SOUTH EAST PACIFIC – TAHITI TO VALPARAISO

Enjoy the beach or explore Papeete – visit the market to see exotic flowers.

Transfer to the pier to board ship.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Motu Vaiamanu is one of the reef islets found on Raivavae’s southeastern side. Covered mainly in coconut palm trees, beach heliotropes, pandanus and casuarina, this motu and its neighboring islets are typical South Sea gems. White sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, seabirds circling above and reef fish next to the coral heads in the lagoon make for perfect relaxation.

3 Included Shore Excursions:

Hike with Silversea Expedition team

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

After your Zodiac shuttle onto a sandy beach, embark a local bus for a 10min drive to the base of the mountain to start the 3/4 hour return hike up Mount Hiro.

Mountains of deep green velvet and fern-covered slopes make up several summits and the remnants of an ancient volcano that line up along a chain that snakes through the island. Enjoy the hike with breathtakingly steep cliffs where several species of birds nest regularly. Skittish half-wild goats flee and leap nimbly along the rocks. Enjoy the reward of the breath-taking views once at the top.

Snorkeling with Silversea Expedition team   

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Physically fit

Motu Vaiamanu is one of the many paradise destinations of the South Sea. It boasts crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, coconut trees, beautiful seabirds and the perfect snorkeling reef. Follow your Expedition team into the crystal clear waters to snorkel amongst the pristine underworld environment. Be sure to keep your eyes on the many different species of colorful fish and the corals that are just beautiful in their natural environment.

Expedition Activities with Silversea Expedition team         

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Borrow one of the locals’ bike or board a car for a tour around the island (14 Km). This small, laid-back version of Bora Bora boasts crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, coconut palm trees, unique small tiki’s, beautiful seabirds and a snorkeling reef.

The island of Rapa (or Rapa Iti) is the southernmost inhabited island of French Polynesia. It has a protected central bay and is surrounded by a ring of mountains; the island appears to be a sinking volcano with the bay as the caldera. There are with two villages located on the island: the main village of Ahurei and the smaller village of ‘Area. Within Ahurei there are 28 ridgetop fortresses, the best example of which is the fortress of Morunga Uta. Excavated in 1956 by William Mulloy from Wyoming and local helpers, this fort – as all the others too- would indicate local warfare by the 16th to 17th century. The two villages today have a combined population of 515 inhabitants and are famous throughout French Polynesia for their religious singing. Experience a traditional presentation in Ahurei.

1 Included Shore Excursion:

Expedition Activities with Silversea Expedition team    

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Disembark the ship in Rapa, the most remote French Polynesian inhabited island. After a welcome from the Mayor and the locals, depart for the village and island visit by local truck, barge or on foot.

Rapa and the nearby Marotiri islets are the most important islands for seabirds in the Australs with the highest diversity for the archipelago, but also the greatest level of sub-specific endemism.

Back at the landing site, see the work of local craftswomen and in the evening enjoy a show by a dance troupe.

Some 75 kilometers southeast of Rapa are the four uninhabited rocks that make up the Bass Group, known as Marotiri to the Polynesians. According to stories from Rapa, these rocks were used on occasions to exile unwanted Rapans. The rocks are an important breeding site for seabirds and fish are abundant. Pending permission by the French Polynesian authorities we will take our Zodiacs to cruise around the four rocks and look for the seabird colonies on French Polynesia’s most remote possession.

1 Included Shore Excursion:

Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Marotiri Island is made up of four uninhabited volcanic rock masses, the largest of which juts upward out of the ocean in dramatic fashion. While referred to by the Polynesians as the Marotiri, this grouping of rocks located 75 kilometers southeast of Rapa is also referred to as the Bass Group. According to stories from Rapa, these rocks were used on occasion to exile unwanted Rapans.

The rocks that make up Marotiri are also an important breeding site for seabirds. As can be expected for a bird breeding site, the fish in these waters are abundant.

Pending permission by the French Polynesian authorities we will take our Zodiacs to cruise around the four rocks and look for the seabird colonies on French Polynesia’s most remote possession. We’ll be looking out for Red-Tailed Tropic Bird, White-face, White-bellied and Polynesian Storm Petrels, Wedge-Tailed and Short-Tailed Shearwaters, Lesser and Great Frigatebirds.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

In the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, Mangareva is the largest island with a population of over 1,200 people. Most live in Rikitea, the largest village on the island. A high central ridge runs the length of Mangareva peaking with Mt. Duff, which rises over 440 meters from the sea on the island’s south coast. The island has a large lagoon sprinkled with coral reefs whose tropical fish and the black-lip oysters have helped islanders survive much more successfully than on other nearby islands. Small ships are able to enter the lagoon of Mangareva. Ashore visitors can walk through the town, see the remains of the massive stone and coral buildings dating back to the 19th century or climb up Mt. Duff. The highlights in town include the cathedral with its mother-of-pearl shell altar and objects designed and built in the 1830s and 1840s and partially restored by the students of Rikitea’s school just a few years ago.

1 Included Shore Excursion:

Expedition Activities with Silversea Expedition Team        

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Mangareva is the main island of the Gambier Islands, and together with Taravai, Akamaru, Aukena and several smaller islands is the visible part of an old volcano. While the island was once heavily forested, excessive logging by the islanders from the 10th through the 15th centuries resulted in deforestation of the island, with disastrous results for its environment and economy. Before the large lagoon became used for black pearl farming, local divers brought up black-lip pearl oysters for their mother-of-pearl and used them for trade.

As you land at Mangareva, enjoy a traditional greeting with flower lei and enjoy a performance of traditional dance.

Mangareva is known as the cradle of Catholicism in French Polynesia and in the mid-19th century St. Michael’s Cathedral was built using large amounts of mother-of-pearl shells to decorate the altar. The building has recently been renovated. There is the opportunity to visit this church and see the incredible workmanship up close.

Explore the island, and possibly swim or snorkel in the lagoon (conditions depending) before returning to the ship.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Named after whaling ship Oeno, Oeno Island is a small (0.5 square kilometer) islet part of the coral atoll by the same name and the westernmost of the Pitcairn Islands. This beautiful island is low-lying and rarely visited, with the exception of nearby Pitcairners formerly arriving on their annual holidays. The little island is surrounded by white sandy beaches inside a stunning blue lagoon studded with vegetation. A sand bar, which is constantly undergoing change, is currently unattached to the island. Oeno has been designated as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International, as it is home to a number of seabirds such as Murphy’s Petrels (with one of the largest colonies of this bird in the world), Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies. The island is as storied as it is tiny, with a history of at least four separate shipwrecks and the eradication of Polynesian rats some twenty years ago (the eradication of the rats allowed for the birds to have a higher chance of survival). Access to the island is quite limited, as the currents close to the channel leading to the island can be quite strong and one has to carefully navigate around the many coral heads.

1 Included Shore Excursion:

Oeno Island Tour

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Oeno is a beautiful, low-lying and small coral atoll surrounded by a large circular lagoon. Noted for its beauty and remote location, Pitcairners refer to Oeno as ”Holiday Island,” where locals used to go on holiday to this otherwise rarely visited place. Within the lagoon, Oeno is surrounded by white sandy beaches and a sand bar, which is constantly undergoing change and is currently unattached to the island.

Home to a number of seabirds, including Murphy’s Petrels, Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies, the island has been designated as an Important Bird Area. As such, some twenty years ago, it was necessary to eradicate the Polynesian rats that used to overrun the island to improve the chances of these birds’ survival. Since this happened the birds have had a higher chance of survival.

The island has developed over millennia, beginning as a rocky volcanic peak. Over time, coral colonized the submerged edge of the island, and each generation built upon the last until a solid ring of coral, called a fringing reef, encircled the island. Eventually, the volcanic hotspot that fueled Oeno’s initial growth shifted, and the central rocky mass began to sink and erode, leaving a shallow, pale blue lagoon in its place.

Access to the island is quite limited, as the currents close to the channel leading to the island can be quite strong and one has to carefully navigate around the many coral heads. Conditions permitting, go ashore via Zodiac and enjoy the white sandy beaches amidst some of the most scenic lagoon waters in the world.

Home to the original mutineers of the Bounty, Adamstown’s is today the capital of all four Pitcairn Islands. The islands – the last British Overseas Territory in the Pacific – include the namesake Pitcairn Island itself, plus the uninhabited Oeno, Henderson and Ducie. Pitcairn is the archipelago’s only inhabited island, with the population of just 50 centered in Adamstown. It is no surprise that the nine mutineers along with six Tahitian men, 12 Tahitian women and one child stopped on Pitcairn in 1790; with its sloped and varied landscape, lush tropical promise and equidistant location between Peru and New Zealand, Pitcairn would have seemed an ideal hiding spot for the mutineers to settle. The ship was burnt to avoid detection (the ballast stone remains of the wreck in Bounty Bay). However, the ideal bucolic life that mutineer leader Fletcher Christian had envisaged was not to be. Poor treatment of the Tahitian men led to alcoholism, chaos and carnage and by 1800 only John Adams – who had recently discovered Christianity – remained. Adams taught the women and children to read and write from the bible. The capital is named after him. Not only had the island been misplaced on early maps of the region, but it can also be very difficult to come ashore as large breakers tend to build up just in front of the small harbor of Bounty Bay. The local museum houses the HMS Bounty Bible, the same bible that Adams taught the women and children to read and write from in the early 19th century.

2 Included Shore Excursions:

Hiking with Silversea Expedition team

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

Should we make it ashore using local long boats after a semi-dri landing, guests have the opportunity to do different hikes to explore the sites of Adamstown.

A guided 6km hike of moderate difficulty over steep uneven terrain will take guests to the highest point of the island at 37m to admire the South Coast, Adamstown and Bounty Bay from a great vantage point.

Guests may also opt to join the 4km Strenuous Guided Hike to Paul’s Pool, which has steep stairs and climbing on the return. Guests may be able to take a swim at Paul’s Pool, should sea conditions on the day allow for it.

We also have the option to do an easy walk around Adamstown with a local guide sharing local knowledge of the rich history in this town.

Expedition activities with Silversea Expedition team         

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Guests have the opportunity after a semi-dry landing to walk around Adamstown and meet the local community members who are descendants of the Mutineers of ”The Bounty”.

Explore Pitcairn, an island full of history and unique culture. Halfway between Peru and New Zealand, Pitcairn was the perfect hiding spot for the famed HMS Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. Not only had the island been misplaced on early maps of the region, but it can also be very difficult to come ashore as large breakers tend to build up just in front of the small harbor of Bounty Bay.

Sea conditions depending, go ashore by Zodiac, or perhaps enjoy the privilege of using the Pitcairners’ longboats. Visit with the islanders, descendants of the Bounty crew, and be immersed for a moment in their daily lives, far removed from the rest of the world. Listen to the islanders’ distinct dialect, a combination of 18th-century English and Tahitian, and explore the island, either on your own or accompanied by one of our experts.

Visit Pitcairn Island, speak to the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and see the spot where Fletcher Christian hid from his fellow outlaws.There is much to see, including the museum, the cemetery, the school and the chance to hike towards Fletcher Christian’s cave. Birders should be on the lookout for the endemic Pitcairn Reed Warbler, while stamp collectors may want to purchase a few of the coveted Pitcairn Island stamps to keep as reminders of their visit to this remote and storied island.

Pitcairn Island cookbooks, hand-carved replicas of the Bounty, walking canes, and other souvenirs are available for purchase at Adamstown’s meeting ground next to the church and post office.

Henderson Island is a raised coral atoll comprising 86% of the land area of the British Overseas Territory of the Pitcairn Islands. In 1820, a sperm whale rammed and sank the whale ship Essex, shipwrecking the crew on Henderson, the inspiration for Moby Dick. Locals from Pitcairn Island use Henderson as a source of valuable miro wood, and tantalizing archaeological discoveries have been made indicating habitation by Polynesian settlers in the past. The area was under the sway of the Polynesian society based around the Gambier Islands. When these islands saw environmental and economic decline, it seems Henderson Island was abandoned. It was formally annexed to the British Empire in 1902 by Captain G. F. Jones, along with his crew of Pitcairn Islanders. Henderson is one of the two raised coral atolls in the world which have been relatively untouched by humans, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Due to its splendid isolation, many species here are found nowhere else in the world, including ten flowering plants, all four of its land birds (such as the Henderson Lorikeet), and many of its invertebrates, along with many species found across the Pacific, such as the giant coconut crab.

3 Included Shore Excursions:

Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team         

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Today we’ll take a Zodiac Cruise along the coast of this beautiful atoll to admire the abundant bird life. We’ll have the opportunity to see Masked Boobies, Redtailed Tropic Birds, Frigate Birds and Fairy White Terns. Your Naturalist and driver will share information and answer questions about these stunning birds while keeping a safe distance from the coral reef surrounding the atoll.

Hike with Silversea Expedition team

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

Explore Henderson Island, a gem in the heart of the Pacific Ocean and one of the world’s best remaining examples of an atoll ecosystem. In this remote and uninhabited piece of land virtually untouched by man, gain a true sense of how the landscape has appeared for endless years, and an understanding of how natural selection has resulted in Henderson’s primary attraction: four endemic land birds.

In the event of a successful landing, go on a nature walk, hoping to spot the flightless Henderson Rail, Stephen’s (or Henderson) Lorikeet, the Henderson Fruit-dove, and the Henderson Reed Warbler. The island is also known to have ten endemic species of plant life. To protect the rare, natural state of Henderson Island, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site in 1988.

Snorkeling with Silversea Expedition team   

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Physically fit

Today is a day for snorkeling, should conditions allow. Guests have the opportunity to sign up and join a snorkel group to go and enjoy the underwater world of the reef surrounding this atoll. The abundance of marine life under the water here.

Discovered in 1606 by Pedro Fernandez de Quiros on his way to the Solomon Islands, Ducie is a small isolated atoll and is the easternmost of the Pitcairn Islands. The island’s most prominent bit of history is the 1881 wreckage of the ship Acadia, which ran aground on the island when the lookout mistook the island for a cloud due to its white beaches. Ducie is a mere speck in the surrounding expanse of ocean, uninhabited except for the estimated 500,000 nesting seabirds that reside among the two plant species (Beach Heliotrope and at least one specimen of Pemphis) that grow over seventy percent of the island. Bird species that visitors may be able to see include Murphy’s Petrels, White Terns, Great Frigatebirds and Masked Boobies. Under good conditions the wreck of the Acadia or the atoll’s lagoon waters offer interesting snorkel opportunities.

3 Included Shore Excursions:

Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team         

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Today we take a Zodiac Cruise along the coast of this beautiful atoll to admire the abundant bird life. We have the opportunity to see Masked Boobies, Redtailed Tropic Birds, Frigate Birds and Fairy White Terns. Your Naturalist and driver will share information and answer questions about these stunning birds while keeping a safe distance from the coral reef surrounding the atoll.

Hiking with Silversea Expedition team   

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

After a possible wet landing should sea conditions allow, we have the opportunity to do an easy walk around the landing site and lagoon to admire the bird life and beautiful Island. Masked Boobies, Redtailed Tropic Birds and several other speces breed here – we may even see some chicks!

Snorkeling with Silversea Expedition team   

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Physically fit

Make a rare visit to Ducie, a small isolated atoll and the easternmost of the Pitcairn Islands. Sea conditions allowing, you might be one of the few to ever to snorkel on top of the wreck of the Acadia or in the atoll’s lagoon waters of this remote and lovely place.

The Pitcairn Islands’ mayor is also the harbor master on this uninhabited island. Learn about the island’s history, from its very discovery in 1606 to the 1881 wreckage of the Acadia. Also learn the latest about recent conservation efforts of this atoll and surrounding region.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Easter Island, the easternmost settled island of Polynesia, received its European name in 1722 when the island was seen by a Dutch expedition under Roggeveen on Easter Sunday. The triangular-shaped island of 163 square kilometers is famous for the hundreds of statues known locally as moai. Rolling hills covered in grassland, eucalyptus forest and a rocky shore surround Hangaroa, the island’s only village on the southwestern coast. This is where Captain Cook landed in 1774, where missionaries built the first church and where ships find the best protection from winds and swells. Small beaches and transparent waters invite swimmers and snorkelers, but it is the cultural aspect which attracts visitors. Since 1935 the island has been a National Historic Monument and today 43.5% of the island is a national park administered by the Chilean National Forest Corporation and Mau Henua, a local community group. The island’s national park has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Found slightly more than 3,500 kilometers west of Chile, the island was annexed in 1888. Used as a sheep ranch for many decades, the island was opened in 1965 and an airstrip was built. The US Air Force set up a base to record the behavior of the earth’s outer atmosphere and by 1987 NASA had the runway extended as an emergency runway for the space shuttle. This never happened, but tourism benefitted from this improvement and today the island receives more than 100,000 visitors a year.

4 Included Shore Excursions:

Exploring Rapa Nui (indigenous name of Easter Island)

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

Take an unforgettable tour of Easter Island, known first as Ahu Hanga Te’e. Commence this spectacular tour with a 20-minute drive along the south coast towards Ahu Vaihu to visit the ruins of a circular plateau filled with mystically arranged stone monuments referred to as a platform. A short drive follows to Ahu Tongariki, formerly the largest platform on the Island destroyed by a tidal wave in 1960, but since reconstructed.

From there, continue to the spectacular Rano Raraku quarry, so symbolic of the island and the original ”factory” of the moais, the giant stone head statues for which Easter Island is known around the world. These gigantic statues cover the inner and outer slopes of the volcano; they can be admired in the different stages of production, from carving in the rock to upright position, and lying face down on their intended road to their platforms.

The next stop is the beach of Anakena where, according to native legend, Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui. At this site see the Ahu Nau Nau, the awe-inspiring line-up of moais that was partially restored in 1978 by Rapa Nui archaeologist Sergio Rapu. Located in this same area is the Ahu Ature Huki. The moai standing on this ahu was the first moai to ever be re-erected on an ahu. This restoration was done by a group of islanders working with Thor Heyerdahl and the Norwegian expedition in 1956.

Return to the pier.

Hike to Rano Kau visiting Orongo

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

Hike to the Rano Kau area in this experience that is sure to give you memorable landscapes as you make your way to one of the island’s craters and to visit the important Orongo village. This program considers walking and standing for a long period of time and a walk of around 4 kilometers. Bring plenty of water if you wish to join us!

Departing from the quay directly towards the road climbing up to the volcano of Rano Kau, which dates back over 2.5 million years ago. It is known because of its cliff and for the lake inside the crater, which is 1 mile in diameter and 918ft deep. Near the narrowest border and to the far West of the volcano it is found the ceremonial village of Orongo, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Rapa Nui National Park and the most visited place on Easter Island. It was the center of the birdman cult established in the 18th and 19th centuries in an attempt to restore the society after the collapse of the moai culture. Clans would gather at the village each year, and their champions would compete in a kind of triathlon to elect island’s religious leader. Orongo village consists of some 53 elliptically shaped houses having shale walls and a small square entry overlooking the ocean, where the clans would live during the ceremonies. Remaining the last period of ancient times, this was an historical landmark in the Rapa Nui culture.

Terevaka Hiking

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Physically fit

Leaving the village of Hanga Roa you will drive until arriving to the remains of the old sheep farm at Vai Tea. From there you will begin hiking uphill until almost 500 mts of altitude, to arrive to the top of the youngest volcano of Easter Island, Maunga Terevaka. From there you will be able to appreciate the most beautiful 360º views of the coast of the island, ocean where-ever you look.

After taking some minutes to rest, you will begin the hike down again to the restored Ahu of Akivi, the legend is that the 7 statues represent the explorers who were sent to the island by the famous king Hotu Matu’a.

Return to the pier.

Village of Orongo & Ahu Akivi

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Experience the volcanic beauty and history of the Rano Kau Volcano and its surrounds during this excursion.

Depart the pier for the short drive up towards the Rano Kau Volcano, which dates back over 2.5 million years. It is renowned for its cliff and crater-lake, which is approximately one mile (about 1.6 kilometers) in diameter and approximately 918 feet (280 meters) in depth. Upon arrival, a photo stop is made at the Rano Kau Volcano for spectacular panoramic views of your surrounds. Afterward, re-board your coach and head to the ceremonial village of Orongo, located near the narrowest border and to the far-west of the volcano.

Orongo is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Rapa Nui National Park, and the most visited place on Easter Island. Orongo was the centre of the birdman cult, established in the 18th and 19th centuries. In an attempt to restore the society after the collapse of the moai culture, clans would gather at the village each year, and their champions would compete in a kind of triathlon to elect the island’s religious leader. Orongo Village consists of some 53 elliptically-shaped houses with shale walls and a small square entry overlooking the ocean, where the clans would live during the ceremonies. A memento of the last period of ancient times, Orongo is an historical landmark in the Rapa Nui culture. Following a guided walking tour of Orongo Village, continue on for a visit to the impressive Ahu Akivi.

The restored Ahu Akivi with it’s 7 Moais was built in the middle of the island. The legend tells us that these statues are representing the 7 explorers who were sent to Rapa Nui by the King Hotu Matua.

Return drive to the pier.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Think of Daniel Defoe’s classic novel Robinson Crusoe and you will be picturing an intrepid castaway, marooned on a paradisiacal island. That image might be ideal for movie lovers, but the actual inspiration for Robinson Crusoe was a salty Scottish seadog who went by the name of Alexander Selkirk. Selkirk was marooned in Chile’s Juan Fernandez archipelago for four years and four months, rescued by a British private warship. Despite Selkirk’s slightly checkered past, he was greeted as a celebrity upon his return to England. His adventures were given a gloss and immortalized in the much loved 18th century classic. Alejandro Selkirk Island is located 165 kilometers west of the other islands in the archipelago, for a surface area of just under 50 m2. The island was renamed from its Spanish name Isla Más Afuera in 1966 by the Chilean government in homage to the sailor. The topography is very different form the Caribbean dream that Defoe writes about, think dense woodland, rugged coast and peaks, shrouded (more often than not) in cloud. Sandy beaches can be found to the north of the island. Throughout much of its history, the island has been uninhabited, although there is a former penal settlement on the middle of the east coast, which operated from 1909 to 1930. During the summer months, Selkirk welcomes a small community of lobster fishermen and their families who come from Robinson Crusoe. As part of the Chilean National Park, it also holds the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve title.

1 Included Shore Excursion:

Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

Today you will join the Expedition Team for a Zodiac cruise along the coast of Alexander Selkirk island, where you will witness the dramatics cliffs that surround it, and the impressive birdlife such as Juan Fernandez Petrel, Black-Browed Albatross, Southern and Northern Giant Petrels and Stejnerger’s Petrel. In the distance you will be able to appreciate some of the buildings of the 1800’s colony in Quebrada de las Casas.

Robinson Crusoe Island is located 600 kilometers off the coast of Chile. The island is a rugged volcanic speck where 70 percent of its plant species are endemic, and is the largest of the Juan Fernandez Islands, a small archipelago that since 1935 is a Chilean National Park which in 1977 was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. This island has witnessed and played an important role in Chilean and world history. In 1704 the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned on the island and stayed for more than 4 years, eventually inspiring Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe – hence the name of the island. In 1750 the village of San Juan Bautista was founded at Cumberland Bay and by 1779 there were already 7 small fortresses bristling with guns. The island’s isolation offered Spain a splendid place for setting up a penal colony, to which high-ranking Chilean patriots were deported in the early 19th century. In 1915, during the First World War, three British ships and a German one, the Dresden, engaged in a sea battle which ended with the scuttling of the German cruiser. Today there are currently around one thousand people living in the archipelago, most of them in the village of San Juan Bautista engaged in fishing for the “spiny lobster”, a delicacy exported to the mainland.

3 Included Shore Excursions:

Pirate’s Show Party

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Minimal

Learn about and celebrate Robinson Crusoe’s pirating history on this island that has been featured in a world-famous novel. It is not well known that during the 16th and 17th centuries this archipelago was visited by different explorers, pirates and corsairs. These sailors came to Robinson Crusoe to replenish their fresh goods, water and recuperate from scurvy that the crew suffered after long and dangerous travels like crossing from one ocean to another.

Important sailors that visited Juan Fernandez included the Dutchmen Le Maire, Schoutenand Roggeveen, the Englishmen Bartolomeo Sharp, Wiliam Dampier, Cook, Edward Davis, Woodes Rogers, Shelvocke, Clipperton and Lord George Anson the admiral of British Royal Navy.

Among them stands out the most famous of all, the Scottish Alexander Selkirk who was abandoned in complete solitude on Robinson Crusoe in 1704 and later rescued in 1709. His incredible story inspired the French novelist Daniel Defoe to write his famous novel ”The extraordinary adventures of Robinson Crusoe” in 1719. The islands became the perfect refuge for these sailors that later set sail towards the coasts of Chile in search of riches for their kingdoms.

Inspired by these legends, and in the part of the bay where Alexander Selkirk ended his marooning, rescued by the expeditions commanded by captain Woods Rogers (1709), and in the landing place of many Pirates, take an easy walk to the village and enjoy a cocktail base on sea-products and drinks by the sea at a local restaurant accompanied by local live music and staff costumed like pirates.

Return to the ship.

Hiking with Silversea Expedition team   

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Extensive

After a dry landing on a concrete pier with a few steps, you will have a couple of options for walks/hikes: a moderate trekking to Plazoleta El Yunque, this is a 3km (1.86mi) one way trek on on paved and dirt roads and 30 minutes approximately on a boardwalk where you will have a good chance to see hummingbirds. There is also an option for our very active guests to go to San Juan and Selkirk’s Viewpoint with 580mt (0.4 mi) elevation.

Expedition activities with Silversea Expedition team         

ACTIVITY LEVEL – Moderate

After a dry landing on a concrete pier with a few steps, enjoy exploring the village on your own, stopping off to talk to the Expedition Team members stationed thoughout to provide information. Please note that there are several steps to negotiate if you choose to visit ’The Patriots Cave’, where from 1814 to 1817 over 80 of Chile’s first government independentists were imprisoned.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Since time immemorial Valparaiso has inspired writers, poets, musicians and artists alike. If the city is still a little rough around the edges, this only adds to its bohemian ambience; the architecture, style, street art, nightlife, and live music scenes of Valparaiso are some of the best in the world. Add colorful clifftop homes to the mix and you’ll soon see why Valparaiso is many people’s favorite Chilean city. The city was founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Saavedra, who named the city after his birthplace. Many of the colonial buildings he implemented are still standing today, despite the rain, wind, fire and several earthquakes (one of which almost levelled the city in 1906). Quirky architecture also abounds; poetry lovers and amateur architects will no doubt want to make the 45 km trip south to Chilean poet laureate (and Nobel Prize winner) Pablo Neruda’s ship-shaped house and museum for a taste of the extraordinary. The city and region are also extremely well known for their love of good food and wine. The vineyards of the nearby Casablanca Valley – first planted in the early 1980s – have earned worldwide recognition in a relatively short space of time. However, Chile’s viticulture history does date back much farther than that. De Saavedra brought grape vines on his voyage to South America in order to make his own wine and this led to a new grape brandy being created, Pisco. Today give any Chilean a Pisco and wherever they are in the world, they will be home.

Transfer to Santiago for flight home, or stay to see more of Valparaiso and Chile.

Pre-and post-cruise options are available to suit your interests