South America 2009 - (Page 30) Key Ports of Call S c e n ic cruiSing & SAmpLe SHore excurSi o n S Holland America Line has purposely designed our itineraries to allow guests maximum time in each port. To make the most of it, we’ve also sought out shore excursions that showcase the city or region at its best. And as true mariners at heart, we are proud to place an emphasis on scenic cruising, offering some of the world’s most spectacular sights from the decks of our ships. Booking shore excursions online You can view excursion information, as well as book your favorite shore activities in advance, at www.hollandamerica.com, where online reservations are processed prior to requests made on board. Alter do Chão, Brazil Arica, Chile Buenos Aires, Argentina Rimmed by white-sand beaches and lapped by the deep-blue waters of Rio Tapajos, this Amazon village holds an extensive collection of indigenous art from all over the Amazon Basin as well as the chance to canoe its picturesque lagoon. Amazon River (scenic cruising) Here you will find famous beaches, a landmark iron cathedral designed by Paris’ Eiffel, and a fascinating archaeological museum. Arica is also gateway to Lauca National Park, a UNESCO Site offering stunning lake, mountain and volcanic scenery. Sample shore excursions: Lauca National Park Adventure; Off the Beaten Track: Codpa Village; Arica Highlights. Beagle & Cockburn Channels (scenic cruising) In this sophisticated city, birthplace of the tango, find an intoxicating mix of European glamour and Latin energy. A short flight away, astonishing Iguazú Falls — many times more mighty than Niagara — roars in the jungle. Sample shore excursions: Iguazú Falls; Tango Show at Esquina Carlos Gardel; Belle Époque — Palaces & Architecture of Buenos Aires. Callao (Lima), Peru The largest river in the world, the Amazon not only sustains thousands of species of flora and fauna but also exotic myths and mysterious legends. Spend seven to eight full days immersed in its spell: the sounds of the jungle; the allure of sultry river towns; a fascinating mix of freighters, boats and dugout canoes all traveling the river where fortunes were won and lost. Anvers Island (Palmer Station), Paradise Bay, Cuverville and Petermann Islands (scenic cruising) Charted by Charles Darwin on his exploratory cruise in 1832, these are two of the most vital channels in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago. Marvel at the rich marine life of the 150-milelong Beagle Channel. The Cockburn Channel offers breathtaking views of Romanche, Alemania, Francia and Italia glaciers. Belém, Brazil Your link to Lima, Peru’s colonial capital; high-altitude Cuzco, where ancient Quechua is still spoken in the marketplace; and mist-veiled Machu Picchu, one of the most enigmatic of ancient archaeological sites. Sample shore excursions: Iquitos & the Amazon Experience; Sacred Valley of Machu Picchu; Peruvian Homes — History & Art. Canal Sarmiento and Amalia Glacier (scenic cruising) Antarctica cruising at its finest: Skirt jagged ice cliffs to Anvers Island, home of the U.S. Biological Research Center, Palmer Station. Take in the sculpted icebergs and shimmering glaciers of Paradise Bay. Look for penguins on the wide cobbled beaches of Cuverville Island, home to Antarctica’s extensive colony of gentoo penguins, and Petermann Island, known for its Adélie penguin colony. Gateway to the Amazon, Belém still basks in its glory as a rubber boomtown. Visit the opulent opera house where Pavlova and Caruso once performed; explore a waterfront market where produce is delivered from the jungle by dugout canoe. Boca da Valeria, Brazil The west side of the Sarmiento Canal in Chile is flanked by Madre de Dios Island, with towering limestone peaks. Icy blue Amalia Glacier is home to penguins and seabirds. Cape Horn and Drake Passage (scenic cruising) Grass huts, log canoes, hunting and fishing are part of daily life in this remote Amazonian village, a trading post on a bend in the river. Magellan’s fleet first circled this massive, treacherous rock at continent’s end, and until the Panama Canal was constructed, this was the main shipping route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Come cruise, ’round the Horn that is, for sailors, a true rite of passage. 30 e-brochures available online http://www.hollandamerica.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.