22 Days In-Depth Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition (Southbound)
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22 DAYS IN-DEPTH ANTARCTICA & PATAGONIA EXPEDITION (SOUTHBOUND) DESTINATIONS — The information provided in this document is subject to change and may be affected by unforeseen events outside the control of Inspiring Vacations. Where changes to your itinerary or bookings occur, appropriate advice or instructions will be sent to your email address. Call 1300 88 66 88 Email [email protected] www.inspiringvacations.com TOUR ITINERARY DAY 1 Destination Valparaíso, Embarkation Meals included Breakfast, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Your adventure starts in Valparaíso, also called ‘Valpo’ for short by the locals. This was once a major seaport for ships crossing between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, that golden age of commerce came to a halt. But if you take a stroll along the port before embarking on MS Fram, Polar Outside, you will definitely get a feel for its old greatness. Thankfully, the city has much more going for it. A diverse arts scene, thriving foodie culture, vintage funiculars and hill- top neighbourhoods covered in colourful houses means it has enviable comparisons with San Francisco. Alegre district seems to encapsulate each one of those elements. Hop between the cafés and restaurants here and enjoy viewsover the city and nearby sea. Make sure you alsovisit the UNESCO-listed Historic Quarter where you can admire beautiful buildings and street art DAY 2 Destination At Sea Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Your expedition cruise has finally begun, and you can enjoy two days of sailing along the scenic Pacific coast of Chile. Spending your days on deck as we glide by the exceptionalscenery is always a good idea. You might even spot wildlife such as migrating whales and even albatross. This is also when the Expedition Team start their lecture programme to prepare you for the experiences that await you. Learn about the science, the wildlife and thehistory of the area, and take part in Citizen Science projects in the Science Center. You can also attend art classes where you among other things can draw or sculpt your favourite penguin. There is always plenty to do. And if you don’t really want to do anything, the Explorer Lounge & Bar is the perfect place for doing – or rather not doing – just that. DAY 3 Destination At Sea Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Your expedition cruise has finally begun, and you can enjoy two days of sailing along the scenic Pacific coast of Chile. Spending your days on deck as we glide by the exceptionalscenery is always a good idea. You might even spot wildlife such as migrating whales and even albatross. This is also when the Expedition Team start their lecture programme to prepare you for the experiences that await you. Learn about the science, the wildlife and thehistory of the area, and take part in Citizen Science projects in the Science Center. You can also attend art classes where you among other things can draw or sculpt your favourite penguin. There is always plenty to do. And if you don’t really want to do anything, the Explorer Lounge & Bar is the perfect place for doing – or rather not doing – just that. The information provided in this document is subject to change and may be affected by unforeseen events outside the control of Inspiring Vacations. Where changes to your itinerary or bookings occur, appropriate advice or instructions will be sent to your email address. Call 1300 88 66 88 Email [email protected] www.inspiringvacations.com P1 TOUR ITINERARY DAY 4 Destination Castro Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Castro is the capital of Chiloé Island, set among windswept hills and green vegetation. Most visitors immediately make a beeline to the wharfat Gamboa district to seebrightly painted wooden houses, called ‘palafitos’, mounted on stilts along theFiordo de Castro. But this little big city has more to offer. If you head down to the central town square, you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Iglesia San Francisco, an old wooden Neo-Gothic church that dates back tothe founding of the city in 1567. If you fancy something more modern, the Museum of Modern Art of Chiloé is also worth a visit. And should you get hungry on your way through town, there are many great restaurants here, making Castro a surprisingly culinary destination. DAY 5 Destination At Sea Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar We continue south, making our way through the fabled waters of Patagonia. When Magellan sailed here in 1520, he used the term ‘patagon’ to describe the indigenous tribes of the region, which he and his expedition believed to be giants of up to 5 metres tall. While we can’t promise you giants, the iconic Andean seascapes of undisturbed nature and spectacular mountain peaks are definitely both great and grand. We are getting closer to one of the world’s most remote and beautiful places; the province of Última Esperanza, meaning Last Hope. Spanish navigator Juan Ladrillero named it so in 1557 after several failed attempts to reach the Strait of Magellan. You’ll be happy to know that he did go on to successfully find and navigate the strait. DAY 6 Destination Puerto Edén Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar The mini-village of Puerto Edénsits on a bay, on the edge of a peninsula, in the middle of a fjord in Bernardo O ´Higgins National Park. The comparisons to the Garden of Eden apply more to the park than to the hamlet itself, but, needless to say, this place is hard to get to. While the surrounds are certainly a paradise off the beaten path, there are actually no roads that lead here and Puerto Edén is only accessible by sea. However, the isolation suits the dozen indigenous Kawéskar people who gave up their canoe-faring nomadic lifestyle to settle here a generation ago. And because of the unusually humid climate and high rainfall, there are no roadsaround the hamlet either. To move around and visit the small arts and crafts shops, you must use the pedestrian boardwalks that connect the houses and buildings of the 250 people living here. The information provided in this document is subject to change and may be affected by unforeseen events outside the control of Inspiring Vacations. Where changes to your itinerary or bookings occur, appropriate advice or instructions will be sent to your email address. Call 1300 88 66 88 Email [email protected] www.inspiringvacations.com P2 TOUR ITINERARY DAY 7 Destination Puerto Natales Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Thanks to its proximity to Torres del Paine National Park, Puerto Natales has swapped the sheep from its former agricultural industry for fleece-wearing hikers who stream here for a Patagonian adventure. You’ll see many corrugated tin shops catering to this new clientele, stocking up on all sorts of outdoor clothing and offering an increasingly diverse selection of cuisine. Over the two days we spend here, you’ll have the option to join an excursion to the park itself or to enjoy the atmosphere and attractions of Puerto Natales. Go for drinks at one of the many quiet bars and chat to locals and other international adventurers. The Last Hope is both bar and gin distillery and reputedly the southernmost distillery in the world. Strolling along the waterfront next to Última Esperanza fjord, you’ll likely take photos at the old pier and a few other monuments dotted on the way. DAY 8 Destination Puerto Natales Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Thanks to its proximity to Torres del Paine National Park, Puerto Natales has swapped the sheep from its former agricultural industry for fleece-wearing hikers who stream here for a Patagonian adventure. You’ll see many corrugated tin shops catering to this new clientele, stocking up on all sorts of outdoor clothing and offering an increasingly diverse selection of cuisine. Over the two days we spend here, you’ll have the option to join an excursion to the park itself or to enjoy the atmosphere and attractions of Puerto Natales. Go for drinks at one of the many quiet bars and chat to locals and other international adventurers. The Last Hope is both bar and gin distillery and reputedly the southernmost distillery in the world. Strolling along the waterfront next to Última Esperanza fjord, you’ll likely take photos at the old pier and a few other monuments dotted on the way. DAY 9 Destination Chilean Fjords Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cruise MS Fram, Polar Outside Cabin, or similar Glacial ice once scoured its way through the landscapes, creating the deep and beautiful Chilean fjords and canals and the tall mountains that surround them. Even though the area seems almost untouched by humans, these canals have been used for fishing and hunting by the canoe-faring indigenous people for centuries. Now you can enjoy the serenity of this maze of waterways between islands, mountains and glaciers. Iftime and weather permit, you might be taken on a scenic cruising of the fjords aboard our small explorer boats or join a landing ashore.Keep your eyes on the sky to look for birds following the ship. In the water, you might get to see dolphins andeven whales. The information provided in this document is subject to change and may be affected by unforeseen events outside the control of Inspiring Vacations.