Page 17 - Demo

+44 (0)20 7752 000017Day 1 London to Santiago, Chile. Fly by scheduled flight.Day 2 Santiago. Arrive this morning and transfer to our centrally located hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax in the hotel or explore the city independently. Day 3 Santiago to San Antonio. Check out this morning and drive out to the Casablanca Valley which is now one of the country%u2019s premier wine areas. We will learn about the cultivation of grapes and visit one of the vineyards for a tasting and lunch. Later this afternoon we will transfer to the port of San Antonio and embark the MS Island Sky. Day 4 At Sea. Spend a relaxing day at sea as we start our voyage across the Pacific.Days 5 & 6 Juan Fernandez Islands. We will spend a day and a half at the Juan Fernandez Islands, an archipelago of islands which were named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1977. The volcanic islands are recognised as a distinct ecoregion and are home to a high percentage of rare and endemic plants and animals. Located 400 miles off the Chilean coast, the islands were discovered by Spanish explorer Juan Fernandez in 1563 and were often used by passing sailors as a source of freshwater. In the 19th and early 20th century the islands were used as a penal colony for political prisoners and today the small population are mainly lobster fishermen and their families. We spend a day on Robinson Crusoe Island, also known Isla Mas a Tierra, it was here that the Scotsman, Alexander Selkirk, was marooned alone from September 1704 to February 1709 living off the land, and alongside the few goats that had been left by previous visitors, becoming the inspiration for Daniel Defoe%u2019s famous novel. Using the main village of San Juan Bautista as our base, our expedition team will lead nature walks looking for endemic flora and fauna including hummingbirds, Juan Fernandez petrel and Stejneger%u2019s petrel. Also visit the caves used as prisons in the 19th century whilst those feeling active may wish to take a hike to the viewpoints in the hills around the town. Meanwhile on nearby Alexander Selkirk Island a Zodiac cruise will survey the prodigious birdlife and dramatic cliffs.Days 7 to 10 At Sea. We have four leisurely days at sea and can spend time relaxing on deck, watching for wildlife and listening to the lectures from our onboard experts.The ItinerarySouth Pacific Island OdysseyCanon from HMAS BountyHawksbill Turtle and Angle FishRobinson Crusoe IslandFakaravaDay 11 Islas Salas Y Gomez. After a relaxing morning at sea we arrive at the uninhabited island of Islas Salas y Gomez located in the Motu Motiro Hiva Marine Park and named after the Spaniards, Jose Salas and Jose Gomez, who provided the first detailed descriptions of the islands after their visit in 1805. Part of a volcanic range that rises up to 3500 metres from the seabed, the rocky coastline makes landing impossible, however we will use our Zodiacs to view the coastline which is home to many bird species including Christmas shearwater, masked booby and brown noddy.Days 12 & 13 Easter Island. We arrive at Easter Island for a day and a half of exploration. A half day tour will include Rano Kau, the second oldest volcano on the island. Its huge caldera (1.5 kilometres at its base) contains one of the island%u2019s three freshwater lakes. From the lookout at the rim of Rano Kau we continue to the ceremonial village of Orongo, best known for the birdman cult ceremonies. The site was restored in 1974 and within the village you will see 47 restored houses. Continue to Ahu Tahai, another restored ceremonial site and one of the oldest, dating back to the 6th century. On our second day on Easter Island, we will visit many of the different areas where moais (statues) can be found and will see the volcano of Rano Raraku, the site where 95% of all moais were carved and today you will find nearly 400 statues here in various stages of completion. We continue our exploration of the island at Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial site in Polynesia which was restored in 1996 and Ahu Akivi where we find seven moais which face out to sea which were built around 1460 BC. Lunch will be a specially arranged barbecue on Anakena beach, home of Easter Island%u2019s ancient paramount chiefs and one of the prettiest coves in the South Pacific. Days 14 & 15 At Sea. We have two days to spend relaxing on board as we continue our journey across the Pacific towards French Polynesia.Day 16 Ducie Island. This morning we will experience expedition cruising at its finest as we hope to land on one of the wildlife sanctuaries where our expedition team will lead a series of walks. A remote coral atoll with good snorkelling and birding, Ducie Island is so remote that no threats to its native wildlife exist and it is one of the rare places in the world where wildlife is relatively unaffected by man%u2019s presence.Day 17 Henderson Island. Early this morning we will arrive at Henderson Island and will look for a suitable landing place. This upraised former coral Easter Island dancersJuan Fernandez Petrel