| | | |
|
Galapagos Cruise Aboard National Geographic Endeavour
Destination:
Central/South America
Countries:
Ecuador (including Galapagos Islands)
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
9/24/2010, 10/1/2010, 10/8/2010, 10/15/2010, 10/22/2010, 10/29/2010, 11/5/2010, 11/12/2010, 11/19/2010, 11/26/2010, 12/3/2010, 12/10/2010, 12/17/2010, 12/24/2010, 12/31/2010, 1/1/2011, 1/8/2011, 1/15/2011, 1/22/2011, 1/29/2011, 2/5/2011, 2/12/2011, 2/19/2011, 2/26/2011, 3/5/2011, 3/12/2011, 3/19/2011, 3/26/2011, 4/2/2011, 4/9/2011, 4/16/2011, 4/23/2011, 4/30/2011, 5/7/2011, 5/14/2011, 5/21/2011, 5/28/2011, 6/4/2011, 6/11/2011, 6/18/2011, 6/25/2011, 7/2/2011, 7/9/2011, 7/16/2011, 7/23/2011, 7/30/2011, 8/6/2011, 8/13/2011, 8/20/2011, 9/24/2011, 10/1/2011, 10/8/2011, 10/15/2011, 10/22/2011, 10/29/2011, 11/5/2011, 11/12/2011, 11/19/2011, 11/26/2011, 12/3/2011, 12/10/2011, 12/17/2011, 12/24/2011, 12/31/2011
Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands provide a natural habitat for some of the world’s most interesting and unusual animals. Only in Galápagos will you come face to face with wildlife that has never developed a fear of people.
With an expedition to the Land of Darwin, you have the opportunity to study blue-footed boobies performing a courtship “dance”, snorkel with playful sea lions, watch a male frigatebird ballooning his crimson chest pouch to attract a female, kneel beside marine iguanas, and marvel at Galápagos penguins.
Our Galápagos cruises features nimble Zodiacs and kayaks that take us to the volcanic shores and pristine beaches of Galápagos, and an undersea program utilizes underwater video, glass-bottom boat and hydrophone that bring seldom seen or heard worlds to life. Every expedition in Galápagos is led by a team of five Naturalists, (including an Underwater Specialist), a videographer, and Expedition Leader, providing a multitude of resources for a rich and unmatched understanding of all that you’ll see.
More...
|
Rates from:
4980.00
|
|
Galapagos Islands Discovery aboard National Geographic Islander
Destination:
Central/South America
Countries:
Ecuador (including Galapagos Islands), Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
9/11/2010, 10/16/2010, 11/6/2010, 11/13/2010, 11/27/2010, 12/4/2010, 12/11/2010, 12/18/2010, 12/25/2010, 1/2/2011, 1/9/2011, 1/16/2011, 1/23/2011, 1/30/2011, 2/6/2011, 2/13/2011, 2/20/2011, 2/27/2011, 3/6/2011, 3/13/2011, 3/20/2011, 3/27/2011, 4/3/2011, 4/10/2011, 4/17/2011, 4/24/2011, 5/1/2011, 5/8/2011, 5/15/2011, 5/22/2011, 5/29/2011, 6/5/2011, 6/12/2011, 6/19/2011, 6/26/2011, 7/3/2011, 7/10/2011, 7/17/2011, 7/24/2011, 7/31/2011, 8/7/2011, 8/14/2011, 8/21/2011, 8/28/2011, 9/4/2011, 9/11/2011, 9/18/2011, 10/23/2011, 10/30/2011, 11/6/2011, 11/13/2011, 11/20/2011, 11/27/2011, 12/4/2011, 12/11/2011, 12/18/2011, 12/25/2011
The moment you set foot on your first island in Galápagos you’ll see that curiosity and fearlessness are a way of life. Whether strolling the islands’ pristine beaches, searching for the spectacular waved albatross, having a “chat” with a particularly friendly sea lion, or snorkeling with Galápagos penguins, a feeling of freedom surrounds you.
From aboard the intimate 48-guest National Geographic Islander we navigate the volcanic archipelago, and our nimble Zodiacs and a fleet of kayaks take us further in our exploration and afford us intimate views of Galápagos wildlife.
A hallmark of the small-ship experience, the team of 3 expert Naturalists (including an Undersea Specialist) and Expedition Leader are always available to point out the intricacies of the wildlife as it unfolds before your eyes on the Galápagos Islands. Their specialized knowledge and use exploration equipment including video microscope, Splash-Cam, underwater video and hydrophone provide a deep and unmatched understanding of Galápagos.
More...
|
Rates from:
5380.00
|
|
Ancient Civilizations of the Red Sea
Destination:
Africa & Middle East
Countries:
Egypt, Jordan
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
2/1/2011
Explore the great legacy of the Eastern Mediterranean on this journey by land and sea. Visit the Egypt of the pharaohs, preserved in the Pyramids of Giza and the temples of Luxor. Walk the streets of ancient Petra, carved from the rose-red sandstone of Jordan’s hills. See treasures long protected at St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai desert, and admire the spectacular landscapes of Wadi Rum. Your seven-night cruise aboard the small ship Harmony V will call at ports along the Red Sea coast, blending days of discovery with the restful pleasures of life aboard. A pre-tour extension follows the old Silk Road to Syria’s landmark sites—Damascus, Palmyra and Aleppo. Throughout your journey excellent local guides will provide insight into the region’s past and intriguing aspects of its present.
More...
|
Rates from:
5995.00
|
|
Between Two Seas: Exploring the Ancient Cities of the Aegean and Black Seas - 2010
Destination:
Europe
Countries:
Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
9/27/2010
This is a voyage to the homelands of Achilles, Hector, and Alexander the Great, to the birthplaces of the Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations, to the point where Europe and Asia meet. This exceptional program takes us from the Northern Aegean Sea, through the breathtaking Bosphorus with its spectacular views of Istanbul, and into the Black Sea, a fascinating region that very few travelers have explored. This is an itinerary for travelers who have seen the classic sites of the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean and are ready for something new. From Istanbul we journey to the lovely island of Thasos and to the dense forest of Mount Pelion where Centaurs trained the young Achilles as a warrior. Below the slopes of Mount Uludag, we will discover extraordinary 14th- and 15th-century Ottoman monuments—they are among the finest in the world, yet are rarely seen by visitors from the West. In addition to rare sites, we will also see the vast remains of Troy on Turkey’s wind-swept plains, and the magnificent Byzantine and Ottoman monuments of Istanbul. Then we’ll sail into the Black Sea, an immense inland ocean that has been a crossroads of culture and commerce since ancient times. Amasra is one of the Black Sea’s loveliest towns, that reveals the influence of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans.
More...
|
Rates from:
8695.00
|
|
Sacred Places of the Mediterranean - 2010
Destination:
Africa & Middle East, Europe
Countries:
Turkey, Greece, Egypt
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
10/27/2010
Once there was a forlorn rock, drifting about the Aegean. A trident pierced it, and Delos drifted no longer. A girl rested under a date palm here, and gave birth to a god and a goddess. The island turned to gold. And thus the Greek myths come down to us. “These things,” the theologian Sallust tells us, “these things never happened, but are always.” Sacred Places of the Mediterranean brings together many places of singular magnificence and importance where the myths originated and places where actual events took place that have changed the course of the world—places where history and myth fade into one another, and where, once the Olympian and other gods were just as tangible as the columns and mosaics which now remain. Starting in Istanbul, we will board the 57 all-suite Corinthian II and sail to carefully chosen ports, ending in Egypt’s fabled Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C., and destined to become one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. Among the many highlights we will encounter on this voyage is an unusual excursion to the Siwa Oasis, the oracular site of the God Amun.
More...
|
Rates from:
9495.00
|
|
Empires of the Sea: The Epic Struggle Between the Ottoman Empire and European Powers for Control of the Mediterranean - 2010
Destination:
Europe
Countries:
Turkey, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Croatia
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
10/5/2010
For thousands of years the Mediterranean has been the highway to empire. During the golden days of autumn, we will follow in the wake of empire-builders who not only struggled for power, but also spread civilization and brought about a great flourishing of art and architecture throughout the Mediterranean. In Istanbul we’ll explore the glorious monuments of the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans. On the island of Chios we’ll visit the 11th-century Nea Moni monastery, adorned with beautiful mosaics created by artists from Constantinople. We’ll wander through the streets of Valletta on the island of Malta, a city filled with exuberant architecture built by the Knights of St. John to celebrate their victory over the Turks. In the beautifully preserved medieval towns of Kotor and Dubrovnik we’ll see the interplay of Venetian, Slavic, and Islamic influences. And at Nafpaktos we’ll view the site of the Battle of Lepanto, where in 1571 a Christian fleet crushed the Turkish navy.
More...
|
Rates from:
9995.00
|
|
Namibia & South Africa by Sea: Natural Treasures and Human Accomplishments
Destination:
Africa & Middle East
Countries:
Namibia, South Africa
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
1/5/2011, 2/14/2011
Round the Cape of Good Hope with us as we voyage from the serene deserts of Namibia to Table Mountain, the Kirstenbosch wine country, and the wildlife preserves of South Africa, where many a member of “the big five” can be seen. This coastal journey allows us to marvel at the 150,000 birds winging their way across Walvis Bay, and travel through Namibia’s Bavarian-influenced towns to abandoned diamond mines. We’ll spend time exploring no fewer than five game reserves and national parks to admire the unbelievable variety of terrain in South Africa, and the creatures in them. From deep river ravines with seals and dolphins, to high savanna plateaus with giraffes, wildebeest and hyenas, to mountain wildernesses teeming with flowers and bird life, the transition from desert dunes to rugged forests will astonish and delight.
More...
|
Rates from:
10995.00
|
|
Mozambique and Madagascar: Africa's Treasures
Destination:
Africa & Middle East
Countries:
Mauritania
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
1/17/2011, 1/31/2011
With its 1,500-mile coastline – replete with stunning beaches – stretching out upon the Indian Ocean, and its idyllic, sparsely inhabited tropical islands, Mozambique has emerged from Portuguese administration and civil war to become one of Africa’s rising stars in the last two decades. Madagascar is easily one of the most unique places on Earth – at first glance, it seems to be part of Africa, but don’t let the map fool you: it is 500 miles off the continent, having separated from it 160 million years ago.
On this expansive voyage discover these two African treasures – each with its unique cultural history and natural wonders, both equally extraordinary. In Mozambique the markets teem with trade and its wilderness north of the Zambezi River is a lush, pristine paradise. Snorkel and sightsee amid waters filled with loggerhead turtles and dazzlingly-hued tropical fish. Stroll through the narrow alleyways of Moçambique Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next, it’s on to Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, sheltering 5% of the world’s plant and animal species (80% of those are unique to the island). When humans arrived, they came not from Africa, but from Borneo – giving this civilization a far more pronounced Asian character than anywhere on the African continent. You’ll see myriad species of spry lemurs scrambling in the baobab trees, snorkel among the anemones and starfish of tiny offshore islands, and wander through virgin rain forests where chameleons perch and butterflies flit. This is an extraordinarily rare opportunity to see wildlife found nowhere else on the planet.
More...
|
Rates from:
11995.00
|
|
From the Imperial Cities to the Gold & Ivory Coasts: Exploring West Africa's Cultural and Natural Treasures
Destination:
Africa & Middle East, Europe
Countries:
Morocco, Senegal, Spain, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana
Travel Style:
Small Ship Ocean & Adventure Cruises
Departure Dates:
11/30/2010, 3/16/2011
The region of Africa explored in this itinerary comprises of a mosaic that is varied, rich, and diverse. Some of the continent’s ancient kingdoms flourished in these lands, and these seldom-visited countries are also home to some of the last remaining primeval rain forests in West Africa. Beyond the scenic delights, we have fashioned this voyage to focus on the countries’ culture and peoples as well as its rich biodiversity. Morocco beckons with Marrakech’s Djemaa el-Fna Square, where there is a cacophony of oral storytellers, jugglers, and snake charmers. Explore the natural wonders of Arrecife on the Canary Islands, enchanting Laayoune, and the wildlife of Abuko Nature Reserve in The Gambia. We continue our voyage of discovery in Dakar, Senegal’s beautiful capital city. In Monrovia, Liberia’s capital founded in 1822 and named after U.S. President James Monroe, we will sail along the country’s coast and explore Sapo National Park, known for its rich wildlife. Among the highlights of our voyage is our exploration of Ghana’s famed “Castle Coast” and Kakum National Park, where an aerial walkway rises 100 feet above the forest floor allowing us to view life in the rain forest canopy as well as the many special events we have arranged, including meeting with local government officials, private visits, and musical performances.
More...
|
Rates from:
12995.00
|
