By
Rebecca Gibson |
Silversea Expeditions will offer extended land excursions to South America, aimed at enhancing the voyages to the Galápagos Islands onboard the line’s luxury expedition ship Silver Galapagos.
“As the Galápagos Islands are such a unique destination and on almost everyone’s list of must-see places, we wanted to make sure our pre- and post-cruise land programmes would add as rich an experiences,” said Darius Mehta, Silversea’s vice president of air and land programmes. “These land extensions have been carefully curated to showcase the breathtaking landscapes and intriguing cultures of the Andes and the Amazon, while delivering the signature comfort and style that Silversea guests expect.”
Cruise passengers can participate in a four-night, pre-cruise programme to Puno and Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Highlights of the trip include visits to Taquile Island, the Sillustani tombs and the floating reed islands of the Uros people.
Silversea also offers a six-night, post-cruise journey to Peru’s Amazon basin onboard Aqua, where guests can see pygmy marmosets, howler monkeys, colourful toucans and other exotic wildlife inhabiting the region’s lowland forests.
Trips to Machu Picchu also feature heavily on Silversea’s new expedition programme, with two pre- or post-cruise options offering a three or four-night journey for those wanting to explore the Lost City of the Incas. The Machu Picchu Explorer itinerary enables passengers to experience a roundtrip on Peru’s Vistadome train, while the Machu Picchu Grande Explorer features a journey on the Hiram Bingham train, as well as an overnight stay at Sanctuary Lodge, next to the ancient Inca citadel.
Silver Galapagos is scheduled to begin service in September 2013 and will offer seven-day roundtrip voyages from Baltra Island. The trip features various shore excursions led by an experienced expedition team who are certified by the Galápagos National Park Service. Here, passengers will get to see the array of wildlife on the islands such as sun-basking land iguanas, giant tortoises, blue- and red-footed boobies, marine iguanas, sea lions, penguins and Darwin’s famous finches.