Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Quito
The tour begins in the evening after dinner. Night in Quito.

Day 2 – Cultural Tour of Quito
Situated at 9,350 feet, Quito sits in a valley surrounded by magnificent snow-capped volcanoes. Once a major Inca headquarters, the city was razed by its Inca leader when threatened by conquistadors. The Spaniards built their new city in 1534 over the rubble, and today many classic colonial buildings grace the streets. The historic city center is a designated World Heritage Site. We visit Independence Plaza, the stunning Cathedral, Presidential Palace, Municipal Building, the temple of La Compaña de Jesus, and the Monastery of San Francisco. After lunch the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. The evening will be for briefing and dinner. Night in Quito.

Day 3 – Embarkation of Clipper Adventurer at Salinas
We fly to Guayaquíl this morning, and enjoy an introductory tour of Ecuador’s largest city and main port, including the old district of Las Peñas, and the restored Malecón Riverfront neighborhood. After lunch we transfer to Salinas, board the Clipper Adventurer, and begin our voyage southward.

Day 4 – At sea
A perfect day to settle in, get acquainted with the ship, and watch for marine mammals and seabirds from on deck. We may see our first Waved Albatross today, as well as Pink-footed Shearwater, perhaps Markham’s Storm-Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Blue-footed and Nazca Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebird. Franklin’s Gulls occur here, as do wintering flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes. Killer Whales and dolphins of several species ply these waters. Our first lecture on natural and cultural wonders that await us will be given today.

Day 5 – Salvaverry and Chan Chan
Today the Chimú Empire (1000–1470) comes to life in the town of Chan Chan, a World Heritage Site nestled in the Andean foothills. We explore the ruins of this former imperial headquarters—the largest adobe settlement in the world—which was divided into nine autonomous citadels. The remains of palaces, temples, dwellings, and burial mounds are simply astonishing. We visit the Huaca del Dragón, a restored temple adorned with elegant friezes of mythical figures and rainbow motifs. The nearby Sun and Moon temples are South America’s largest pre-Columbian pyramids. Peregrine Falcons occur in this area, both White-cheeked Pintail and Black-necked Stilts are in marshy ponds, shorebirds could include Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers, and several gulls occur – Belcher’s, Gray, Kelp, Gray-hooded, Laughing, and perhaps Andean. Eared Dove, Picui and Croaking Ground-Doves, Amazilia Hummingbird, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Saffron Finch and Pale-legged Hornero inhabit this area, and we have a chance at a scarcer species such as Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher and Necklaced Spinetail.

Day 6 - Hormigas de Afuera
From the ship we look for more inshore and pelagic species, such as the delightful Inca Tern, the striking Pintado Petrel, Flesh-footed and Sooty Shearwaters, Peruvian Pelican, possibly a storm-petrel or two, and with a chance at Swallow-tailed and Sabine’s Gulls. This afternoon, conditions permitting, we board Zodiacs to explore these tiny islands known for their abundant wildlife, including Peruvian Booby and vast numbers of southern sea lions that crowd the beaches. Keep an eye out for whales and dolphins that feed in these nutrient-rich waters.

Day 7 – San Martin and Ica, with optional flight over Nazca Lines
Our ship comes alongside San Martin early this morning and we drive inland to visit the Regional Museum of Ica with its outstanding collection of textiles and pottery. An optional excursion takes us on a flight aboard small planes over the fabled Nazca Lines World Heritage Site. These enormous geoglyphs, animal-motif remnants of a pre-Incan civilization, are etched into the desert surface and can only be fully appreciated from the air. Blackish Oystercatchers forage among rocks, Elegant, Common and Sandwich Terns fish in shallows along the coast, and Peruvian Thick-knees and Burrowing Owls occur on the arid scrublands, and we have a chance at Oasis Hummingbird.

Day 8 – At Sea
Join our ornithologist, Jonathan Rossouw, on deck as the Clipper Adventurer cruises along the coast of southern Peru—a third of the world’s 321 seabird species can be spotted off these shores. This remarkable display is due in part to the Humboldt Current. The cold waters, rich in dissolved nutrients, support one of the richest oceanic environments in the world, which attracts a multitude of birds including albatrosses, maybe Wandering, shearwaters, petrels including Westland’s, Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, and jaegers. Humboldt Penguin is possible. We may also spot pods of dolphins or humpback whales, which migrate from northern latitudes to mate and calve.

Days 9 and 10 – Arica and Lauca National Park, Chile
This morning we dock in the colorful, bustling town of Arica, spread out between the coast and El Morro Hill, a national historic monument. From the summit we enjoy splendid panoramic views, then visit the old port with its fishing and canning operations, and the old customs house and San Marcos Cathedral, both designed by Gustav Eiffel. We also visit the San Miguel Archaeological Museum, where we view textiles and tools, and mummies from 6,000 – 2,000 B.C. We return to the ship for lunch. The ship is docked alongside for the remainder of the day and evening and continuous shuttles are on hand to bring you back into town for further independent exploration.

On Day 10, we split into groups to explore Lauca National Park, a Global Biosphere Reserve situated high in the Andes, more than 14,000 feet above sea level on the altiplano (plateau). Birders set out first and search for species such as Puna Ibis, Andean, Chilean and Puna Flamingos, Andean Avocet, Andean Goose and Andean Condor. Lesser Rhea is possible, Silvery Grebes occur on high altitude ponds as well as Crested Duck, Puna and Silver Teals, Andean and Lake Ducks, and Giant and Horned Coots. The Diademed Sandpiper-Plover is found along the shores of these high mountain lakes. There will be a plethora of interesting species – seedsnipes, ground-doves, perhaps Mountain Parakeet, earthcreepers, cinclodes, spinetails, canasteros, shrike-tyrants, ground-tyrants, siskins and sierra-finches.

The second group drives inland to explore the park, witnessing a great variety of landscapes from lowland Arica to the towering, snowcapped Guallatiri Volcano and ice-blue Lake Chungará. We watch for Lauca’s wildlife, including vicuñas, guanacos and viscachas, and investigate a highland Indian village; its gleaming whitewashed walls and thatched roofs canopied by indigo skies, are back-dropped by the spectacular Parinacota Volcano. A further choice is a half day tour of Arica, including the Lluta Valley, with its numerous geoglyphs, and Poconchile, a pre-Inca village surrounded by sweeping valley vistas.

Day 11 – Iquique
We dock in Iquique early this morning and set out for a tour of Chile’s northernmost trading port, including its small historic center, which rose to prominence during the nitrate mining boom of the late 19th century. Today, the city’s highly successful fishing industry owes its thanks to the rich waters of the Humboldt Current. After lunch we sail south along the coast to Antofagasta, watching for seabirds and marine life.

Optional Atacama Desert Excursion Days 11 and 12
From Iquique, we fly to Calama and drive to San Pedro de Atacama, our base for two days while we explore the Atacama Desert. Among the many highlights is our visit to Lake Chaxa, home to flamingos and a host of waterbirds, and the Valley of the Moon, an eerily beautiful landscape of eroded salt mountains and distant volcanoes soaring to over 19,000 feet. We explore the 12th-century fortress-town of Pukara de Quito; in San Pedro de Atacama, an Indian oasis village, we visit the archaeological museum with its remarkable displays of 2,300-year-old mummies. The afternoon of October 25, we transfer to Antofagasta and rejoin the Clipper Adventurer.

Day 12 – Antofagasta
We arrive in Antofagasta this morning and tour this traditional port, including its colorful fish market; the downtown Centro Urbano with its spacious plaza; the clock tower, which is a small replica of London’s Big Ben; and view numerous parks and gardens. In the late afternoon we continue our voyage south.

Day 13 – Isla Pan de Azucar
This steep and rugged island is a protected reserve with the largest breeding colony of Humboldt Penguins in Chile. We cruise the shores by Zodiac and have many opportunities to photograph the birds diving, swimming, and feeding. We may also see Marine Otters, South American Sea Lions, and Blackish Oystercatchers. Peruvian Diving-Petrels forage around the islands, Chilean Skuas cruise the skies, and Chilean Seaside Cinclodes scramble amongst rocks,

Day 14 – Islas Pajaros, Coquimbo and La Serena
After breakfast we board Zodiacs to explore the Islotes Pajaros, home to a number of seabirds including cormorants, boobies, and Humboldt Penguins. The islands are also the site of a major sea lion rookery. After lunch onboard we arrive at the port of Coquimbo; a short drive takes us to La Serena for beautiful hilltop views of the city and surrounding coastline. We visit the archaeological museum and, returning to Coquimbo, we stop at La Recova market to peruse a variety of handicrafts including woven baskets, pottery, sweaters, and jewelry.

Day 15 – At Sea
Today should be a highly productive day for pelagics. Several albatrosses – Wandering, Buller’s, Shy and Gray-headed - occur in these waters, along with giant-petrels, petrels including Parkinson’s and White-chinned, and shearwaters including Buller’s. Marine mammals should also be prevalent.

Day 16 – Isla Mocha
This afternoon finds us at Isla Mocha, a small island that was once a stronghold of English and Dutch buccaneers. The interior, a lush, temperate rain forest, offers a complete contrast to the stark landscapes of the Atacama Desert. Birding is excellent on the island and the views are idyllic—horses and cows graze in fields of flowers, oystercatchers dart above the waves that lap the rough coastline, and dense vegetation blankets the hillsides. We tour this natural wonderland by horse-drawn cart, or join local guides for a hike.

Day 17 – Valdivia
This morning, we visit Valdivia, a provincial capital, river port, and one of Chile’s most pleasant cities; its architecture, cuisine, and street names display a northern European influence due to an influx of German immigrants in the 1800s. We visit the fortress in the nearby beach resort of Niebla, the botanical garden with its collection of trees from around the world, and a famous chocolate factory. After a local lunch, we board Zodiacs to explore the Río Cruces estuary with its fantastic bird life, including Black-necked Swans, Snowy-crowned Terns, and White-winged Coots.

Day 18 – Chiloe Island and Puerto Montt
After breakfast we set out for a tour of historic Chiloé, whose churches are a World Heritage Site. Rural farms and small picturesque fishing villages retain an independent charm a world away from mainland Chile. We visit the seaside community of Dalcahue and enjoy lunch at a seafood restaurant before returning to the ship, which repositions to Puerto Montt, for our final night on board.

Day 19 – Puerto Montt, disembark from Clipper Adventurer
We disembark the Clipper Adventurer this morning and set out for a sightseeing tour of Puerto Montt and its environs. After visiting the busy local market, we drive through the picturesque countryside and the spectacular natural scenery on the outskirts of Chilean fjord country. We have lunch in Puerto Varas, located at the foot of the Osorno Volcano, before departing for the airport for independent flights to Santiago, connecting on to Miami.

Day 20 – Miami and home
Arrive in Miami early in the morning and connect with your homeward flights.