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1655 S 3rd St. W, Ste 1
Missoula MT, 59801 USA

Ship:  Clelia II

Itinerary:  Easter Island to Ushuaia

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  Travel to mysterious Easter Island and view the famous moai during your South America cruise

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NOTHING SATISFIES OUR DESIRE FOR ADVENTURE AND DISCOVERY LIKE AN EPIC SEA VOYAGE.

For seekers of uncommon sightings, bewitching islands, and dramatically scenic wilderness, very few destinations match the allure of South America’s Pacific coastline and Easter Island, where glorious ancient cities, brightly festooned fauna, mysterious monuments, and amazingly impressive scenery await to be discovered.

Aboard the 100-guest Clelia II, a ship that is uniquely fit for long voyages, given its spacious all-suite accommodations and attractive facilities, we will sail the blue Pacific beginning from Easter Island, where we'll stay in port for four days, giving us ample opportunity to leisurely and comprehensively explore this fabled isle and its renowned monumental sculptures. Who were the people who created the sculptures and how and from where did they arrive at the island? Did they sail from the coast of Peru or from the west? These are some of the questions our expert study leaders will probe.

From Easter Island, Clelia II will then set sail for the seldom-visited Juan Fernández Archipelago and continue to the Patagonian coast of Chile. From Puerto Montt to Ushuaia, the ship will navigate one of the most spectacular seaways in the world. Here, the coast is dominated by the breathtaking, ice-capped Andes Mountains, which drop straight to the sea. Lining the coast is a maze of islands creating an “inside passage” of fjords and twisting scenic channels stretching for over a thousand miles.

Considering the incredible variety of sights, experiences, and study themes offered by our itinerary, Easter Island and the Fjords of Chile promises to deliver an unforgettable travel adventure.

Day 1 : Arrive Santiago, Chile

Arrive in Santiago. Overnight at the Hotel Grand Hyatt Santiago.

Day 2 : Santiago / Fly Easter Island / Embark

Fly from Santiago to Easter Island to board Clelia II.

Days 3-4 : Easter Island

Few of the world’s archaeological treasures are so shrouded in mystery as the moai, the massive and brooding carved figures of Easter Island. Archaeologists and historians continue to debate how humans first arrived on this island, a tiny speck some 1,200 miles from the nearest inhabited island. What motivated the inhabitants to carve and set up hundreds of moai? Our five days on Easter Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), will allow us to explore this unique island and all its important sites thoroughly and leisurely and also to meet its hospitable people and learn about their culture and traditions. Among the visits we will make are to the Rano Raraku, the hard basalt quarry where the moai were carved and where some 200 sculptures in various states of completion are still scattered about; Anakena Beach, said to be the landing site of Hoto Matua, the legendary first settler of Easter Island; and the site of the Orongo Ceremonial Village, famous for its petroglyphs of the ancient birdmen and for its spectacular sweeping views. Also learn about the enigmatic civilization of Easter Island at the excellent local museum.

Days 5-8 : At Sea

Cruise in the South Pacific towards the Juan Fernández Archipelago.

Day 9 : Isla Alejandro Selkirk, Juan Fernández Archipelago

Reach Chile’s remote Juan Fernández Archipelago, which consists principally of two main islands, Alejandro Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Land at Isla Alejandro Selkirk, known formerly as Mas Afuera (“farther out”), the smaller and more isolated of the two islands. Board Clelia II’s Zodiac boats to visit the island’s small fishing village, observe colonies of fur seals, see an incredible array of flora, and enjoy swimming at a pristine beach.

Day 10 : Isla Robinson Crusoe

Arrive at Isla Robinson Crusoe, named after Daniel Defoe’s popular novel, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, which was in turn based on the real-life castaway Alexander Selkirk. A Scottish sailor, Selkirk lived on the island for almost five years in complete isolation (1704 – 1709). Take a nature hike to Selkirk’s lookout point, which fittingly features stunning panoramic views. Along the way, see the island’s abundant flora—over 60% of the plant life here is endemic. Afterwards, take a short boat ride to a replica of Selkirk’s cave dwelling.

Day 11 : Talcahuano / Lota / Talcahuano

Crossing over to the mainland of Chile, Clelia II will dock at the port of Talcahuano, sited near the mouth of the Bio Bio River, one of Chile’s longest rivers. Travel to the former coal-mining town of Lota to visit Parque Lota, a lovely formal garden commissioned in 1862 by local coal magnate, Matias Cousino. Designed by an English landscape architect, the garden is a refreshing retreat of fountains, neoclassical statues, beautiful ponds, and winding footpaths.

Day 12 : At Sea

Cruise along the coast of central Chile.

Day 13 : Puerto Montt / Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park / Puerto Montt, Chile's Lake District

Built along the shores of the spacious Bay of Ancud, Puerto Montt was founded by Germans in the mid-1850s. Drive through lush pastoral scenery and dense forest to the Vicente Pérez National Park, which incorporates the emerald-green Todos Los Santos Lake, a land of magnificent vistas ringed with high-rising volcanoes and snow-capped mountains.

Day 14 : Castro / Chiloé National Park / Castro, Chiloé Island

Just south of Puerto Montt is beautiful Chiloé Island, with its small fishing villages, characteristic old wooden churches, friendly population, and placid landscape, a place that has changed little through the centuries. Call at Castro, the island’s main town, founded in 1567 on a promontory at the head of a deep fjord. Tour this charming town, including the striking Cathedral, the Regional Museum, with artifacts of the aboriginal tribes that inhabited the island, and the covered market, known for its hand-knitted woolen items. Also, travel to the nearby town of Conchi, with its well-preserved 18th-century buildings. Alternatively, explore the Chiloé National Park, a dense and pristine wilderness of rain forest on the island’s west coast facing the Pacific.

Day 15 : Puerto Chacabuco

Navigating across the protected Corcovado Gulf, Clelia II calls at Puerto Chacabuco, a spectacular wilderness of deeply cleft fjords, hanging glaciers, and snow-covered Andean peaks. Cascading waterfalls tumble over steep canyon walls and hundreds of species of birds, including the endangered Andean condor, flock to play and feed in the mist-shrouded islands. From here, visit the Coihaique National Reserve wilderness trails and enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and city below.

Day 16 : Chile's Inside Passage

The seaway between Puerto Montt and Ushuaia, a passage of about 1,300 miles, is one of the most spectacular in the world. As Clelia II navigates this intricate maze of narrow channels and islands en route to Puerto Natales, enjoy the spectacle of steep mountains coming down to the sea, pristine fjords, wild forests, and isolated fishing villages.

Day 17 : Puerto Natales, Chilean Patagonia

Clelia II will continue cruising the labyrinthine channels in the morning. Later in the day, the ship will navigate the narrow Kirke Channel, its opening barely wider than the ship’s width, to arrive in Puerto Natales, spectacularly set at the head of the Última Esperanza Sound. In the evening, enjoy a folkloric performance. Overnight aboard in Puerto Natales.

Day 18 : Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine National Park / Puerto Natales

Disembark in the morning for a full-day excursion to Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most awesome landscapes in the Americas. Dominated by the sharp soaring peaks of the Paine Massif, the park is a natural wonderland of strangely twisted peaks, cascading waterfalls, pristine lakes, and dramatic pillars of stone rising upward from the flat Patagonian plain. Return to the ship late in the afternoon.

Day 19 : Patagonian Fjords

Sailing from Puerto Natales in the morning, Clelia II will continue its course through the spectacular Patagonian waterways, navigating the narrows of the Archipelago Reina Adelaida and other channels.

Day 20 : Beagle Channel and its Glaciers

Spend the day cruising the beautiful northwest arm of the Beagle Channel, the waterway named for Charles Darwin’s ship, the H.M.S. Beagle, which explored these waters in 1832. Here, amidst a landscape of countless islands and snow-covered peaks, a series of glaciers tumble into the sea. Weather permitting, at Romanche Glacier, a Zodiac boat expedition leads along the forested shore to a spectacular waterfall that plunges from a hanging glacier over a sheer rock face. Also explore Alemania Glacier and Yendegaia Bay, where South American sea lions gather along the shore and an abundant array of birds can be seen.

Day 21 : Ushuaia, Argentina / Disembark

Dock in the morning at Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, beautifully situated on the Beagle Channel in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego. Disembark for the flight to Buenos Aires to connect with return flights to the U.S.

Ship Description: Clelia II

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  Clelia II

To be launched in early 2009, after extensive refurbishment, redecoration and other improvements, the all-suite Clelia II will offer the finest in small-ship cruise travel. This private yacht-like cruise ship accommodates only 100 guests in 50 suites, each of which affords ocean views, measures 215 square feet or more and is appointed with a sitting area or separate living room, twin or queen-size beds, spacious closets, air conditioning.

Clelia II complies with the latest international and U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations and is outfitted with the most current navigational and communications technology as well as with retractable fin stabilizers for smooth sailing, an ice-strengthened hull and a fleet of Zodiacs. Clelia II is staffed by 60 European officers and crew. Taken together with her limited guest capacity, excellence of design, craftsmanship and material, Clelia II's spaciousness and intimate ambiance combine to make her ideal for distinctive cultural and expedition voyages.

Category E Deluxe suites on Ariadne and Leto decks with windows and sitting area. 215 sq. feet. Suites 342-345, 428, 429, 433.	Category D Deluxe suites on Ariadne Deck with windows, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower . 215 sq. feet. 334-335.
Category C Deluxe suites on Athena deck with three portholes, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 275 sq. feet. Suites 246-252.	Category B Deluxe suites on Ariadne deck with window, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 225 square feet. Suites 336-341.
Category A Deluxe suites on Leto deck with window, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 235 square feet. Suites 420-427, 430-431.	Category AA Deluxe suites on Leto deck with forward and side windows, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 285 square feet. Suites 505-506.
Category VS Deluxe Veranda suites on Cleo deck with private balcony, sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 245 sq. feet. Suites 507-518.	Category PHS Deluxe Penthouse suites on Phoebe deck with private balcony , sitting area, mini-bar, VCR/DVD/CD player, color TV, marble appointed bathroom with spacious shower. 260 sq. feet. Suites 601-604.