International Expeditions Expands Small-Ship Offerings with Four New Cruises for 2016
Helena, AL (PRWEB) July 28, 2015 -- International Expeditions has announced four new small-ship cruise offerings, adding options in Ecuador, Cuba, Patagonia’s Northern Archipelago and Raja Ampat for 2016. Each small-ship expedition is led by knowledgeable expedition leaders and guides who help travelers delve into the nature, history and cultures of places visited.
“Each IE journey is carefully planned to let curious, adventurous travelers delve deep into nature, history and culture,” said Bill Robison, Director of Program Development. “The new small-ship cruises we are introducing allow our guests a chance to discover natural wonders in a really personal, authentic manner, while enjoying extraordinary accommodations aboard well-appointed yachts.”
Ecuador offers astounding biodiversity, rich cultural heritage and a distinct wild beauty. International Expeditions’ new 10-day Ecuador: Andes & Amazon tour combines boutique accommodations — including a 17th century hacienda — in the Andean countryside with a four-night cruise deep into the Amazon aboard the all-suite M/V Anakonda for a comprehensive immersion into nature! This active adventure allows for almost daily nature walks and boating excursions, along with opportunities to stroll through famed Quito, Otavalo and quaint villages.
IE’s 12-day Northern Archipelago & Chiloe Island tour was crafted to help travelers discover a seldom-visited region connecting the Andes and Pacific with daily excursions surveying volcanoes, forests and glacial lakes interspersed along the Andean foothills. From the temperate rainforests of Tepuhueico Park to the enormous, 30,000-year-old San Rafael Glacier, northern Patagonia blends extraordinary wildlife and natural beauty with the charming culture of the Chilotes. Under the guidance of local guides, guests discover distinct Chiloé Island, a small isle populated by scattered villages where homes, boats and the famed churches — a collective UNESCO World Heritage Site — are still built using the techniques taught by generations past. A closer look at the Chilote people reveals a rich spiritual culture that is based on a distinctive mythology of witchcraft, ghost ships and forest gnomes. Serving as a delightful base for five nights is the family-owned Skorpios II.
Travelers cruise from French-influenced Cienfuegos to Havana aboard the 48-guest Panorama on IE’s new 10-day Cuba Voyage. In addition to a walking tour of 500-year-old Trinidad, along the way, guests stop on the island of Cayo Largo, home to a sea turtle breeding center, the remote western Guanahacibes Peninsula, and venture into the Viñales Valley. Other highlights of this people-to-people itinerary include learning about Cuban medicine and mass communication, dance lessons, local choir and theater performances, pottery workshops, visits to museums, and calling on artists in their studios. Explore Cuba’s Cayo Largo —an important nesting ground for logger-head, hawksbill and green sea turtles — with a local naturalist.
The four isolated islands of Raja Ampat — Misoool, Salawati, Batanta, and Wiageo — are surrounded by over 1,500 small islands and cays, as well as the world's most biodiverse marine region. During International Expeditions’ new 17-day Raja Ampat adventure, featuring a cruise aboard the nine-cabin WAOW, guests enjoy naturalist-guided snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding excursions among waters boasting more recorded fish, coral (75 percent of all known coral species) and mollusk species than anywhere else on Earth.
These four new cruise options join International Expeditions’ existing small-ship cruise options in the Peruvian Amazon and Galapagos Islands, destinations where the company has operated for more than 30 years.
For more information on International Expeditions call 1-800-234-9620 or visit http://www.IEtravel.com.
About International Expeditions
Celebrating 35 years of nature travel, International Expeditions specializes in small-group journeys to Earth’s most exhilarating destinations. A pioneer of environmentally responsible travel, IE is committed to preserving natural habitats and improving the welfare of the people and communities it visits. International Expeditions has been named to Travel + Leisure’s list of “World’s Best” tour operators & safari outfitters seven times and to National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine’s list of “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.”
Emily Harley, International Expeditions, http://www.IEtravel.com, +1 (205) 565-2160, [email protected]
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