Wild Scotland: St. Kilda, Ben Nevis & Northern Isles | Ocean Victory

Ocean Victory awaits our guests in the quaint harbor town of Fairlie, overlooking the sheltered waters of the Firth of Clyde, just a stone’s throw from the dynamic city of Glasgow. After mandatory safety briefings and drills, settle into your stateroom and toast your departure with an expertly crafted cocktail as Ocean Victory sets a course for the glassy lochs of the Highlands.

On the second day of our expedition, Ocean Victory arrives beneath the brooding mountains of the Nevis Range at the town of Fort William – Scotland’s adventure capital. Options to explore here are endless, from the famous crags of Glencoe to the heights of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, and the storied shores of Loch Ness. Whether you are lacing up your hiking boots, grabbing your binoculars, or simply exploring the sights of the town – including the engineering marvel of Neptune’s Staircase – adventure awaits in every corner of Fort William.

Britain’s remotest archipelago, St. Kilda is Britain’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed for both its human and natural wonders. We drop anchor in the bay overlooking the village – a unique settlement often compared to Machu Picchu, built entirely from stone by the islanders who once called this island home. Windswept, rugged, and difficult to farm, the locals of St. Kilda left for less challenging lands in 1930, leaving the island to vast seabird colonies and ancient Soay sheep, once the islanders’ primary source of food.

Small, remote, and rarely visited, Ullapool is the largest town in the Northwest Highlands, a corner of Scotland with a population density closer to Mongolia than Britain. Ullapool sits on a long, calm loch surrounded by forests and mountains and is the gateway to the Northwest Highlands UNESCO Geopark. The ancient rocks here tell the story of billions of years of gradual evolution – encompassing the rise of life on Earth, the movement of continents, and impacts from space – creating a striking, otherworldly landscape of isolated mountains, rolling hills, and deep lochs. Explore on foot and step back millions of years with each step.

The capital and largest town of the Orkney Islands, Kirkwall’s narrow streets beckon visitors to explore the town’s deep Scottish and Norse heritage. Highlights include the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral and the Highland Park distillery, Scotland’s northernmost whisky producer. However, the islands’ history stretches back far beyond the medieval era to the Neolithic. Sites such as Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar are among the best preserved on Earth, bearing witness to 5,000 years of history and inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.

On the final day of our expedition, Ocean Victory arrives in the heart of the Granite City. After a fond farewell to the officers and crew, step onto the granite streets of Scotland’s most important port city – the ideal place to head home with treasured memories of the glens, or to continue exploring the wonders of eastern Scotland.

*Please note: Cruise itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions, ice conditions and other factors.