From the Arctic to Antarctica

Embark on a historical voyage through Iquique with a scenic drive towards Cavancha Beach and Plaza Arturo Prat. Uncover the history of Iquique during a guided tour by motor coach. Your first stop is the Iquique Regional Museum, where you will explore paleontology exhibits, view 7,000-year-old Chinchorro mummies and learn about life in Iquique long ago. Next, continue with a picturesque drive along the renowned Cavancha Beach, before heading to Plaza Arturo Prat, the central hub of downtown. View the architectural landmarks within the plaza, including the Municipal Theater, a Renaissance-style building and former opera theater. Venture into the Centro Español and see the expansive oil paintings that narrate scenes from Don Quixote’s life. Enjoy a traditional Chilean beverage at this historic establishment before embarking on your journey back to your ship.

Explore the history and heritage of the world’s driest desert, the Atacama. Take a scenic drive by motor coach across the Chilean Coastal Range and into the Pampa region of the great Atacama Desert. This desolate area became a conflict zone during the 19th century as three South American nations—Peru, Bolivia and Chile—fought over its resources. Stop in Humberstone, an abandoned mining town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site to learn about the nitrate industry and the communal Pampino culture. The dry, desert climate has preserved the ghost-like town and you will see the workers’ quarters, the factory plant and the railway. Continue to the Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve to see the Cerro Pintados geoglyphs—monumental drawings of animals, people and geometric symbols that have been carved into the surrounding hillsides. After, return to your ship.

Witness the harsh environment of the Atacama Desert and learn how local communities thrived and prospered. The dry, desert climate resulted in the preservation of nitrates, which gave the region an economic boon. Stop at the abandoned saltpeter mining town of Santa Laura and explore its ghost-like community in which time appears to have stood still. View the remnants of the industrial machinery and explore the Museum of Saltpeter to learn more about mining life in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your guide will also introduce you to the Pampino culture as you journey across the Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve. Next, arrive at Pica—a pretty oasis and the perfect spot to enjoy lunch and while away an afternoon, admiring its colorful painted houses, water springs and lemon groves, before returning to your awaiting ship.

Venture into the desert to explore Chile’s mining past and view the Atacama Giant, the world’s largest geoglyph. Leave civilization behind as you head into the seemingly endless Atacama Desert, a breathtakingly stark landscape of barren sand and rock. The area’s arid climate resulted in the preservation of nitrates, which was an economic boon to the region. Visit the mining town of Santa Laura, a center for saltpeter production before its abandonment in the late 1960s. Explore its ghost-like community that appears to have stood still in time; view the remnants of the industrial machinery and tour the Museum of Saltpeter to learn more about this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue on to Cerro Unitas, where you will marvel at the ingenuity and skill of the indigenous peoples of long ago while viewing the Atacama Giant—a massive, anthropomorphic astronomical calendar built into the hillside. Enjoy lunch in a nearby village before returning to your ship.

Travel into the high plains of the Andes Mountains to experience the natural beauty of the Huasco Salt Flat. Embark on a scenic journey by motor coach into the vast Atacama Desert and begin your climb through this stark landscape of rock and sand en route to the salt flat. Along the way, stop to stretch your legs in the quaint town of Pozo Almonte; view its main square and church, then continue your journey to Huasco Salt Flat National Park. Located at more than 12,000 feet above sea level, this nature sanctuary stretches out for almost 28,000 acres. Dotted with numerous ponds and salt marshes, this high-altitude ecosystem is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. After a delicious box lunch, enjoy free time to explore your beautiful surroundings. Take a leisurely stroll around the flat, pause for photographs and learn about local life from your guide before returning to port.