Cruise

Silversea debuts 19 new overland tours

For the cultural traveller who strives to achieve intimacy with far-off places, Silversea Cruises has added 19 new mid-voyage land adventures. In total, the company will offer more than 50 specially tailored overland excursions this year. Unlike a partial-day shore tour, these single- or multiple-day inland adventures offer travellers more time to enjoy an interactive and immersive experience with the people, history, wildlife and natural attractions that lie just beyond the ports of call. “These extended off-ship programs are life-enriching opportunities that enable our guests to spend more time discovering the true culture, heritage and uniqueness of the places they visit,”says Darius Mehta, Silversea’s vice-president of air and land programs. From the Amazon to Zululand, glaciers to deserts, ancient ruins to modern wonders, Silversea offers an eclectic collection of overland adventures. Guests can witness the spectacular sand dunes of the Namib Desert, climb the steps of the Potala Palace in Tibet, or observe a passing herd of elephants while you sip tea on the veranda of a colonial manor house in South Africa. Sample excursions include: !!! “Greeks, Romans & The Pharaohs”- Guests immerse themselves in the culture of ancient and modern Egypt. In Cairo, visit the Royal Mummies Room and admire King Tut’s gold mask in the Egyptian Museum; at Giza, marvel at the wonders of the Great Pyramids. Discover the relics of Greek and Roman civilization in Alexandria, and learn about the past at the New Bibliotheca Alexandrina, built on the site of the original great library of the ancient world. This two-day package, priced at US$999 per guest, includes an overnight stay at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel and is offered on Silver Wind voyages of March 27, Oct. 19 and 31 (#2208, 2233 and 2234). Guests depart from Port Said and re-join the ship in Alexandria, or the reverse, depending on the itinerary that commences/concludes in either Athens or Istanbul. !!! “A Tale of Three Cities”– Explore three of Germany’s most historical and celebrated cities – Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig. Priced at US$2,799 per guest, the three-day program is offered on Silver Cloud’s July 10 voyage (#1218), sailing Copenhagen to London. Guests depart from Warnemünde and re-join the ship in Hamburg. !!! “Ayers Rock & The Red Centre”– Venture into one of Australia’s most remote areas, the Red Centre, famous for its rugged beauty and the iconic monolith of changing colours, Uluru (Ayers Rock). Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is the spiritual heart of the Outback and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore this living museum and one of the world’s last frontiers during a two-night stay at the Longitude 131Ë