Day 1 - Saturday - Sep 24, 2022
| Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago |
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The sound of the steel pan and calypso tell us we're in Trinidad & Tobago. Arrive and attend a welcome reception before an overnight at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad hotel. (D)
Day 2 - Sunday - Sep 25, 2022
| Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago |
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| Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago |
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| Caroni Bird Sanctuary, Trinidad and Tobago |
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| Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago |
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Day 3 - Monday - Sep 26, 2022
| Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago |
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| Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago |
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Drive through the lush Arima Valley to the Asa Wright Nature Centre, a mecca for nature lovers. We'll have a choice of trails to walk as we look for toucans, hummingbirds, tanagers, motmots, and butterflies. Or, stay on the "birding veranda" and let the avifauna come to you. Then drive to the Caroni Swamp, where scarlet ibis return by the hundreds at dusk to roost-one of the world's great wildlife spectacles. The next day, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and perhaps a dip in the pool, with sweeping views of the Gulf of Paria, before embarking our ship in Port of Spain and settling in as we set sail southward. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Tuesday - Sep 27, 2022
This is a day to explore the amenities of our ship and prepare for the adventures ahead. Visit the Bridge (a great place to spot marine life), have a relaxing massage, attend a talk about the history of this storied coast, or settle into a comfy chair in the observation lounge to read or look out over the waves and reflect on what you've seen and what is to come. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Wednesday - Sep 28, 2022
| Cruising the Essequibo River, Guyana |
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Day 6 - Thursday - Sep 29, 2022
Day 7 - Friday - Sep 30, 2022
Little-visited Guyana has some of the planet's most pristine rainforest. On the Essequibo, spot colorful macaws, cotingas, and jacamars-a few of the more than 600 bird species for the area. Fly over Guyana's crown jewel: powerful 822-foot Kaieteur Falls. Once on the ground we explore the rainforest and look for rare parrots and toucans. In Georgetown, Guyana's capital, discover rich colonial architecture, historic markets, and spirited local music. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Saturday - Oct 1, 2022
Paramaribo's well-preserved Dutch colonial architecture has earned it a UNESCO World Heritage designation. Explore the waterfront with its wooden colonial buildings, and Fort Zeelandia, home to the fine Suriname Museum. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Sunday - Oct 2, 2022
| Devil's Island, French Guiana |
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Day 10 - Monday - Oct 3, 2022
Devil's Island became notorious as a penal colony whose inmates included Alfred Dreyfus and Henri Charriere-who chronicled his escape in the book Papillon. Explore the remains of the prison and spot birds and monkeys in the surrounding jungle. Then relax on a day at sea. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Tuesday - Oct 4, 2022
| Cruising the Amazon River |
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Enter the great delta region of the Amazon, and have three days exploring the river and its tributaries by ship and by Zodiac. Spot macaws, toucans, and kingfishers, along with monkeys, and the two elusive species of river dolphin found here-the gray tucuxi and the pink boto. See some of the communities of local residents, called caboclos, who make their living in this rich but difficult environment. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - Wednesday - Oct 5, 2022
| Cruising the Amazon River |
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Day 13 - Thursday - Oct 6, 2022
| Cruising the Amazon River |
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Day 14 - Friday - Oct 7, 2022
The gateway to the Amazon, Belem has a rich colonial history evident on our walk in the Cidade Velha (Old City). Visit the Ver-o-Peso market, with an amazing variety of rainforest medicinal remedies, or the town of Icoaraci, known for its ceramics. (B,L,D)
Day 15 - Saturday - Oct 8, 2022
Enjoy the pleasures of being aboard National Geographic Explorer with an expert staff. Attend a photo presentation given by the National Geographic photographer and get your photography questions answered. Head up to the Bridge, where the officers will reveal the secrets of navigation. Hear talks from our naturalist team preparing us for the exciting days to come on Fernando de Noronha. Unwind, have a massage in the wellness center, read in the excellent library, or listen to music curated by our onboard musicologist. (B,L,D)
Day 16 - Sunday - Oct 9, 2022
Day 17 - Monday - Oct 10, 2022
Day 18 - Tuesday - Oct 11, 2022
| Fernando de Noronha, Brazil |
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The Fernando de Noronha archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its marine life and breeding tropical seabirds. Enjoy three days exploring its beaches, birdlife, and rich marine life. Hike, swim, and snorkel. Or, go on a boat excursion to watch spinner dolphins, renowned for their acrobatics. (B,L,D)
Day 19 - Wednesday - Oct 12, 2022
| Fernando de Noronha, Brazil |
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Day 20 - Thursday - Oct 13, 2022
| Fernando de Noronha, Brazil |
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Day 21 - Friday - Oct 14, 2022
Day 22 - Saturday - Oct 15, 2022
| Salvador de Bahia, Brazil |
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After time at sea, arrive at colorful Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia and cultural center of Brazil. Salvador's music is legendary-the region is the birthplace of the samba. (B,L,D)
Day 23 - Sunday - Oct 16, 2022
| Salvador de Bahia, Brazil |
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After breakfast, we disembark and have a walking tour of Salvador through the historic Pelourinho, a network of sweeping avenues lined with towering pink, yellow, and purple buildings finished with elegant white trims. Later, we transfer to the airport for overnight flights home. (Day 23: B,L)
