Wilderness Travel
    REQUEST CATALOG ENEWS CONTACT US 1-800-368-2794
  • Destinations
    • All destinations

        Our Trips

        With over 200 journeys worldwide, our award-winning trips offer an incredible range of experiences for every interest and ability. Our journeys feature amazing Trip Leaders and fascinating itineraries that give you an utterly unique experience. Wilderness Travel has been consistently voted as one of the World's Top 5 Operators by Travel & Leisure readers.
    • Africa

        Africa

        Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Cameroon Congo East Africa
        Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Ghana Kenya Kilimanjaro Madagascar
        Morocco Mozambique Namibia Serengeti Seychelles South Africa Southern Africa
        Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda West Africa Zambia Zimbabwe
    • Asia

        Asia

        Armenia Azerbaijan Bhutan Borneo Cambodia Central Asia China Georgia
        Himalayas India Indonesia Iran Japan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Ladakh
        Laos Malaysia Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Raja Ampat Russia South Korea
        Southeast Asia Sri Lanka Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Vietnam
    • Europe

        Europe

        Albania Alps Armenia Austria Azores Balkans Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina British Isles Bulgaria Corsica Croatia Czech Republic
        Denmark Dolomites England Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Great Britain Greece Greenland Hungary Iceland
        Ireland Italy Lapland Liechtenstein Madeira Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Pyrenees
        Romania Russia Sardinia Scotland Sicily Slovakia Slovenia Spain Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom Wales
    • Galapagos

        Galapagos

        Ecuador
    • Latin America

        Latin America

        Amazon Andes Argentina Baja Belize Bolivia
        Brazil Central America Chile Costa Rica Easter Island
        Ecuador Falkland Islands Galapagos Islands Guatemala Mexico
        Nicaragua Panama Pantanal Patagonia Peru
    • Middle East

        Middle East

        Egypt Iran Jordan Oman Turkey
    • North America

        North America

        Alaska Baja Canada Greenland Hawaii Mexico Montana Pacific Northwest USA Washington Wyoming Yellowstone
    • Pacific

        Pacific

        Australia Bali Borneo Fiji French Polynesia Ha'apai Islands Indonesia
        Japan Komodo Malaysia Marquesas Islands Melanesia New Zealand
        Palau Papua New Guinea Raja Ampat Society Islands Solomon Islands South Pacific
        Southeast Asia Tahiti Tasmania Tonga Tuamotu Archipelago Vanuatu
    • Polar Regions

        Polar Regions

        Antarctica Arctic Canada Falkland Islands Finland Greenland Iceland Norway Russia Spitsbergen Svalbard
  • Ways to Go

      Inspirations

      New Trips Europe 2022 Availability Special Offers Top Ten Places in 2022 Best Sellers Photo Blog Wish List Request a Catalog Sign-up for Enewsletter

      Trip Types

      Small Group Adventures Private Journeys Cruise Collection Journeys by Rail WT Expeditions Special Events Family Trips Repertory Trips

      Activities

      Culinary Cultural Adventures Eclipse Hiking / Trekking Journeying by Rail River Cruising Safaris Sea Kayaking Small Boat and Yacht Cruising Small Ship Cruising Snorkeling Walking Wildlife and Natural History
  • About WT

      About Us

      Welcome How We Travel Our Trip Leaders Making a Difference Awards WT in the News Careers Resources
  • Specials
Menu
  • Call 1-800-368-2794
  • Email Us
  • Find a Trip
  • Our Trips
  • Catalog Request
  • Enewsletter Sign-up
  • Special Offers
  • About WT
  • Resources
  • Photo Blog

Receive Our Enewsletter

Sign me up to receive your Enewsletter, announcing new adventures and special offers.

At Wilderness Travel we never rent or sell our mailing list. See our Privacy Policy for further details.

 Sign-up for Emails
 Request the Catalog
YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE AWAITS
cruise silversea valparaiso to papeete easter island
cruise silverexplorer ship
cruise papeete to lautoka dine 2 chef
cruise silversea easter island welcome
cruise silverexplorer room bed
cruise silversea valparaiso to papeete easter island head
cruise silversea landing easter island
cruise silversea valparaiso to papeete sea
cruise 6_silversea dining
Previous Next

Chile to Tahiti: Journey through the South Pacific

Aboard the Silver Explorer

Note: Cruise rate includes roundtrip economy class air.

Overview

Claiming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, HMS Bounty mutineers’ history, plus bucketloads of island authenticity, this cruise is for the curious! Departing from the romantic shores of Valparaiso, sail off on an extended expedition through the vast expanse of the South Pacific. You'll visit such fascinating places as Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, and the alluring Marquesas Islands, but more remote destinations are on this itinerary as well including Robinson Crusoe and Alexander Selkirk islands, Mangareva in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, and Tikihau, part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. 

Note: This cruise is not exclusive to, nor operated by, Wilderness Travel, who acts solely as agent in booking your reservation with the ship operator. The itinerary, lecturers, and all other arrangements are subject to change at the discretion of the cruise line.

Itinerary

Day 1, Mar 18, 2023
Valparaiso, Chile / Embark

Since time immemorial, Valparaiso has inspired writers, poets, musicians, and artists alike. If the city is still a little rough around the edges, this only adds to its bohemian ambience; the architecture, style, street art, nightlife, and live music scenes of Valparaiso are some of the best in the world. Add colorful clifftop homes to the mix and you'll soon see why Valpariaso is many people's favorite Chilean city. The city was founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Saavedra, who named the city after his birthplace. Many of the colonial buildings still stand today, despite the rain, wind, fire, and several earthquakes (one of which almost leveled the city in 1906). Quirky architecture also abounds; poetry lovers and amateur architects will no doubt want to make the 28-mile trip south to Chilean poet laureate (and Nobel Prize winner) Pablo Neruda’s ship-shaped house and museum for a taste of the extraordinary. The city and region are also extremely well known for their love of good food and wine. The vineyards of the nearby Casablanca Valley, first planted in the early 1980s, have earned worldwide recognition in a relatively short space of time. However, Chile’s viticulture history does date back much farther than that. De Saavedra brought grapevines on his voyage to South America to make his own wine and this led to a new grape brandy being created, Pisco. Today give any Chilean a Pisco and wherever they are in the world, they will be home. Embark on the Silver Explorer and depart in the early evening.

Days 2-3, Mar 19-20, 2023
At Sea / Robinson Crusoe Island

After a day at sea, the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind, arrive at Robinson Crusoe Island, located 375 miles off the coast of Chile. A rugged volcanic speck where 70 percent of its plant species are endemic, this island is the largest of the Juan Fernandez Islands, a small archipelago that since 1935 has been a Chilean National Park that in 1977 was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. This island has witnessed and played an important role in Chilean and world history. In 1704 the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned on the island and stayed for more than 4 years, eventually inspiring Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe—hence the name of the island. The village of San Juan Bautista was founded at Cumberland Bay in 1750 and by 1779 there were already 7 small fortresses bristling with guns. The island’s isolation offered Spain a splendid place for setting up a penal colony, to which high-ranking Chilean patriots were deported in the early 19th century. In 1915, during the First World War, three British ships and a German one, the Dresden, engaged in a sea battle that ended with the scuttling of the German cruiser. Today there are currently around one thousand people living in the archipelago, most of them in the village of San Juan Bautista engaged in fishing for spiny lobster, a delicacy exported to the mainland.

Your excursions on the island include an easy walk around the town, followed by drinks and music at a local restaurant; or easy to moderate hiking options.

Day 4, Mar 21, 2023
Alexander Selkirk Island

The inspiration for the novel Robinson Crusoe was a salty Scottish seadog who went by the name of Alexander Selkirk. Selkirk was marooned in Chile’s Juan Fernandez archipelago for four years and four months, rescued by a British private warship. Despite his slightly checkered past, he was greeted as a celebrity upon his return to England. His adventures were given a gloss and immortalized in the much loved 18th century classic. The island is located 100 miles west of the other islands in the archipelago, and was renamed from its Spanish name, Isla Más Afuera, in 1966 by the Chilean government in homage to the sailor. The topography is very different from the Caribbean dream that Defoe writes about: think dense woodland, rugged coast and peaks, shrouded (more often than not) in cloud. Sandy beaches can be found to the north of the island. Throughout much of its history, the island has been uninhabited, although there is a former penal settlement on the middle of the east coast, which operated from 1909 to 1930. During the summer months, Selkirk welcomes a small community of lobster fishermen and their families who come from Robinson Crusoe. As part of the Chilean National Park, it also holds the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve title.

Enjoy a Zodiac cruise along the coast of Alexander Selkirk island, where you will witness dramatic cliffs and impressive birdlife such as Juan Fernandez petrel, black-browed albatross, southern and northern giant petrels and Stejnerger's petrel.

Days 5-9, Mar 22-26, 2023
At Sea / Islas Salas y Gomez

After four days at sea, arrive at Salas y Gomez, the tip of an underwater mountain range some 240 miles east-northeast of Easter Island. Although the 37-acre island was never inhabited, it was known to Easter Islanders as the site of Hau Maka, their Creator God. The modern name refers to the two Spanish explorers who either discovered (Salas) or first visited it (Gomez) in the late 18th and early 19th century. The inhospitable rocky shore makes landings extremely difficult. The highest elevation is 98 feet above sea level, yet the Chilean Navy has built a small lighthouse to warn seafarers of its existence. Several bird species have made Sala y Gomez their home and among the Christmas shearwater, masked boobies, and brown noddies, the sooty terns and great frigatebirds are of special interest—they are the two bird species relating to the birdman ceremonies on Easter Island. In 2010 the Chilean government created the Salas y Gomez Marine Park, which in 2018 was joined with the Marine and Coastal Protected Area of Easter Island to form one of the largest no-take marine reserves in the Pacific.

Days 10-13, Mar 27-30, 2023
Easter Island / At Sea

Easter Island, the easternmost settled island of Polynesia, received its European name in 1722 when the island was sighted by a Dutch expedition under Roggeveen on Easter Sunday. The triangular-shaped island is famous for the hundreds of statues known locally as moai. Rolling hills covered in grassland, eucalyptus forest, and a rocky shore surround Hangaroa, the island’s only village on the southwestern coast. This is where Captain Cook landed in 1774, where missionaries built the first church, and where ships find the best protection from winds and swells. Small beaches and transparent waters invite swimmers and snorkelers, but it is the cultural aspect that attracts visitors. Since 1935 the island has been a National Historic Monument and today 43.5% of the island is a national park administered by the Chilean National Forest Corporation and Mau Henua, a local community group. The island’s national park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Found more than 2,000 miles west of Chile, the island was annexed in 1888. Used as a sheep ranch for many decades, the island was opened in 1965 and an airstrip was built. The US Air Force set up a base to record the behavior of the earth's outer atmosphere and by 1987 NASA had the runway extended as an emergency runway for the space shuttle. This never happened, but tourism benefitted from this improvement and today the island receives more than 100,000 visitors a year. Several touring excursions are available during the two days on Easter Island, including hiking options to some of the island's most famous sights. Days 12-13 are at sea.

Day 14, Mar 31, 2023
Ducie Island, Pitcairn

Discovered in 1606 by Pedro Fernandez de Quiros on his way to the Solomon Islands, Ducie is a small isolated atoll and is the easternmost of the Pitcairn Islands. The island’s most prominent bit of history is the 1881 wreckage of the ship Acadia, which ran aground on the island when the lookout mistook the island for a cloud due to its white beaches. Ducie is a mere speck in the surrounding expanse of ocean, uninhabited except for the estimated 500,000 nesting seabirds that reside among the two plant species (beach heliotrope and at least one specimen of pemphis) that grow over seventy percent of the island. Bird species that you may be able to see include Murphy's petrels, white terns, great frigatebirds, and masked boobies. Under good conditions the wreck of the Acadia or the atoll’s lagoon waters offer interesting snorkel opportunities.

Excursions include a Zodiac cruise or easy hike along the coast to admire the abundant birdlife; or a snorkeling expedition in the lagoon's clear waters.

Day 15, Apr 1, 2023
Henderson Island, Pitcairn

Henderson Island is a raised coral atoll comprising 86% of the land area of the British Overseas Territory of the Pitcairn Islands. In 1820, a sperm whale rammed and sank the whale ship Essex, shipwrecking the crew on Henderson—it was the inspiration for Moby Dick. Locals from Pitcairn Island use Henderson as a source of valuable miro wood, and tantalizing archaeological discoveries have been made indicating habitation by Polynesian settlers in the past. The area was under the sway of the Polynesian society based around the Gambier Islands. When these islands saw environmental and economic decline, it seems Henderson Island was abandoned. It was formally annexed to the British Empire in 1902 by Captain G. F. Jones, along with his crew of Pitcairn Islanders. Henderson is one of the two raised coral atolls in the world that have been relatively untouched by humans, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Due to its splendid isolation, many species here are found nowhere else in the world, including ten flowering plants, all four of its land birds (such as the Henderson lorikeet), and many of its invertebrates, along with many species found across the Pacific such as the giant coconut crab.

Excursions on Henderson include a Zodiac cruise or nature walk to search for birds; or a snorkeling expedition to enjoy the underwater world of the reed surrounding the atoll and its abundant marine life.

Day 16, Apr 2, 2023
Adamstown, Pitcairn Island

Home to the original mutineers of the Bounty, Adamstown is today the capital of all four Pitcairn Islands. The islands—the last British Overseas Territory in the Pacific —include the namesake Pitcairn Island itself, plus the uninhabited Oeno, Henderson, and Ducie. Pitcairn is the archipelago’s only inhabited island, with the population of just 50 centered in Adamstown. It is no surprise that the nine mutineers along with six Tahitian men, 12 Tahitian women, and one child stopped on Pitcairn in 1790; with its sloped and varied landscape, lush tropical promise, and equidistant location between Peru and New Zealand, Pitcairn would have seemed an ideal hiding spot for the mutineers to settle. The ship was burned to avoid detection (the ballast stone remains of the wreck in Bounty Bay). However, the ideal bucolic life that mutineer leader Fletcher Christian had envisaged was not to be. Poor treatment of the Tahitian men led to alcoholism, chaos, and carnage, and by 1800 only John Adams—who had recently discovered Christianity—remained. Adams taught the women and children to read and write from the bible. The capital is named after him. Not only had the island been misplaced on early maps of the region, but it can also be very difficult to come ashore as large breakers tend to build up just in front of the small harbor of Bounty Bay. The local museum houses the HMS Bounty Bible, the same bible that Adams taught the women and children to read and write from in the early 19th century.

Shore excursions on Pitcairn include exploring Adamstown and visits with the local islanders; a variety of hikes, including one to the top of the island; or a Zodiac cruise along the coastline.

Days 17-18, Apr 3- 4, 2023
At Sea / Mangareva, Gambier Islands

A day at sea brings you to the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, of which Mangareva is the largest island with a population of over 1,200 people. Most live in Rikitea, the largest village on the island. A high central ridge runs the length of Mangareva peaking with Mt. Duff, which rises nearly 1,500 feet from the sea on the island's south coast. The island has a large lagoon sprinkled with coral reefs whose tropical fish and the black-lip oysters have helped islanders survive much more successfully than on other nearby islands. Small ships are able to enter the lagoon of Mangareva, and visitors can walk through the town, see the remains of the massive stone and coral buildings dating back to the 19th century, or climb up Mt. Duff. The highlights in town include the cathedral with its mother-of-pearl shell altar and objects designed and built in the 1830s and 1840s and partially restored by the students of Rikitea’s school just a few years ago. On your shore excursion you'll enjoy a traditional greeting with flower lei and a performance of traditional dance, followed by a visit to mid-19th century St. Michael's Cathedral. You can also explore the island, and possibly swim or snorkel in the lagoon (conditions depending) before returning to the ship.

Days 19-21, Apr 5- 7, 2023
At Sea / Omoa and Hanavave, Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands

A two-day cruise north takes you to the first of the Marquesas Islands. Ridges and cliffs form beautiful, rocky Fatu Hiva, the southernmost of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. Half-moon-shaped Omoa Bay encircles the village of Omoa, where about 250 people reside near the island’s main church. They make tapa cloth in a traditional way with beaten bark decorated in inked traditional Polynesian designs. The island is covered in lush jungle vegetation that is divided in some places by narrow ravines marked by sharply dropping cliffs. The ruggedly beautiful Bay of the Virgins appears as if its palm tree-lined, jutting rocky ridges were carved by some great hand into stone sculptures. Morning shore excursions include a visit to the village of Omoa or a guided hike to the nearby petroglyphs. In the afternoon, enjoy a traditional greeting at Hanavave or a hike to a freshwater pool.

Days 22-23, Apr 8- 9, 2023
Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands / At Sea

The largest of the southern islands, Hiva Oa, the master pillar or finial post of the “Great House,” which represents the Marquesan archipelago in the local mythology, has always been the rival of Nuku Hiva. The island is shaped like a seahorse and has a mountain range running southwest to northeast whose main peaks, Mt. Temetiu and Mt. Feani, form a real wall around Atuona, a peaceful little port at the head of Taaoa Bay (also known as Traitors Bay). This is the last resting place of Paul Gauguin and of the singer Jacques Brel. The tombs of these famous personalities are on the side of the Calvary cemetery looking out across the bay and are places of great pilgrimage. In the village, the Gauguin Museum displays items related to the painter's stay there at the beginning of the 20th century and has copies of his works. Enjoy a day of snorkeling from a platform offshore this beautiful island, and keep your eyes open for mantas while swimming in the clear waters of this paradise. Day 23 is at sea.

Days 24-25, Apr 10-11, 2023
Manihi & Tikehau, Tuamotu Archipelago

Arrive at Manihi, a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago known for its pearl farms. The next day, explore Tikehau, a 17-mile coral atoll made up of two palm tree-lined islands and a number of smaller islets connected by a clear, bright turquoise lagoon. Translated from Tuamotuan as “peaceful landing,” Tikehau lives up to its name as one of the most breathtaking places in the French Polynesian Islands. Expect secluded white and pink sand beaches, views of nesting sea birds, and ideal snorkeling conditions as the lagoon is teeming with underwater life. According to the famous marine explorer Jacque Cousteau, Tikehau has the highest concentration of fish than any other lagoon in French Polynesia.

Day 26, Apr 12, 2023
Papeete, Tahiti / Disembark

Arrive in Papeete in the morning and disembark.

Chile to Tahiti: Journey through the South Pacific route-map

Chile to Tahiti: Journey through the South Pacific

Chile to Tahiti: Journey through the South Pacific route-map

Highlights

Highlights

Visit remote Robinson Crusoe and Alexander Selkirk islands, both part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve
Explore the mysterious standing moais and other stone monuments of Easter Island
Take in the fascinating history of the Pitcairn Islands, including Adamstown, where descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty reside
Enjoy the lush vegetation and dramatic landscapes of the Marquesas Islands—everyone's dream of the South Pacific

Details

Length: 26 days
Cost From: $23,600  
Full pricing
Arrive: Valparaiso, Chile
Depart: Papeete, Tahiti
Lodging: 25 nights aboard a 132-passenger vessel, 1 night hotel
View Lodging
Meals: All meals aboard ship, including wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
Activity: Cultural Adventures, Walking, Wildlife and Natural History, Small Ship Cruising
Trip Level:

25-day cruise, cultural explorations, swimming, snorkeling, and walking tours
What the Trip is Like

Trip Levels

With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.

Easiest

Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Examples:
  • Royal Rajasthan
  • Indochine
  • Small ship cruises

Easy to Moderate

Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Examples:
  • New Zealand: South Island Adventure
  • Our African safaris
  • Costa Rica Wildlife

Moderate

Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
Examples:
  • Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
  • Great Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
  • Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
  • Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.

Moderate to Strenuous

Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Examples:
  • In Patagonia
  • Hiking the Spanish Pyrenees

Strenuous

Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Examples:
  • Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
  • Everest Lodge to Lodge

Very Strenuous

Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.
Examples:
  • Everest Base Camp
  • Climb Kilimanjaro!

Trip Cost

Prices are for 2023
Per person, double occupancy
CategoriesPrice
Adventurer Suite $23,600
Explorer Suite $24,700
View Suite $26,500
Vista Suite $27,800
Veranda Suite $39,200
Medallion Suite $46,500
Silver Suite $49,500
Grand Suite $54,700
Owner's Suite $60,200
Note: Cruise rate includes roundtrip economy class air.

Departures

2023
Mar 18-Apr 12, 2023

Deck Plan

Adventurer Class Suite

Deck 3, with sitting area and two portholes. Suites 302-305. 157-167 sq. ft.

Explorer Class Suite

Deck 4, with sitting area and view window. Suites 400-405, 407, 409. 175-190 sq. ft.

View Suite

Deck 3, with sitting area and view window. Suites 306-325. 192 sq. ft.

Vista Suite

Deck 4, with sitting area and large picture window. Suites 406, 408, 410-425, 427, 429. 192 sq. ft.

Veranda Suite

Deck 5, with sitting area and French balcony with floor to ceiling glass doors. Suites 500, 501, 506-509, 512, 513. 206-216 sq. ft. Queen bed only for suites 512 and 513.

Medallion Suite

Deck 7, with sitting area and large veranda with floor to ceiling glass doors. Suites 702, 703. 400 sq. ft.

Silver Suite

Deck 5, with living room and sitting area, two French balconies with floor to ceiling glass doors. Suites 502-505, 510, 511. 422 sq. ft.

Grand Suite

Deck 7, with living room and sitting area, large veranda with floor to ceiling glass doors. 618 sq. ft. Suites 700, 701.

Owner’s Suite

Deck 7, with living room and sitting area, large veranda with floor to ceiling glass doors. 728 sq. ft. Suites 704, 705.

Trip Cost Includes

  • Roundtrip Economy Class Airfare
  • Transfers (between airport, hotel and ship)
  • 1 night pre-cruise hotel
  • Guided zodiac, land and sea tours, and shoreside activities
  • Enrichment lectures by a highly qualified Expeditions Team
  • Personalized butler service in every suite
  • Unlimited free WiFi
  • The highest crew to guest ratio in the industry
  • Choice of restaurants and open-seating dining
  • Open-seating dining options
  • Beverage in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines, and spirits
  • In-suite dining and room service
  • Onboard entertainment
  • Onboard gratuities

Trip Cost Does Not Include

Additional pre- and post-cruise hotel accommodations, luggage handling, arrival and departure transfers (unless including airfare package), fuel surcharges, laundry or valet services, cancellation, interruption and medical travel insurance (strongly recommended), purchases from the ship boutiques, or any item or service of a personal nature such as mobile phone service, internet more than time mentioned above, medical care, massages, spa treatments, hair styling, and manicures.

Trip Payment Schedule*

At time of reservation: 25% of trip cost
130 days prior to departure: Balance

*Please note that this differs from our standard policy.

Cancellation and Transfer Fee Schedule*

Minimum fee: $250 per person
121-151 days prior to departure: 15% of trip cost
91-120 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost
61-90 days prior to departure: 50% of trip cost
31-60 days prior to departure: 75% of trip cost
30 days or less: 100% of trip cost

*Please note that this differs from our standard policy.

Arrival & Departure Information

You are responsible for your own transportation arriving to Valparaiso, Chile, and departing from Papeete, Tahiti. If you have any questions, please call our office at 1-800-368-2794.

Please do not purchase your tickets until you are confirmed on the trip. Once your tickets have been purchased, please send us a copy of your airline schedule.

2023 Departures
Arrival & Meeting Place
Aboard the Silver Explorer, Valparaiso, Chile
Day 1, March 18
Suggested flight arrival time: Morning
Embarkation: Between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm
Ship departure: 7:00 pm

Arrival Airport
Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL)


Departure
Papeete, Tahiti
Day 26, April 12
Disembarkation: 7:00 am
Suggested flight departure time: After 12:00 pm (noon)

Departure Airport
Fa'a'ā International Airport (PPT)

Transfers will be provided to the airport for Air/Sea passengers departing on Day 26.  For Cruise only passengers, taxis from the ship to the airport (or hotel if extending your stay) are available at your expense.

Silver Explorer

The Silver Explorer, a purpose-built expedition ship with the intimate onboard ambience of a private yacht, has been designed specifically for navigating waters in some of the world’s most remote destinations, including both of earth’s polar regions. With a fleet of Zodiac boats, her 132 guests can visit even the most off-the-beaten path locations while an expert Expedition Team provides insight and understanding. Amenities include ocean-view staterooms with private bath, a spacious library with an Internet café, a full-service spa, beauty salon, fitness center, live evening entertainment, and two top-deck whirlpools. A strengthened hull with a Lloyd’s Register ice-class notation (1A) for passenger vessels enables Silver Explorer to push through ice floes with ease.

Our Trips using this Lodging

  • Chile Expedition Cruise: Puerto Williams to Valparaiso
  • Chile to Tahiti: Journey through the South Pacific
  • Fiji to Australia Expedition Cruise
  • South Pacific Expedition: Papeete to Lautoka
Silver explorer 01
Silver explorer 02
Silver explorer 03
Silver explorer 04
Silver explorer 05
Silver explorer 06
Silver explorer 07
Silver explorer 08

Trip Level

The trip is rated Level 1, Easiest, and is appropriate for anyone in good health who is physically active. Zodiac landing crafts are used to explore the coastline and transport passengers ashore for walks and explorations. Some agility is required for getting in and out of the Zodiac landing crafts.

Explain Trip Level

Trip Levels

With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.

Easiest

Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Examples:
  • Royal Rajasthan
  • Indochine
  • Small ship cruises

Easy to Moderate

Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Examples:
  • New Zealand: South Island Adventure
  • Our African safaris
  • Costa Rica Wildlife

Moderate

Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
Examples:
  • Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
  • Great Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
  • Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
  • Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.

Moderate to Strenuous

Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Examples:
  • In Patagonia
  • Hiking the Spanish Pyrenees

Strenuous

Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Examples:
  • Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
  • Everest Lodge to Lodge

Very Strenuous

Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.
Examples:
  • Everest Base Camp
  • Climb Kilimanjaro!

Choosing the Right Trip

We work hard to help you choose the right trip for you, paying attention to your individual interests, abilities, and needs. If you have questions about the level of comfort or any of the activities described in this itinerary, please contact us.

Email Area Manager

References

We are proud to have an exceptionally high rate of repeat travelers. For more information, we would be happy to put you in touch with a client who has traveled with us.

Email Area Manager

Resources

Travel Insurance
WT Gear Store
Find A Trip
Call Us: 1-800-368-2794
Email Us

Wilderness Travel

Wilderness Travel

Discover
  • Our Trips
  • New Trips
  • Special Offers
  • Top Ten Places in 2022
  • Wish List
  • Photo Blog
Keep in Touch
  • Contact Us
  • Catalog Request
  • Digital Catalog
  • Enews Sign-up
  •  
  •  
  •  
About WT
  • Welcome
  • How We Travel
  • Our Leaders
  • Making a Difference
  • Awards
  • WT in the News
  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Resources
  • Reserving a Trip
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Toucan Club
  • Referrals
  • Post-trip Survey
  • Client Forms & Helpful Links
  • Travel Insurance
  • Travel Agents
  • Gear Store
  • Gift Certificates
  • Site Map
Wilderness Travel Awards
1102 Ninth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
California Seller of Travel Registration No.: 1007696-40
Wilderness Travel Awards
1102 Ninth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
California Seller of Travel Registration No.: 1007696-40
Discover
  • Our Trips
  • New Trips
  • Special Offers
  • Top Ten Places in 2022
  • Wish List
  • Photo Blog
Keep in Touch
  • Contact Us
  • Catalog Request
  • Digital Catalog
  • Enews Sign-up
  •  
  •  
  •  
About WT
  • Welcome
  • How We Travel
  • Our Leaders
  • Making a Difference
  • Awards
  • WT in the News
  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Resources
  • Reserving a Trip
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Toucan Club
  • Referrals
  • Post-trip Survey
  • Client Forms & Helpful Links
  • Travel Insurance
  • Travel Agents
  • Gear Store
  • Gift Certificates
  • Site Map