Viking Cruises

PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE Punta Arenas was founded as a penal colony by Chile in 1848. Nestled amid spectacular mountain vistas on the eastern shores of the Brunswick Peninsula, it played host to mariners crossing the continent by ship. Europeans followed, searching for newly discovered gold and establishing vast swaths of sheep farms locally and throughout the surrounding region. Over time, Punta Arenas became one of Chile's most important ports before the opening of the Panama Canal. PORT STANLEY, FALKLAND ISLANDS The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory comprising of almost 800 small islands. Visitors experience British warmth in Port Stanley's pubs and at the charming Victorian stone church. Remarkably, there are about 200 sheep for every person in this starkly beautiful archipelago, yet the Falklands are also known for their biological diversity. Five penguin species call the islands home, from the king penguins to the gentoo, and the Magellanic on farther shores. CHILEAN FJORDS A pristine paradise of soaring peaks, countless lush islands teeming with wildlife and a tapestry of glaciers and rivers spilling into shimmering waters, the fjords of Chile are heralded as one of the most rugged and untamed places on earth. The crystal waters are a breathtaking sight as they journey through vast ice fields, towering mountainsides and serene fishing villages that hug tranquil shores against backdrops of dramatic forested hills. SANTIAGO (VALPARAÍSO), CHILE Chile's modern capital of Santiago is one of the largest cities in the Americas. Its impressive neoclassical, neo-Gothic, art deco and other architecture spans several centuries. Santiago's gateway, Valparaíso, is often compared to San Francisco for its many cerros, or hills. Quaint Victorian-era architecture recalling its 19th- century affluence and steeply sloped barrios are linked by ascensores, or funiculars, and winding byways. 75 Call us on 138 747 (AU), 0800 447 913 (NZ) or contact your local Viking travel agent

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