The day began a bit blustery with light rain as we approached Vega Island, the largest island in Vegaøyan (Vega Archipelago) consisting of over 6,000 islands. Since 2004, Vega Island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known for its historical harvest and use of eider down, Vega Island has been occupied by humans since the Stone Age and today has a little over 2200 inhabitants. The weather improved as the morning progressed which made the several outings we had planned all the more pleasant for our guests. Activities included hiking, historical walks, and nature-based excursions, all of which ended at the relatively new World Heritage Center situated right on the water. There we took in the museum displays and experienced a traditional Norwegian waffle tea service, which was a real highlight. By mid-afternoon we set sail for our next destination.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 03 Jun 2024
Vega Island, Nordland, Norway, 6/3/2024, National Geographic Endurance
- Aboard the National Geographic Endurance
- Arctic
Doug Gualtieri, Naturalist
Doug Gualtieri has worked as a Naturalist interpretive guide for over 20 years, beginning his career in Denali National Park and Preserve at a remote wilderness lodge leading hikes and giving lectures on the ecology and wildlife of that region. Later...
Read MoreDave Katz, Expedition Leader
Dave grew up in a village in the heart of the rural Finger Lakes region of New York and at an early age fell in love with the outdoors. Dave’s mother, a high school earth science and biology teacher turned weekend hikes into informative lessons. The ...
Read MoreShare Report
Norway's Fjords and Arctic Svalbard
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
6/1/2025
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Tromsø
Today we had a wonderful time visiting Tromsø, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Arctic”, since several important polar expeditions departed from here. We visited interesting museums, tasted some local delicacies (including cod tongue and roe), and played with sled dog puppies. We couldn’t have asked for a better time!
5/31/2025
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Skarstad, Norway
This morning National Geographic Endurance was anchored within a beautiful fjord in northern Norway, not far from the Lofoten Islands and the famous Trollfjord, where we cruised last night. Our mission after breakfast was to explore and enjoy.