Embark the Silver Explorer and depart on your exciting Expedition — “In Search of Robinson Crusoe”.Once you have settled in and before Silver Explorer leaves Easter Island, you will attend a mandatory safety drill. Join us for a Sail Away Cocktail on the outer decks as we sail along Easter Island’s impressive cliffs and shore. Later you will be introduced to your Expedition Team. This evening the Restaurant Manager and Executive Chef would like to invite you to the delights of a specially prepared menu in The Restaurant.

Heading in a west-northwesterly direction we will approach Salas y Gomez around noon. This will give you time to unwind after the long flight to Easter Island, have a leisurely breakfast and then join one of our onboard experts for a lecture in The Theatre.In the afternoon we will take to our Zodiacs to circumnavigate the island and some of the submerged rocks. In terms of wildlife we can expect to see Christmas Shearwater, Brown Noddies, Masked Boobies, as well as Great Frigatebirds and Sooty Terns –the last two of prime importance to Easter Island’s socio-religious birdman cult.

Having left Salas y Gomez behind, Silver Explorer will have to cover more than 1300 miles to reach the nearest land to the east.During our days at sea we will be looking for large schools of dolphins, the occasional seabirds and perhaps some of the humpback whales that have been observed off the coasts of Easter Island and Chile.Our lecturers will present talks about Chile, its natural history and obviously topics related to our next destination, the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. Attend workshops and seminars, relax, enjoy the solitude of the open ocean, and sample the culinary specialities prepared by our Executive Chef and his team.

Today we reach one of the most isolated islands of Chile. Formerly called “Más Afuera” -which clearly stated that is was “further away”- it received the name of Alexander Selkirk in 1966 to entice tourism to the archipelago, but not to the island. Alexander Selkirk is only sporadically used by fishermen from Robinson Crusoe to harvest spiny lobster. There is a small group of buildings on the island’s eastern shore, but landing is conditioned by swell.We will use the Zodiacs for a cruise along the shore, looking for the feral goats that were left in the archipelago already in the 16th century, and the Juan Fernandez fur seal colonies on the western coast. If possible we will go ashore near one of the colonies.

Silver Explorer will anchor in Cumberland Bay, not too far from the main settlement and only village of Robinson Crusoe. Formerly called “Mas a Tierra” (closer to land) the island’s name was changed to Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe’s famous literary character, hoping to attract more tourism in 1966. The island has several historical facts that make it interesting: from its discovery by Juan Fernandez, to its use as a provisioning stop for pirates and explorers alike, a penal colony during the Chilean independence movement, its various schemes of exploitation, the connection to World War I, and finally the several tsunamis that have caused the current village to be redesigned for safety.We will land at San Juan Bautista in Cumberland Bay to offer several walks and hikes to various lookout points –including Alexander Selkirk’s viewpoint- and to look for the endemic plants and birds that have put Juan Fernandez on the list of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list. Heading up to the Plazoleta El Yunque (the anvil), we will hike through pine, cypress and eucalyptus forests, but will also be able to see many of the local plants and the Juan Fernandez Firecrown.Both hikes to the viewpoints offer different views of Cumberland Bay and the surrounding landscape, but from Selkirk’s lookout you can also see the barren eastern side of Robinson Crusoe with the small island of Santa Clara in the background.An easy walk will lead to the cliff where the projectiles shot at the German light cruiser SMS Dresden during WWI can still be seen. During this walk it is normally possible to see the Juan Fernandez fur seals in the water, while hummingbirds might frequent the shrubs and flowers near the cemetery.

Our last day of the voyage can be used to edit the photos taken, to attend a lecture -perhaps about Valparaiso, its historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Chile’s modern history- or visit the Spa and Fitness Centre, you can also relax on the Sun Deck after yesterday’s walks and hikes.Do not miss the presentation of the documentary of our voyage by the onboard Videographer.In the evening the Captain would like to invite you to the Farewell Cocktail and the Farewell Dinner

While Silver Explorer approaches Valparaiso, take in the sights of “The Pearl of the Pacific” – as the city is known in Chile’s literature and music. Valparaiso’s historic hillside settlements (including the still used funiculars) have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After breakfast disembark Silver Explorer.

Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather and wildlife activity. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.