island

23 August

United States: Baby Islands

23 August

United States: Dutch Harbor

Dutch Harbor is the port that serves the city of Unalaska, and is known for the hardy fishermen who brave the turbulent, icy seas off the Aleutian Islands. Points of interest include the remains of defensive fortifications built during the Second World War and the striking Russian Orthodox church.

24 August to 27 August

United States: Aleutian Islands

28 August to 31 August - At sea

1 September

Japan: Kushiro

The misty fishing port of Kushiro, on the east coast of Hokkaido, is the gateway to the protected marshlands of Kushiro Mitsugen National Park. These extensive wetlands are the only place in Japan where you can still find the endangered Japanese crane, a graceful bird with a distinctive red crown.

2 September

Japan: Muroran

Situated on the southern coast of Hokkaido, Muroran is the gateway to Shikotsu-Toya National Park, with its picturesque lakes, hiking trails and hot springs. The buzzing city of Sapporo is also nearby, and the coast is a popular spot for whale and dolphin watching.

3 September

Japan: Aomori

The city of Aomori, at the northern tip of Honshu island, is best known for its summer Nebuta Matsuri festival, which lights up the streets every August. There is still plenty to see during the rest of the year, including elegant Hirosaki Castle, pretty Lake Towada and the Seiryu-ji Temple, home of the largest Buddha statue in Japan.

4 September

Japan: Sendai

Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region, founded in the 16th century by the powerful samurai lord Date Masamune. His legacy lives on in the ruins of Sendai Castle, heavily damaged by Allied bombing during the Second World War. The city also plays host to the colourful Tanabata Matsuri festival every summer.

5 September

Japan: Oarai

5 September

Japan: Mito, Ibaraki

6 September

Japan: Shimizu

Shimizu is one of the most spectacular ports in Japan, a sweeping bay in the shadow of the iconic Mount Fuji. You can spend some time admiring the views and wandering through peaceful pine groves, or visit the unique Shimizu Sushi Museum at the S-Pulse Dream Plaza shopping mall.

7 September

Japan: Osaka

Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, is a pulsating commercial hub, famous for its food, and the cityscape rivals Tokyo for neon-lit futurism. If you need respite from the urban sprawl seek out Osaka Castle and the surrounding Nishinomaru Garden, a particularly pretty spot during the cherry blossom season.

8 September

Japan: Naoshima

8 September

Japan: Okayama

Said to be Japan’s sunniest city, Okayama is situated on the northern shore of the Seto Inland Sea, near to the bridge that links the islands of Honshu and Shikoku. The city is known for its impressive black castle, which overlooks the stunning Koraku-en gardens.

8 September

Japan: Kurashiki

9 September

Japan: Takamatsu

The laid back port city of Takamatsu sits on the north coast of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s major islands, and is home to the beautifully designed Ritsurin Koen, one of Japan’s most famous historical gardens.

10 September

Japan: Miyajima

Miyajima island, officially known as Itsukushima, is famous for its incredibly photogenic torii (shrine gates) which seem to float above the water. Renovation work beginning in June 2019 means that the gates will be obscured by scaffolding for a couple of years, but the shrine itself will remain open.

10 September

Japan: Hiroshima

On 6 August 1945 the world witnessed the terrifying power of nuclear weapons for the first time, unleashed on the unsuspecting Japanese city of Hiroshima. The modern city's sobering Peace Memorial Park commemorates that fateful day, which left more than 140,000 dead.

11 September

Japan: Uwajima

The historic town of Uwajima, situated on the west coast of Shikoku island, is home to a beautiful 17th century castle, surrounded by ornamental gardens. Another popular and rather eye-opening attraction is the Taga fertility shrine, with its 9-foot carving of a phallus and adjoining sex museum.

11 September

Japan: Uchiko

12 September

Japan: Yakushima

The island of Yakushima is an unspoilt natural paradise, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its primeval temperate rainforest. The mountainous interior is a magical landscape of waterfalls, ancient cedar trees and winding trails, and provided the inspiration for Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed anime ‘Princess Mononoke’.

13 September

Japan: Kagoshima

The friendly southern Japanese city of Kagoshima enjoys a balmy climate, and sits just across the bay from the very active Sakurajima volcano, which erupts so regularly that an ‘ash forecast’ is included in local weather reports.

14 September

Japan: Nagasaki

Three days after Hiroshima was flattened by an atomic bomb, Nagasaki suffered the same horrifying fate. The reconstruction of both cities has been quite extraordinary; Nagasaki today is a vibrant, cosmopolitan place, with a fascinating history that goes back a lot further than 1945.

15 September

South Korea: Ulsan

15 September

South Korea: Kyongju

16 September

Japan: Matsue

17 September

Japan: Moji (Kitakyushu)

Moji is one of five cities that merged to form Kitakyushu in 1963, and has been an important international trading port since the 19th century. A number of Western-style buildings survive from this period, and the port is home to plenty of restaurants, cafés, museums and galleries.

18 September

Japan: Mitarai

19 September

Japan: Osaka

Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, is a pulsating commercial hub, famous for its food, and the cityscape rivals Tokyo for neon-lit futurism. If you need respite from the urban sprawl seek out Osaka Castle and the surrounding Nishinomaru Garden, a particularly pretty spot during the cherry blossom season.

20 September to 21 September

Japan: Kyoto

Wonderful Kyoto is Japan’s cultural and spiritual heart, scattered with tranquil gardens, traditional teahouses and some 2,000 temples and shrines. If you want to really get under the skin of Japanese culture then this is the place to come, with the chance to learn about everything from the importance of cherry-blossom season to the latest trends in manga.

21 September

Arriving in Osaka

Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, is a pulsating commercial hub, famous for its food, and the cityscape rivals Tokyo for neon-lit futurism. If you need respite from the urban sprawl seek out Osaka Castle and the surrounding Nishinomaru Garden, a particularly pretty spot during the cherry blossom season.