Wild Scotland

Home , Brae, Fair Isle, Iona, Isle of Noss, Mousa

June 4 - 12, 2021 | 9 Days | Aboard the Greg Mortimer

SHETLAND ISLANDS Lerwick Isle of Noss Expedition Highlights Mousa Fair Isle ORKNEY ISLANDS • Search for a variety of seabirds— puffins, gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes, FLANNAN ISLANDS Kirkwall and more—many will be tending to

St. Kilda downy chicks. Aberdeen HEBRIDES SCOTLAND Staffa • Visit Giant’s Causeway where some 40,000 closely-packed hexagonal Iona columns descend like a staircase into Edinburgh Isle of Islay the sea. NORTHERN Portrush IRELAND • Discover important Neolithic

Belfast monuments—the Standing Stones of Stenness; the Ring of Brodgar; and Skara Brae, a well-preserved Stone Age village.

• Explore a variety of architectural wonders, from Mousa’s Iron Age broch and 12th-century Iona Abbey to the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

• Itinerary...... page 2 > • Flight Information ...... page 3 > • Ship, Deck Plan & Rates ...... page 4 > • Featured Leaders...... page 5 > • Know Before You Go...... page 5 > ST. KILDA • Optional Post-voyage Extension.. page 6 >

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY RAZORBILL © Jim Wilson © Tom Sharpe© Tom

it was rebuilt each time and some of these later buildings Itinerary still stand. Visit the monastery site; the nearby cemetery of Based on the expeditionary nature of our trips, there may be ongoing St. Oran, where numerous Scottish kings are buried; and the enhancements to this itinerary. 12th-century Iona Abbey.

Friday, June 4, 2021 Tuesday, June 8 DEPART USA ST. KILDA, OUTER HEBRIDES / FLANNAN ISLANDS Board your independent overnight flight to Northern Ireland. Spend the morning at St. Kilda, once home to a small community, evidenced by abandoned houses and cleits, beehive-shaped cells where goods were stored. Spend the afternoon cruising among Saturday, June 5 the Flannan Islands—puffins, fulmars, murres, and kittiwakes BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND should be plentiful. Check in to the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast, with the rest of the day at leisure to explore the city on your own. Gather at the hotel this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. Wednesday, June 9 KIRKWALL, ORKNEY ISLANDS Arrive in the capital city of Kirkwall on Mainland Island in Sunday, June 6 the Orkneys today for visits to the magnificent St. Magnus BELFAST / PORTRUSH, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY Cathedral and some of the island’s major archaeological sites. EMBARK THE GREG MORTIMER / ISLE OF ISLAY SCOTLAND Visit the enigmatic Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Depart overland for Portrush for a visit to the World Heritage Brodgar, and Skara Brae, a remarkably well-preserved Stone Site of Giant’s Causeway. This three-mile section of coastline Age village buried in sand some 4,500 years ago. Return to is a geological masterpiece—some 40,000 closely-packed Kirkwall for an afternoon walking tour of this charming city. hexagonal columns of varying heights line the coast and descend like a staircase into the sea. Embark the Greg Mortimer and, ST. MAGNUS after lunch, go ashore on the Isle of Islay for a tour of the Ardbeg CATHEDRAL Distillery.

Monday, June 7 STAFFA, INNER HEBRIDES / IONA Weather permitting, spend the morning exploring the uninhabited island of Staffa by Zodiac and its most famous feature, Fingal’s Cave. The cave’s peculiar rock formations and unusual coloring are a delight to behold, and the wonderful echo of the sea from within served as the inspiration for Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture. In 563 AD the Christian missionary, St. Columba, built a monastery on Iona and spread Christianity throughout Scotland. Though the monastery suffered repeated attacks by Vikings over the centuries and the original was destroyed, ©Brent Stephenson ©Brent

ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | WILD SCOTLAND < 2 > STAFFA SKARA BRAE © Jim Wilson © Rich Pagen

Thursday, June 10 LERWICK, SHETLAND ISLANDS / ISLE OF NOSS / MOUSA Saturday, June 12 This morning, enjoy a guided walking tour of Lerwick, capital of ABERDEEN / DISEMBARK / EDINBURGH / USA the Shetland Islands, which are steeped in Norse heritage. After Disembark in Aberdeen this morning, and enjoy a scenic the tour there will be free time to stroll the narrow streets and drive to Edinburgh. Board your independent homeward flight, browse the many shops, or raise a pint at the local pub. After arriving in the USA the same day. lunch on board, cruise to the Isle of Noss, where spectacular cliffs support a large and diverse seabird colony, home to This voyage may be combined with Wild Ireland, 80,000 seabirds—guillemots, razorbills, gannets, shags, and May 29 - June 7, 2021 more. This evening go ashore at Mousa to view one of Britain’s finest Iron Age ruins, an unusually well-preserved 40-foot broch, a dry stone structure, dating from about 200 AD. Flight Information

You will need to purchase airfare from your home city/Belfast and Friday, June 11 Edinburgh/home city. Please contact our Air Department for quotes FAIR ISLE and reservations. One of the most isolated settlements in the British Isles, Fair Isle is renowned for the quality and intricacy of its handmade sweaters, using local wool. It is also famous as a haven for seabirds, including gannets, murres, black-legged kittiwakes, numerous gull species, and a large colony of puffins. After a short walk, join some of the 70 islanders at their community center for tea and cakes, and a visit to the local museum.

ST KILDA FAIR ISLE © Jim Wilson

ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | WILD SCOTLAND < 3 > Greg Mortimer Deck Plan

Hot tub As a modern and custom-designed ship, the DECK 8 16 130-guest Greg Mortimer is at the cutting edge of nautical technology. Robust, powerful and built with Bar Hot tub guests in mind, the Greg Mortimer is built to world- class polar standards. The ship has state-of-the-art DECK 7 virtual anchoring technology, meaning the ship 0 703 701 704 702 can hold its position using its own propellers and Gym Library thrusters while launching Zodiacs and kayaks without Bridge disturbing the sea floor. All staterooms feature an Sauna 20 oceanview, en suite bathrooms, personal storage options, twin and double-bed configuration options, DECK 6 616 618 604 614 602 3 629 630 628 626 624 608 606 2 621 622 620 and ample storage. 612 610 627 625 623 619 603 611 609 607 605 Visit www.zegrahm.com/greg-mortimer for 601 615 more information about this ship. 617 DECK 5

Dining Room Lounge Bar

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301 From $6,990 per person, double occupancy; 307 Doctor From $9,980 per person, solo occupancy

CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3

For complete pricing visit www.zegrahm.com/scotland CATEGORY 4 CATEGORY 5 SUITE

INCLUDED: NOT INCLUDED: • Daily activity options including cultural tours, nature walks, • Airfare from your home city/London and Edinburgh/home city and Zodiac cruises • Excess baggage charges • All gratuities • Airport arrival and departure taxes • All accommodations • Transfers for independent arrivals and departures • World-class lecture and expedition team • Passport and/or visa fees • All onboard meals and group meals ashore, including soft • Travel insurance drinks, beer, and wine with lunch and dinner • All entrance fees, taxes, and landing and port charges • Items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcoholic beverages (other than listed at left), and other incidentals • Arrival and departure transfers on group dates • Email/Internet/fax/telephone charges • Gift certificates for recommended expedition gear • Medical expense coverage and emergency evacuation insurance

A 25% per person deposit will secure your space on this expedition. All rates are per person, based on double occupancy, quoted in US dollars, and must be paid in US dollars. Rates and itineraries are subject to change. Please review our Terms & Conditions online at www.zegrahm.com/terms, or call our office for a printed copy.

ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | WILD SCOTLAND < 4 > Featured Leaders Our leaders have visited this region numerous times and will provide valuable insight and commentary on the history, culture, and wildlife of the region. Fascinating lectures, photo presentations, daily recaps, and informal discussions will enhance your understanding and appreciation of the wonders you will see. Leaders from additional fields of study will join the leaders featured below.

BRENT STEPHENSON (EXPEDITION TOM SHARPE – Originally from LEADER) – Born in New Zealand, Brent Glasgow, Tom is a graduate of the has been an avid birder since childhood. In universities of Glasgow and Leicester 2005 he completed his Ph.D., studying the and has spent the last 35 years as breeding biology of Australasian gannets in a geology curator in the National New Zealand. His passion for travel, birds, Museum of Wales. He is a Chartered and the ocean has led him to many corners Geologist, a Fellow of the Geological of the world working on small expedition Society, and a Fellow of the Royal vessels. Brent also conducts ecological Geographical Society. Tom has research, conservation work, and co-owns a over three decades of experience of bird-guiding business. Brent is also the co- author of Birds of New interpreting geology for a wide range of audiences. Zealand: A Photographic Guide.

RICH PAGEN – Rich first became enthralled JIM WILSON – Jim hails from the city by the wonders of the natural world around of Cobh, County Cork, Ireland and is the tide pools and forests of his native New a highly respected ornithologist and York. Since then, he has embarked on a ecologist with more than 40 years of career in conservation biology, including birding experience in the Antarctic, a variety of field biology projects from the Ireland, Europe, and Africa. He is a Arctic to the Amazon. He taught marine full-time freelance wildlife filmmaker, science and island ecology on Catalina broadcaster, and the author of three Island for several years, conducted books—two on Irish birds and one shipboard surveys for marine mammals and on the whales and dolphins found in seabirds, and tagging studies of sea turtles and pelagic sharks. the waters surrounding Ireland.

Know Before You Go For most activities, a relatively moderate level of exertion is required. You will need to climb into and out of Zodiacs for excursions ashore and walk one to three miles over sometimes rough terrain such as cobblestones and uneven, rocky beaches. In May, temperatures will range from the low 50sºF – mid-60sºF, cooling slightly as you travel north. Flexibility is a must, as itineraries are subject to change, and landings may be tidal or weather dependent.

NORTHERN GANNET

To reserve, visit www.zegrahm.com/britain or contact your travel consultant. < 5 > ROYAL SCOTLAND

June 12 - 16, 2021 | 5 Days | Optional Post-Voyage Extension

Saturday, June 12, 2021 as a local storyteller entertains you with tales of rural life in ABERDEEN / DISEMBARK / ROYAL DEESIDE / BRAEMAR Perthshire. Disembark in Aberdeen this morning, and enjoy a scenic ride through the rolling Aberdeenshire countryside to Royal Deeside. En route, make a stop at a local cheesemaker to learn the art of creating artisan cheese using centuries-old recipes. Continue Tuesday, June 15 PITLOCHRY / EDINBURGH to Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s Highland residence, for a tour After breakfast, visit Scotland’s first lending library where the of the castle and gardens, as well as the Crathie Kirk, the local Keeper of the Books will show you around and tell you about church attended by the Queen when she’s in residence. Arrive in its history, which dates back to 1680. After this, continue to Braemar and check in to the Fife Arms, your base for two nights. Edinburgh in time for lunch. Take a walking tour through the This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Old Town district, ending at the iconic Edinburgh Castle. Enjoy some free time to browse the shops along the Royal Mile. This evening, attend a farewell cocktail party and dinner at the Sunday, June 13 Bruntsfield Hotel. BRAEMAR Today, discover the forests and glens of the Mar Estate on a gentle hike. Stroll along the River Quoich to view a unique geological feature known as the Earl of Mar’s Punch Bowl. Wednesday, June 16 Enjoy a picnic lunch, where your local guide will showcase a EDINBURGH / USA few bushcraft techniques and may even cook up some local Transfer to the airport for your independent homeward flight, delicacies. After working up a thirst, cap off your day with a visit arriving in the USA the same day. to the Royal Lochnagar Distillery for a tour and a taste of rare, royal whisky. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Flight Information

Monday, June 14 You will need to purchase airfare from your home city/Belfast and BRAEMER / PITLOCHRY Edinburgh/home city. Please contact our in-house Air Department for After breakfast, take a short drive to Pitlochry in Highland fare quotes, reservations, or other air-related questions. Pentshire. Enjoy a leisurely walk around Loch Faskally, which offers outstanding Highland vistas. After lunch, visit Blair Castle. Discover over 700 years of history during a guided tour, and Rates take a stroll through the extensive gardens. Continue to Pitlochry with time explore the shops and cafes that line the main street, or $4,990 per person, double occupancy; enjoy the amenities at Fonab Castle Hotel. Gather this evening $5,990 per person, solo occupancy

To reserve, visit www.zegrahm.com/scotland or contact your travel consultant. < 6