The west coast of Africa is beig introduced by Hurtigruten Expeditions next year as the line introduces four new countries to its 2022-23 programme.
A 13-day itinerary includes Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, with small ship MS Spitsbergen sailing from Dakar.
Hurtigruten will also introduce a series of itineraries to the Canary Islands and Madeira.
The expansion follows the introduction of of year-round expedition cruises to the Galapagos Islands from early next year.
The first African sailing will depart on November 27, 2022, visiting Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands – 88-island archipelago that is home to hippos, dolphins, crocodiles, sea turtles, manatees and 500 species of birds.
Other departures are on December 9 and 21, 2022, and January 2 and 14, 2023.
Hurtigruten Expeditions chief executive Asta Lassesen said: “2022 will be one of the most adventurous years for Hurtigruten Expeditions. We will start the year by launching our Galapagos operations in January, and at the end of the year, we will introduce our first African cruises.
“We are very excited about expanding to new unique destinations, which complements our Caribbean and South American expedition cruises and strengthens our global position.
“We know our guests want to explore many different parts of the globe, and our ambition is to offer the world’s most exciting destinations that can best be explored by our small ships.
“With the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde, we offer a truly unique and off-the-beaten-track destination that is perfect for an expedition adventure like no other.”