Explore with Viking—Longitudinal World Cruises

Grab your binoculars and go bird-watching on a tour featuring the Falkland Islands’ wildlife and plants. Set out on a short drive to Whalebone Cove, home to the beached ship Lady Elizabethand many species of flora and fauna. Upon arrival, you will receive a tour-specific illustrated checklist and background information on the Falklands’ biodiversity from your naturalist guide. Land birds make up the majority of the wildlife inhabiting the island. Approximately 63 species breed on the island, 16 of which are endemic, such as the ruddy-headed goose. The Falklands are also home to 163 vascular species of plants. Begin your 3½-mile trek over rugged terrain, following your checklist of special points of interest. Keep watch for birds such as the Falkland thrush or Magellanic penguin. Also, be sure to take time to admire the spectacular view of Port Stanley from the cove.

Gain insight on farming in the Falklands during a visit to a traditional sheep farm. Drive to Fitzroy, where upon arrival, you will be greeted by your host before beginning your introduction to sheep farming. Watch as the sheepdogs take center stage, demonstrating their prodigious talents for herding sheep in accordance with their master’s commands. You will then witness a shearing demonstration and learn about the process of wool preparation—from harvesting the fleece to sending it to market—and enjoy an opportunity to handle the wool. Outside, there will be a display of various vehicles used around the farm. End the day with a stop at Settlement Hall for smoko, the traditional name for midmorning or afternoon break. Enjoy a chat with the farm manager over homemade scones with jam and cream, before returning to your ship.

Gaze upon a colony of gentoo penguins and learn about life in the Falklands during an off-road 4x4 excursion. From the Jetty Visitors Center, transfer to Newans Station, where you will meet your knowledgeable guides and board your 4x4 for the drive to the nearby farm. Admire the landscape while your driver regales you with stories about island life. At the farm, perched atop the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, is a colony of about 200 breeding pairs of gentoo penguins. Gentoos are easily identifiable by their bright red-orange beaks and white-feather caps. Found along the rocky coastlines, their dense plumage and thick layer of blubber make them well-adapted to thrive in their harsh environment. Enjoy your time observing these captivating creatures, fast diving birds who are able to reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour in pursuit of prey, then return to your ship.

Journey into the awe-inspiring beauty of the Patagonian wilderness on a hike with Siberian Huskies. Take a scenic drive to the north side of Tierra del Fuego, admiring the stunning vistas of lakes, forests, glaciers and more as you cross the Fuegian Andes. Upon arrival at the trailhead, meet your guide and friendly huskies, then set out on foot toward the Tierra Mayor Valley, stopping at panoramic viewpoints as you hike through majestic landscapes. Follow the old lumberjack trails with your canine companions, passing through dense forests of lenga and ñire trees. Following your hike, savor the delicious taste of Argentinian meat at the Dome. Then, journey into the mountainous region, witnessing the massive peaks and primitive forest while climbing up the Garibaldi Pass. At the highest point, you will see Lake Escondido in the distance. Your tour will end back at your ship.

See the sights of Milwaukee, on the shores of Lake Michigan, during a panoramic excursion. Meet your guide at the pier and set out by motor coach to delve into the city’s past and present. Your guide will regale you with historic tales of the first European settlers who arrived on these shores during the early 19th-century, creating distinctly German, Irish, Polish and Italian neighborhoods. Stop in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum to behold the stunning Quadracci Pavilion, a winged structure designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Learn about the North Point Lighthouse and stop to visit the Pabst Mansion, a grand Flemish Renaissance Revival-styled house built for the founder of the Pabst Brewing Company. Cap your tour with a visit to Milwaukee-born Harley-Davidson campus and gift shop, before returning to your ship.

Explore the history of American achievement during the 20th century at the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation. Founded by famed automobile manufacturer Henry Ford, the museum contains an extensive collection of historically significant artifacts and Americana that tell the story of 20th-century American society. Enjoy a guided tour, during which you can admire American ingenuity through exhibits showcasing the evolution of presidential limousines during the past century and a replica of the airplane flown by the Wrights at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Enjoy free time to browse the museum’s many culturally important items, such as the limousine President John F. Kennedy was riding in on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, President Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theatre and the Montgomery bus where civil rights icon Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat in 1955.

Gain a deeper understanding of Lima’s history by viewing its ancient art and exploring its colonial structures. Board your motor coach and drive to the Larco Museum, a colonial mansion built atop a pre-Columbian, 7th-century pyramid. As you walk up to the museum, take in the colorful flowers that populate its garden. Once inside, uncover 5,000 years of ancient Peruvian history as you walk through their extensive collections, including Mochica Portrait Bottles and pre-Hispanic gold and silver works. Continue driving through the streets of Lima to Santo Domingo Church. Here, you will see its Rococo-style belltower and wander through its ornate turquoise and gold interior. Finally, stroll to the city’s main square and view the towering Cathedral of Lima and the Presidential Palace before returning to your ship.

Explore the history and heritage of the world’s driest desert, the Atacama. Embark your coach for a scenic drive across the Chilean Coastal Range and into the Pampa region of the great Atacama Desert. This desolate landscape 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. Here, you will learn about the all important 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. Next, you will drive toward the Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve. See the Cerro Pintados geoglyphs—monumental drawings of animals, people and geometric symbols that have been carved into the surrounding hillsides. Admire the ingenuity of the bygone indigenous cultures that thrived in these difficult conditions.

Immerse yourself in the religious heritage of Trois-Rivières during a trip to a historic shrine to the Virgin Mary. Set out to discover the monasteries, convents, churches and shrines that have been a part of the city’s history for centuries. See landmarks, such as the Ursulines Monastery and the Gothic-style Assumption Cathedral, renowned for its beautiful stained glass windows. Stop at Cap-de-la-Madeleine to visit the Notre-Dame-du-Cap Sanctuary, an important shrine to the Virgin Mary; Pope John Paul II paid his respects here in 1984. Learn about its history as you tour its modern basilica and old sanctuary, admiring its impressive stained glass windows and strolling through its magnificent gardens. Afterward, head to the Boisé Sugar Shack to learn about traditional methods of producing maple syrup. After a tasting, return to your ship.

Cruise to Magdalena Island to observe one of the world’s largest colonies of Magellanic penguins. Board your privately chartered catamaran for a trip across the Strait of Magellan, a southern strait named after Portuguese explorer and navigator Ferdinand Magellan. Your destination will be the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument; situated in the middle of the strait, the ecosystems on these tiny islands protect thousands of nesting penguins. Depending on the weather conditions, you may travel to the rocky shores of Magdalena Island by inflatable boat. Once on shore, enjoy an opportunity to observe one of the world’s major colonies of Magellanic penguins. Stroll along a small path that winds between the penguins’ burrows for an up-close view of these magnificent birds. After an hour spent admiring them, you will return to your catamaran. Enjoy a snack en route to your ship.

Explore the highlights of Mackinac Island and enjoy lunch at the iconic Grand Hotel. Set out on a leisurely horse-drawn carriage ride—almost all motor vehicles are banned from the island—to see the island’s major sites. See charming cottages nestled between landmarks such as the Governor’s Summer House, Arch Rock and Fort Mackinac, one of the few Revolutionary War fortresses still in existence. Built to defend the surrounding waterway, the fort sits atop a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac; it was the site of two strategic battles during the War of 1812. Continue to the elegant Victorian-era Grand Hotel; built in 1887, this Queen Anne-style hotel is a registered National Historic Landmark. Cap your visit with a buffet-style lunch while taking in sweeping views of the Straits of Mackinac from the world’s longest front porch, followed by free time.

Be captivated by stunning mountain scenery on a visit to the Rio Simpson National Reserve and Coyhaique city. Depart the dock by motor coach for the Regional Museum of Natural Resources in the Rio Simpson National Reserve. Enjoy a brief walk to the river for a view of the rugged, yet majestic scenery of the Andes Mountain range. The area is well known for its spectacular fly-fishing and as home to the national flower of Chile, the beautiful Chilean bellflower. Travel alongside the Rio Simpson, heading across the Andes through a varied landscape. See snowcapped mountains, fjords and waterfalls brimming with vegetation and abundant birdlife as you continue your journey to Coyhaique. Located at 1,476 feet, the city is the mountainous region’s capital. Savor delicious, traditional refreshments at a local restaurant before returning to your ship.

Discover the impressive Panama Canal, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The canal has been called the most difficult construction project ever undertaken. Started by the French and completed by the US, construction of this artificial waterway took 33 years and cost the lives of 25,000 workers. Today, more than 13,000 ships pass through it annually. Start your tour at Miraflores, a lock on the Pacific Ocean side of the canal. At the Miraflores Visitor Center, watch an IMAX movie about the canal and see the Miraflores locks from a unique perspective while visiting the operational area with a private guide from the Panama Canal Authority. You will also visit the Agua Clara Visitor Center for a panoramic view of the canal’s ongoing expansion projects, which will allow longer and wider ships to transit. Afterward, you will return to your ship.