South Pacific Island Odyssey - An Epic 27 Day Voyage in 2027

Fly by scheduled flight.

Arrive this morning and transfer to our centrally located hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax in the hotel or explore the city independently.

Check out this morning and drive out to the Casablanca Valley which is now one of the country’s premier wine areas. We will learn about the cultivation of grapes and visit one of the vineyards for a tasting and lunch. Later this afternoon we will transfer to the port of San Antonio and embark the MS Island Sky.

Spend a relaxing day at sea as we start our voyage across the Pacific.

We will spend a day and a half at the Juan Fernandez Islands, an archipelago of islands which were named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1977. The volcanic islands are recognised as a distinct ecoregion and are home to a high percentage of rare and endemic plants and animals. Located 400 miles off the Chilean coast, the islands were discovered by Spanish explorer Juan Fernandez in 1563 and were often used by passing sailors as a source of freshwater. In the 19th and early 20th century the islands were used as a penal colony for political prisoners and today the small population are mainly lobster fishermen and their families. We spend a day on Robinson Crusoe Island, also known Isla Mas a Tierra, it was here that the Scotsman, Alexander Selkirk, was marooned alone from September 1704 to February 1709 living off the land, and alongside the few goats that had been left by previous visitors, becoming the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s famous novel. Using the main village of San Juan Bautista as our base, our expedition team will lead nature walks looking for endemic flora and fauna including hummingbirds, Juan Fernandez petrel and Stejneger’s petrel. Also visit the caves used as prisons in the 19th century whilst those feeling active may wish to take a hike to the viewpoints in the hills around the town. Meanwhile on nearby Alexander Selkirk Island a Zodiac cruise will survey the prodigious birdlife and dramatic cliffs.

We have four leisurely days at sea and can spend time relaxing on deck, watching for wildlife and listening to the lectures from our onboard experts.

After a relaxing morning at sea we arrive at the uninhabited island of Islas Salas y Gomez located in the Motu Motiro Hiva Marine Park and named after the Spaniards, Jose Salas and Jose Gomez, who provided the first detailed descriptions of the islands after their visit in 1805. Part of a volcanic range that rises up to 3500 metres from the seabed, the rocky coastline makes landing impossible, however we will use our Zodiacs to view the coastline which is home to many bird species including Christmas shearwater, masked booby and brown noddy.

We arrive at Easter Island for a day and a half of exploration. A half day tour will include Rano Kau, the second oldest volcano on the island. Its huge caldera (1.5 kilometres at its base) contains one of the island’s three freshwater lakes. From the lookout at the rim of Rano Kau we continue to the ceremonial village of Orongo, best known for the birdman cult ceremonies. The site was restored in 1974 and within the village you will see 47 restored houses. Continue to Ahu Tahai, another restored ceremonial site and one of the oldest, dating back to the 6th century. On our second day on Easter Island, we will visit many of the different areas where moais (statues) can be found and will see the volcano of Rano Raraku, the site where 95% of all moais were carved and today you will find nearly 400 statues here in various stages of completion. We continue our exploration of the island at Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial site in Polynesia which was restored in 1996 and Ahu Akivi where we find seven moais which face out to sea which were built around 1460 BC. Lunch will be a specially arranged barbecue on Anakena beach, home of Easter Island’s ancient paramount chiefs and one of the prettiest coves in the South Pacific.

We have two days to spend relaxing on board as we continue our journey across the Pacific towards French Polynesia. Day 16 Ducie Island. This morning we will experience expedition cruising at its finest as we hope to land on one of the wildlife sanctuaries where our expedition team will lead a series of walks. A remote coral atoll with good snorkelling and birding, Ducie Island is so remote that no threats to its native wildlife exist and it is one of the rare places in the world where wildlife is relatively unaffected by man’s presence. Day 17 Henderson Island. Early this morning we will arrive at Henderson Island and will look for a suitable landing place. This upraised former coral atoll has fascinating eroded rock formations, with giant blowholes flinging up tremendous sea spray. Very rare birds inhabit the island, including the Henderson Island rail and Stephen’s lorikeet. Numerous underwater ravines and crevices support a great diversity of fish and during walks on the island or along the beach you are likely to come across coconut crabs.

Spend a day and a half in the Pitcairn Islands where we plan to visit Oeno Atoll, three uninhabited islands situated around 75 nautical miles from Pitcairn. It is a designated Important Bird Area due to the colony of 12,500 pairs of Murphy’s petrels that nest here alongside sooty tern and brown noddy. We also plan a full day on the island of Pitcairn, famous as the final destination of the Bounty in the late 18th century. Meet the Anglo-Tahitian descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty, who arrived here 200 years ago and see the ship’s anchor outside the courthouse. We will have time to explore this inspiring island setting and visit with islanders who display memorable stamps and handicrafts. We will experience a Pitcairn welcome in the Town Hall before exploring the capital of Adamstown and our expedition team members will lead a number of walks to explore the highlights of the island.

Mountainous Mangareva is the capital of the Gambier group of islands and home to the remarkable St Michael’s Cathedral and its stunning mother-of-pearl altar. We will spend the full day on the island and there will be the opportunity to join an island nature walk, take a hike up Mount Duff, named after the first European vessel to visit the island in 1797, or spend time simply wandering around the small village. If weather permits, a snorkelling platform will be set up on the surrounding coral reef.

As we make our way towards the Tuamotu Islands we will pass by the Acteon Group of islands. These remote, uninhabited atolls were named by Lord Edward Russell, commander of the HMS Acteon who sighted the islands in 1837. Landing on the islands is very weather dependent but we hope to be able to spend time on Tenararo which, whilst small, is an important habitat for Tuamotu sandpipers, curlews and Murphy’s petrel which are not threatened by predators. We may also have the chance to swim from the beach.

Over the next four days we will traverse the Tuamotu Islands, an archipelago of 77 islands and atolls which constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world with a combined land area of 328 square miles. Our day to day itinerary whilst we explore the islands will be in the hands of our experienced Expedition Leader and Captain and based on sea and weather conditions. We hope to visit Fakarava, a protected atoll, which along with its six neighbouring islands, make up a UNESCO Classified Nature Reserve. The island was home to Robert Louis Stevenson in 1888 and Henri Matisse in 1930 whose art was influenced by the landscape for many years. The local villagers of Rotoava will welcome us and demonstrate their handicrafts and cultural traditions and we will also have the opportunity to sample local delicacies before enjoying walks on the island with our naturalists. Nearby Raroia is known for its pearl farming and we will see the strings of oysters all around the local farms. After the traditional welcome to the island including a selection of local fruits and fish, we will have the day to explore on a variety of walks or swim in the beautiful coral garden with parrotfish, angelfish and butterfly fish. Located on the outer fringes of French Polynesia, we also hope to call into Pukarua which faces thousands of miles of open ocean. Onshore, its small population lives in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, living largely on coconuts and the bounty of the sea. As we visit this small community, we will be enthusiastically greeted with genuine friendliness and lively music and we will be able to walk through the village or enjoy a swim in the lagoon.

After a morning at sea we arrive in Tahiti. After lunch on board we will transfer to the airport for our scheduled indirect flight to London via Los Angeles.

Transit in Los Angeles for our onward flight to London.

Arrive today.

Itineraries are subject to change.