ITINERARY FOR SOUTH AMERICA TRIP

* 10:45 - 1:00 p.m. Tour of Valparaiso - Valparaíso is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often considered to be one of South America’s most intriguing urban areas. We will have a mostly bus tour with stops to get an overview of the city of Valparaiso so that we will have some orientation for our free time in the afternoon. We will visit many beautiful sites including Plaza Sotomayor and Pablo Neruda’s (Nobel poet) house which is now a museum. We will ride the Funicular El Peral to get a view over the city.

* 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch at Restaurant Bote Salvavidas which is close to the port with a special view of the bay.

* 2:15 p.m. Arrive at our ship, the Radiance of the Seas, and check in. You are welcome to freshen up a bit and then head out to explore the town on your own. The ship is docked right at the edge of town so you can very easily head into the heart of the city. Valparaiso would not be what it is without its hillside neighborhoods, its lookout points offering magnificent views and those neat little ascending and descending funicular cableways, reaching the very heart of the hillside. There are 15 currently operating funiculars. We will give you a map of the city that shows the funiculars and all the little streets to wander up and down the hills.

* Dinner on board our ship this evening

* 9:00 p.m. Ship sails.

Day 3: March 30, 2009 (Monday): At Sea

Day 4: March 31, 2009 (Tuesday): At Sea

Enjoy your days at sea on our “ship of windows.” There are so many activities and fun things to enjoy or you may choose to finally catch up on some sleep or read a little in your favorite book. Have fun!

Day 5: April 1, 2009 (Wednesday): Puerto Montt (Port in at 9:00 a.m. Sail at 7:00 p.m.)

Today we are tendered in to port. You must be early at the gangway with your tender ticket in order to get off on the first tender so we can begin our tour as soon as possible.

Today has a real treat in store for you. Our private guides, Mr. And Mrs. Stein, are residents of Puerto Montt and have been doing private tours for 7 years. Mr. Stein is American and married his wife who is a native of Puerto Montt. They are so anxious to show us “their home town.” It should be wonderful!

You may wish to wear light clothing to avoid attracting horseflies. Also, take an umbrella and sunglasses. Weather can be unpredictable.

* 9:30 a.m. Plan to meet on the dock after you disembark the tender.

* We begin our tour by traveling down the Pan-American Highway and soon enter the rich agricultural part of the region where there are many beautiful farms and ranches with several varieties of livestock, including llamas and emus.

* Stop at the Bavarian-styled village of Fruitillar which overlooks Chile’s largest lake, Lago Llanquihue, with the near-conical, snow-capped volcano, Osorno, in the background.

* Travel to the town of Puerto Varas, also on the lake and known as the “City of Roses.” Its origins are also German since immigrants from the country came to the region in the late 19^th century with the encouragement of Chile’s government to settle and develop this potentially rich part of Chile. This village has a “picture perfect” view of Mt Osorno volcano.

* Continue our travel along the lake shore with Volcano Osorno virtually always in view.

* Lunch at the Restaurant Las Tranqueras, where there is a delightful country-style environment with a nice selection of entrees and Chilean wine to enjoy with your meal.

* Visit to Vicente Perez Rosales National Park and Petrohue Waterfalls with its emerald green rapids. Vicente Perez Rosales is the oldest national park in Chile. It is stunning due to its extraordinary landscape of trees, mountains and snowy volcanoes. Its wealth of wildlife is also incredibly rich, amounting to more than 100 species of birds and 30 species of mammals.

* If the road conditions allow it, we shall next visit Lago Todos Los Santos, also known as Lago Esmeralda. It is one of the most beautiful lakes of the south of Chile. It was formed by the retreating glaciers and the appearance of the Osorno volcano.

* Return to Puerto Montt where you will have time to look around the market stalls near the pier. This market has been listed in several travel books as the best place in all of Chile to get woven items, knitted sweaters and leather goods.

* 6:00 p.m. Return to the ship by walking. The market is at the pier.

* 6:30 p.m. Dinner on our ship. You may choose to have dinner at a specialty restaurant tonight (Could book a later reservation) or at the buffet if you are out shopping late and do not wish to clean up for the dining room.

* 7:00 p.m. Ship sails

Day 6: April 2, 2009 (Thursday): Cruising the Chilean Fjords

With its almost 1,000 miles of islands, channels and fjords, the Chilean Fjords are comparable in size to the expansive fjord coastline of Norway. This incredibly beautiful part of the country is a magnificent collection of glacial landscapes, snow-capped mountains, uninhabited islands, waterfalls, and field of blue ice. The scenery is similar to what you might find in Alaska.

You’ll need your camera especially today, because in addition to the spectacular scenery, the Chilean Fjords are incredibly rich in marine, bird and wildlife, including the world’s largest birds: condors, albatross, giant petrels, Magellanic penguins, Imperial cormorants and Antarctic terns. You’re also likely to come across wild geese and ducks; large, flightless steamer ducks; exotic Chilean green parrots; kingfishers; seals; sea otters; orcas and even the occasional whale.

Day 7: April 3, 2009 (Friday): Cruising the Strait of Magellan

Considered by knowledgeable travelers as one of the most breathtaking waterways in the world. The inland passage is protected from the region’s almost continuous storms and its cold waters attract countless species of dolphins, killer whales, and colonies of sea wolves and sea elephants. The northwestern portion of the strait is similar to the Inside Passage of Alaska. The strait is 350 miles long and from 2-20 miles wide.

Day 8: April 4, 2009 (Saturday): Punta Arenas, Chile

(Port in at 7:00 a.m. Sail at 5:00 p.m.) Tendered today

Overlooking the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas founded in 1848, is the southernmost city on earth. It features a great mix of cultures and Chilean history. This area is where the Magellanic forests meet the Patagonian plains. It is the only city on the Strait of Magellan. It was once one of the most important supply sotps for mariners of the day until the Panama Canal opened in 1914.

Today you will choose the excursion you wish to enjoy off the ship; you may wish to stay on the ship and just relax; or, you may wish to explore on your own. The choices are yours today. Included with the itinerary are printouts of the ship’s shore excursions to give you ideas about what you may enjoy. You may sign up for these at a later date following our second meeting this fall.

Day 9: April 5, 2009 (Sunday): Ushuaia, Argentina

(Port in at 10:00 a.m. Sail at 6:00 p.m.) Tendered today.

No other place on the planet will make you feel like a modern-day explorer quite like Ushuaia will. After all, how often do you travel to the end of the earth? This southernmost town in the world (Punta Arenas claims to be the southernmost city, but Ushuaia is farther south and is much smaller, therefore is not considered a city but a little town - therefore, the southernmost “town”) is located on the border of the Beagle Channel and offers wild and diverse terrain made up of mountains, sea, glaciers and sub-Antarctic forests.

You will make your own choices today about what you will enjoy. Included are printouts of the ship’s excursions so you can review those to make a choice later this year. There are many wonderful choices here.

Day 10: April 6, 2009 (Monday): Cape Horn (6:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.)

Cape Horn, a promontory in southern Chile in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, marks the southernmost point of South America. It is at the very end of the Andes Mountains chain. This area affords one of the world’s most beautiful coastal passages. Often referred to as the far end of the earth, this beautiful untamed antarctic strait connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Depending on the weather conditions, you will view the natural sea walls and cliffs jutting almost 1400 feet from the sea. It’s not uncommon for giant slabs of ice to break off and crash in spectacular fashion. You’ll also find an abundance of sea birds, penguins and seals; and, son’t be surprised if you spot a killer whale of two trailing alongside the ship.

We will be traveling through this area early in the morning. You may wish to enjoy it from your balcony with a nice cup of coffee or you may go up on deck for the full panorama and then have a leisurely breakfast following our sailing. In fact, you could actually get your morning walk in on the outside track as we sail through this beautiful area.

Day 11: April 7, 2009 (Tuesday): At Sea

Today, your only choices are what you would enjoy for fun. :-) The day is yours to spend any way you like. What a pleasure!! There are always movies playing throughout the day, activities as billiards and ping pong, just relaxing with a good book, or you may wish to enjoy a round of cards with some of our group members.

Day 12: April 8, 2009 (Wednesday): Puerto Madryn, Argentina

(Port in at 10:00 a.m. Sail at 5:00 p.m.) No tenders today.

We are docked in port today. Hooray!

You will have the opportunity to choose your activities in this port. This area has one of the finest wildlife reserves in South America. Whales will just be starting to arrive here. There is the largest penguin nesting ground in the continental South America that contains the Megellan penguins. You may wish to visit a permanent sea lion sanctuary or the only continental habitat of sea elephants.

If you would like less wildlife, the famous Paleontology Museum is near which features exhibits on extinct dinosaurs from Patagonia. There’s a fossil of a 290-million-year-old spider with a 3-foot leg span and the 70-million-year-old petrified dinosaur eggs of a carnotaurus.

On the cultural side, you may enjoy a visit to the lush green town of Gaiman, settled in 1870 by immigrants from Wales. Here you can enjoy a traditional Welsh High Tea and a Welsh chorus singing songs and dancing.

Included are printouts of the various tours that the ship offers. You may decide later this year.

Day 13: April 9, 2009 (Thursday): At Sea

Today is your free day once again on our beautiful ship, the Radiance of the Seas. You may wish to try something new today for fun!

Day 14: April 10, 2009 (Friday): Punta Del Este, Uruguay (8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.)

Today we are tendered.

Punta Del Este is the most exclusive resort of South America. It has 20 miles of pristine beaches and every beach is public. There are quiet and calm beaches, while others have got large waves. Some beaches have white, fine sand while others have thick and golden sand. This is the place worldwide where famous personalities wish to be seen.

Today you get to choose your activities. Some of these choices include

a. Spending your day on the beach, shopping, and strolling the yacht harbor

b. Shopping at the popular handcraft market on Artigas Square, over Gorlero Avenue

c. A two or three hour tour of Punta Del Este and then free time for the beach, shopping, or strolling around the harbor

d. Any of the other tours offered by our ship - Printouts of available tours from the ship are included with this packet. You do not sign up for these until later in the year.

** Note - We did not create a private tour in this port because we did not feel there were specific things you needed to see. There are various opportunities here, all of which you will enjoy without possibly having to pay for a tour today. **

Day 15: April 11, 2009 (Saturday): Montevideo, Uruguay (7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

We dock at the pier today.

Montevideo is Uruguay’s capital city and one of the America’s most important seaports. Montevideo draws travelers from all over the world - just to bask in its multi-cultural European charm. Narrow streets and varied architectural styles ranging from Colonial to Art Deco reveal this vibrant city’s strong Spanish, Portuguese, French and British influence.

Today we are encouraging everyone to sign up for the ship’s shore excursion to an estancia (gaucho ranch) to discover what life is like on these ranches. We would like to have had a private tour to a ranch here, but the one that RCCI is using is the only gaucho ranch around and it is totally booked by RCCI on the days that the ship is in port. Therefore, we must use their excursion. It does seem like a wonderful experience. Following is a description:

** Following a brief tour of Montevideo’s highlights you will travel approximately one hour to Estancia La Rabida, the gaucho ranch. After being welcomed by the owners and their family, you’ll board a dray truck, or traditional old wagon, for a ride along the fields and the shores of the Rio de la Plata.

** During your visit on the ranch you will learn about the daily chores of the Uruguayan gaucho, the agriculture, horse breeding, cattle-raising and other activities carried out on the ranch. You will enjoy a typical barbeque lunch (“asado”), complete with Uruguayan wines and traditional folk songs and dance.

Day 16: April 12, 2009 (Sunday): Buenos Aires, Argentina (Arrive 5:00 a.m.)

There will be different activities going on during this day, depending on whether you are participating in the post-tour or flying home.

* Those members flying home (departing anytime after 8:00 p.m.) will enjoy a full day tour with RCCI and then an airport drop-off at the end of the tour. The tour will include:

a. A comprehensive sightseeing tour of Buenos Aires beginning with a visit to Caminito’s La Boca neighborhood, Plaza de May, San Telmo and Recoleta.

b. A drive through the rich farming area of the Pampas to an “estancia” located outside Buenos Aires where you will be welcomed with empanadas and a glass of wine, followed by a typical Argentinean barbecue or “asado.”

c. Local musicians will entertain with traditional music while you enjoy your meal. Later, the famous Gauchos from the huge ranches in the Pampa region will demonstrate their athletic skills and horsemanship.

d. Transfer to the international airport for your flight home on Delta Airlines.

You will arrive home on Day 17, April 13, 2009.*

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Iguassu Falls (Argentina and Brazil) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Itinerary April 12 - April 16, 2009

I. Iguassu Falls (Brazil and Argentina) - (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

“Awesome” is a word English speakers tend to overuse, but Iguassu Falls embodies the term in its fullest sense. In a spectacular subtropical setting, 14 miles of deafening waterfalls plummet up to 229 feet into a giant gorge. The sheep power is overwhelming! You come face to face with raging sheets of water, with sprays so intense it seems as though geysers have erupted from below. Forget Niagara Falls (a mere toilet flush), forget Angel Falls (a faucet); think Grand Canyon with way too much water. These 275 waterfalls were shaped by 120 million years of geological history, forming one of Earth’s most unforgettable sights. Iguassu Falls are shared by Argentina and Brazil, and we shall see both sides of the falls. This is a magnificent experience!

II. Rio de Janeiro - When one say “Rio,” mental images explode; the glittering skimpy costumes of Carnaval; the statue of Christ, arms outspread on the mountaintop; the beach at Ipanema or Copacabana, crowded with women in little bikinis; the rocky height of the Sugar Loaf; or the persistent rhythm of the samba. All of these images are in reality, there in Rio; but, beyond all of these points of character, there is the magnificent and mind-boggling panorama of spiked mountains encircling the bay with Rio nestled in the midst. We have seen nothing like this place in the world. Also, so fascinating is the life of the “favelas” - the slums of Rio. They have stories all their own. The experience of Rio, you will always remember!

Day 16: April 12, 2009 (Sunday) - Buenos Aires, Argentina to Iguassu Falls, Argentina

* 5:00 a.m. Ship ports in to Buenos Aires

* Breakfast on our ship

* 7:30 a.m. Disembark from our ship, claim luggage, and get on our private tour bus

* 8:00 a.m. Tour of Buenos Aires begins

* A beautiful city tour includes:

a. Plaza de May - the political and historic center of Buenos Aires

b. Avenida 9 de Julio - This avenue is claimed to be the widest street in the world

c. Colon Theater - The luxurious opera house which began construction in 1880 and took close to 18 years to complete

d. Puerto Madero - the Riverfront area with its docks and ships

e. La Boca, Monserrat and San Telmo - These are the historic neighborhoods where the first immigrants arrived at the end of the 19^th century. This area is also where the milonga and tango originated. We will walk along Caminito (little path) where we will find different artists, street shows and colorful houses called conventillos. A visit to one of these old constructions is included. We will arrive on Sunday; therefore, the San Telmo Flea Market will be open and we shall spend a short time there. It is a fascinating activity. Not only is shopping in progress, but there are also dancers and entertainers within the market.

f. Recoleta - This is the city’s most European and most exclusive neighborhood filled with its beautiful tree-lined streets. It is home to the city’s cultural center, built into a former church, as well as the Recoleta Cemetery, the necropolis where key personalities, such as Evita, are buried. We will visit Evita’s Mausoleum.

* There are various little coffee shops and cafes in the Recoleta. We will have a quick sandwich on our own before we head for the airport.

* 11:00 a.m. Arrive at the airport for our flight to Iguassu, Argentina.

LAN Airlines - Flt # LA 4022 - Departs at 1:00 p.m. Arrives in Iguassu at 2:45 p.m.

* 3:30 p.m. Transfer to the beautiful Sheraton Hotel located within the park at Iguassu Falls.

* 4:00 p.m. Arrive at the Sheraton Hotel. Check in. You can see the falls from your hotel room windows.

* You will have a couple of hours to stroll around the grounds and possibly stroll up to a few of the waterfalls located near the hotel. Iguassu Falls is named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

* 7:00 p.m. Dinner included at our hotel this evening. It is a buffet. Drinks not included.

* Overnight at the Sheraton Iguassu Resort and Spa

Day 17: April 13, 2009 (Monday) - Iguassu Falls, Argentinian Side and Dinner Show

* Breakfast included at our hotel

* 8:45 a.m. Departure from our hotel walking - There will be a combination of bridges, ramps, stone staircases, and metal catwalks set in a forest of ferns, begonias, orchids, and tropical trees. The catwalks over the water put you right in the middle of the action. It is fantastic and awesomely beautiful! The walks may sound difficult, but they are not. It is easy to pace yourself on the walks.

* 9:10 a.m. Tour to Devil Trough by train and walking (2 hours)

* 11:10 a.m. Walking tour - Upper Circuit of falls (1 hour)

* 12:10 p.m. Buffet Lunch included today at a little Argentinian café near the falls and close to our hotel

* 1:00 p.m. Walking tour of lower circuit of Argentina Falls (1 hour)

* 3:00 p.m. Enjoy an optional boat tour up the river and right next to the falls. You will be encircled with falls all around you. It is wet and marvelous!

* 4:00 p.m. End of boat tour

* 4:30 p.m. Arrive back at our hotel

* 7:30 p.m. Depart Sheraton Hotel for our dinner and show

* 8:30 p.m. Dinner and folk show included tonight. At this show you will see various dances from all over South America. The tango is very well presented here. There is also the Samba and other tastes of various South American cultures.

* 10:30 p.m. Show over. Depart for hotel

* 11:30 p.m. Arrive at Sheraton Hotel.

* Overnight at the Sheraton Resort and Spa

Day 18: April 14, 2009 (Tuesday) - Iguassu Falls, Brazilian Side and Rio de Janeiro

* Breakfast included at our hotel

* Depart Sheraton with our luggage

* Visit to the Tropical Bird Park - This is an ecological sanctuary with more than 500 species of birds mainly from the Amazon Rainforest. There are also some species of reptiles and butterflies. You will walk on a trail through the tropical forest and experience these beautiful birds up closely.

* Optional helicopter ride over Iguassu Falls. We will alternate the helicopter rides with the bird park visit. If you choose not to do the helicopter ride, you may spend a longer time in the Bird Park. The Bird Park is right across the road from the helicopter landings. ** Note: The helicopter ride was fantastic when Gherry and Leland did it!! It lasted only 10 minutes, but was worth every penny to see the origin of the falls and then how the Iguassu River plunges over the plateau cliffs.

* Transfer to the Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian Side.

* Walk the trails along the edges of the spectacular falls. From this side, you have more panoramic views than from the Argentinian side. They are just as magnificent, only in a different way.

* Lunch on our own at a food court with many options and wonderful setting at the top of the falls.

* Transfer to a quick shopping stop at Artezanato Tres Fronteras where you can find the best precious as well as semi-precious stones from all over Brazil. There are also handicrafts, stone and wood souvenirs, maps, t-shirts, and delicious chocolates. :-)

* 3:00 p.m. Depart for airport to fly to Rio de Janeiro

* 3:30 p.m. Arrive at airport

* 4:30 p.m. Depart on TAM Airlines, Flt # B 152.

* 6:30 p.m. Arrive in Rio

* 7:15 p.m. Transfer to the JW Marriott Hotel on Copacabana Beach. The setting is glorious!

* 8:00 p.m. Arrive at our hotel and check in

* Dinner on your own tonight. You may even wish to have a McDonald’s tonight. One is just two blocks from the hotel. There are other good little places around as well as the hotel. You may even enjoy a light dinner at one of the sidewalk restaurants that line the beach avenue. There is a lovely little Italian restaurant just a couple of blocks from our hotel with delicious food. Such fun!

* Overnight at the JW Marriott Copacabana Beach Hotel

Day 19: April 15, 2009 (Wednesday): Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

* Breakfast buffet included at our hotel.

* Your morning is free to enjoy walking the absolutely glorious beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. You will love them!!

* Lunch on your own. We will show you where to walk to have lunch where the view is over the bay with Sugar Loaf right in front of you. It is magical!

* 1:45 p.m. Meet in the hotel lobby for our favela tour. It is outstanding!

* 2:00 p.m. Hotel pick-up in air conditioned mini vans. Introduction comments about the context of favelas in Rio city and Brazilian society.

* 2:30 p.m. Arrive in Rocinha, welcome, explanation about the architecture, public services, carnival, etc. Going to a local terrace, pause for pictures of a breathtaking view over Rio, talks about the security, local infrastructure and other aspects of favelas. Drive down through the “Estrada da Gavea”, a former F1 race track. Stop at the Rocinha Handcraft Center. Visit the commercial area.

* 3:30 p.m. Arrive in Vila Canoas, visit the “Para Ti” community school. This social project is financed by the tour. Besides regular classes, the school teaches local kids initial computer skills and the art of making handcrafts that can also be purchased by the visitor. Walk through the community. Stop at the local square. Information given about the “Favela Bairro” urbanization project.

* 4:30 p.m. Return to the hotel through all the south zone beaches. Final talks.

* 7:00 p.m. Optional Dinner and Protoformo folk show this evening. This show is not “sophisticated,” but boy, does it ever expose you to the Samba, the national dance! You will also get to view some of the original costumes used in this year’s Carnival when the finale comes. The costumes are unbelievable!

* 11:00 p.m. Return to our hotel

* Overnight at the JW Marriott

Day 20: April 16, 2009 (Thursday): Rio de Janeiro and Flight Home

* Breakfast buffet included at our hotel

* All-day tour to Corcovado and Sugar Loaf with lunch included.

* Corcovado - Corcovado is “The Christ” statue that you have always seen associated with Rio. We will take a steep narrow gauge rail line, winding upward paast hillside shacks and tangled rainforest creepers, up to the very feet of Christ. The Christ stands 98 feet tall on top of Corcovado Mountain and some 2,330 feet above sea level. The view of Rio from here is outstanding beyond belief.

* Sugar Loaf - The Sugar Loaf is one of the original and enduring Rio attractions in Rio. When you stand on its peak, the entire marvelous city lays at your feet - it’s a truly beautiful sight. The Sugar Loaf is reached by a marvelous cable car ride to the top.

* Transfer back to Marriott for quick shower in their spa area.

* Early evening transfer to the airport.

* Dinner on your own at the airport, or we may decide to have dinner at a location outside the airport but near the airport.

* Late evening flight from Rio to Atlanta.

We fly home on a direct flight on Delta Airlines.

Delta Flt # 60 departs Rio at 8:30 p.m. Arrives in Atlanta at 5:30 a.m.

*** We plan to have another meeting about this trip sometime during the first of November. At that time we will give you more information about what to pack, visas, etc. We will inform you of this meeting time at a closer date. ***