Begin your trip in Quito, the capital city, lset in a valley between snow-capped Andean peaks. Quito is divided into an old and new quarter, and we work with a variety of hotel styles in the city. It’s worth a stay of two nights so you have a chance to explore the monuments and visit the Equator Monument.

Then, take a short flight to the Amazon jungle, where you can spend four or five days exploring trails through the forest with your naturalist guide, fishing for piranhas (or swimming with them!), visiting local communities, visiting parrot clay licks, and watching for wildlife from observation towers and canopy walks. Lodges are comfortable, and have amenities like private terraces with hammocks, electricity, fans, and running water, and work with sustainable principles to preserve the environment.

After the Amazon, continue to the Galapagos Islands for an exciting cruise of four, five or eight days. Each day you’ll have an early start, and then two island visits with your naturalist guide. You’ll often have the chance to snorkel after the land visit, where you’ll see the colorful marine life of the Enchanted Isles, and have the chance to swim with white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions. Because there are few natural predators in the Galapagos, animals are startlingly unafraid of humans, and you can get up close and personal with a blue-footed booby doing a mating dance, huge colonies of marine iguanas, or to ancient giant tortoises.

We work with a wide variety of Galapagos yachts, all visited by our Travel Consultants, and all adhering to the highest levels of safety and environmental standards, as well as working with top guides.

Ask us about customizing this trip with a Galapagos yacht to match your travel preferences, and the best Amazon program.

You’ll begin the trip in Puerto Montt, where you’ll board the boat and begin cruising around some of the most beautiful regions of Patagonia Chile. Each itinerary is different, and takes into account weather conditions and guests’ particular interests. Activities can include whale-watching, eco tourism, bird watching, jet boating, kayaking, trekking and horseback riding. Natural wonders are in abundance here, and there is plenty of wildlife.

There are dedicated nature and fly fishing departures throughout the fall, winter and spring (northern hemisphere), although travelers on nature cruises can add a handful of fly fishing excursions.

Cabins are spacious, with large picture windows to enjoy the view as you cruise along. The Atmosphere has large passenger areas, gourmet meals paired with Chilean wines, and spa treatments available.

Contact us for 2009 and 2010 special rates for the exciting Nomads of the Seas adventure!

The five day cruise begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, where you’ll board your expedition vessel, specially outfitted for Arctic cruising, and sail through the Strait of Magellan. Continue the cruise with stops at places like Tucker Islet to see colonies of Magellanic penguins and cormorants, Cape Horn National Park, and more. You’ll sail through Glacier Alley, through six imposing glaciers, and disembark on the Pia Glacier for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and forests.

The four day itinerary still visits glacier, penguin and forest highlights, and is great for those shorter on time. The four day itinerary departs from Ushuaia, Argentina; the five day itinerary departs from Punta Arenas, Chile.

Ask us about availability, and combining this trip with land adventures throughout Chile and Argentina.

For the special November 7-14 departure all Galapagos extras are free of charge – these include roundtrip flights to the Galapagos Islands from mainland Ecuador, park fees, and fuel surcharge! Contact us for more details on this amazing opportunity to cruise the Galapagos Islands with one of the most adventurous nature travelers around – Paul Rose.