MS Caledonian Sky - Noble Caledonia

From the Mountains to the Desert
A Pacific coastal odyssey of Ecuador, Peru & Chile
16th to 29th November 2012
Our coastal cruise along the Pacific shores of South America will be dominated by the ever present
Andes as we make our way from Ecuador to Peru and finally to northern Chile. This is one of the
world’s great expedition cruises. Few regions in the world offer the diversity and ecosystems of those
found in this intriguing part of South America. From the towering snow-capped Andes to barren coastal
desert, the landscapes are unparalleled.
Our voyage takes us along
the nutrient-rich Humboldt
Current that is a haven for an
amazing concentration of seabirds,
marine mammals and wildlife. To
highlight the wildlife, we will be
visiting the Islas Ballestas Paracas
National Reserve, the Humboldt
Penguin Nature Reserve and many
other remote coastal sites and islands
which would be inaccessible without
the use of our Zodiac crafts.
This trip is as equally rich in
geological, archaeological and
cultural interest as well. The pyramids
of the Moche culture of Northern
Peru and the ruins of Chan Chan, the
imperial capital of the Chimu and the
intriguing Nazca Lines in southern
Peru are just some of the amazing
sights to be seen.
After the cruise why not stay on in
Chile for a visit to the Atacama Desert
where you will be rewarded with a
truly unforgettable experience.
Lauca National Park, Chile
The Itinerary
Day 1 - London to Guayaquil,
Ecuador. Fly by scheduled indirect
flight. Arrive this evening and transfer
to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 2 - Guayaquil. After a guided
city tour and lunch we embark the
MS Caledonian Sky and sail.
Day 3 - Isla Lobos de Tierra, Peru.
Relax on board this morning as
we sail the northern shores of
Peru. This afternoon, weather
permitting, our Zodiacs will land
us on the tiny island of Lobos de
Tierra. Today, the island is a wildlife
sanctuary and home to an estimated
100,000 breeding pairs of blue-footed
boobies. Its history is less happy.
Centuries of thousands of seabirds
built up huge deposits of guano. In
the mid 1800’s this was a valuable
commodity because of its nitrates.
Hundreds of unfortunate Chinese
labourers were imported to the island
to collect the guano and lived and
PA C I F I C O CEAN
Guayaquil
Isla Lobos
de Tierra
ECUADOR
Trujillo
Salaverry
Callao
Isla Ballestas
PERU
Lima
died in appalling conditions. In 1879
the disputed ownership of this and
similar islands resulted in a ‘Guano
War’ between Chile, Bolivia and Peru
which subsequently redrew the map of
Pacific South America.
Day 4 - Salaverry. After a relaxing
morning at sea we reach Salaverry.
We will drive a few miles inland to the
intriguing desert city of Trujillo. This
oasis city was founded by Pizarro in
1536 and still exudes Spanish colonial
charm. Visit the Casa Urquiaga, a
mansion containing pre-Columbian
ceramics and the Plaza de Armas with
its imposing 17th century cathedral.
Moor overnight in Salaverry.
Day 5 - Salaverry. Visit Hauca de la
Luna to see the Huaca del Sol pyramids
from the Moche culture, a remarkable
pre-Inca civilisation. Continue on to
the ruins of Chan Chan, the imperial
capital of the Chimu. We will spend
an afternoon exploring the ruins of
the largest adobe city in the world,
marvelling at their skillful irrigation
and engineering projects.
Day 6 - Callao for Lima. In the
early afternoon we arrive in Callao,
the port for Peru’s capital of Lima.
BRAZIL
San Juan
Arequipa
Arica
Iquique
Antofagasta
CHILE
Santiago
BOLIVIA
ARGENTINA
40 www.noble-caledonia.co.uk