EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

OVERVIEW

Experience true indulgence on a tour that seeks out fine epicurean delicacies produced around Burnie, including intensely flavored cheeses, creamy chocolates and robust wines. A century ago, this town was all about timber and papermaking, today it’s evolved into a thriving arts center. And though times change, certain tastes don’t. Like the taste of the exquisite cheeses made in the dairy country surrounding Burnie. The area’s climate, salt-laden atmosphere and lush pasturelands are simply ideal for cheese making. The exact varieties available for tasting at the visited venue change daily – but you’ll likely find sharp cheddar, creamy camembert and distinctly flavored parmesan among them. A visit to the chocolate factory of a Belgian chocolatier will stimulate a different part of your palate. Besides learning about their techniques, you’ll sample treats produced using their signature Anvers couverture chocolate, all made extra-delicious thanks to Tasmania’s extraordinary cream and butter. And what more perfect accompaniment to these delights than a tasting of locally produced wines? Depending on which boutique winery is visited this day, you may sample a deep-garnet Shiraz, a light Pinot Grigio or a fruity rosé. Turns out grapes, too, appreciate the local growing conditions.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Treat your taste buds to a delight-filled survey of the Burnie area’s top culinary indulgences.
• Visit a local cheese producer for a sampling session of what’s on the tasting roster today.
• Call on a local chocolatier with Belgian credentials who combines Tasmanian cream and butter with other artisanal ingredients to create…nirvana.
• Toast your gastronomic good fortune to have found this tour by sampling the wines of a local boutique vineyard.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Enjoy a day in the picturesque countryside discovering the caves of Gunns Plains and Australian native animals at Wings Wildlife Park. Your drive takes you through Tasmania’s picturesque countryside and lush green vistas en route to Gunns Plains—a prosperous farming district located south of Burnie. Limestone caves are the region’s main attraction, discovered by a hunter in 1906. Caverns and short passages are accessed by a flight of concrete stairs, and you’ll wind your way through the caves on a guided tour. See an underground river and bioluminescent glow worms, as well as the unusual "ribbon" stalactites.

Drive to the Wing’s Wildlife Park, set on 106 acres. Tasmanian devils, quolls, and many other native animals and farm creatures live here, including reptiles and kangaroos. During your approximately one hour of free time, visit the animal nursery if you wish, or simply explore the park and meet its inhabitants.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a relaxed orientation tour of Dunedin, home to some of New Zealand’s most elegant Victorian architecture, its oldest university and its first public botanical gardens. Second largest city on the South Island, central Dunedin sits deep within beautiful Otago Harbor. Your picturesque coach drive from the pier traces the harbor’s shore, passing charming Sawyer’s Bay, Roseneath and St. Leonard’s on the way into the city. A tour of the grand Jacobean house known as Olveston Historic Home provides a remarkably well-preserved glimpse into the refined Dunedin life circa 1906. Set on an acre of wooded land, this graceful 35-room residence is the epitome of English Arts & Crafts style and still contains the marvelous artwork and artifacts collected by its original owner. Continuing through the city, you’ll pass many more landmark structures including the Law Courts, Otago Boys High School and First Church, the Edwardian mansions of Royal Terrace and High Streets, and Gothic Revival-styled Otago University, founded in 1869 and as vital as ever. Spanning 69 manicured on a hilltop, magnificent Dunedin Botanic Gardens are older still, but – just like the university – thrive today. Enjoy free time for strolling here and be sure to visit the classic Winter Garden Glasshouse.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a sightseeing drive to central Dunedin from the port, tracing beautiful Otago Harbor and its towns.
• Tour a 35-room home that features fine art and intriguing collectibles, perfectly capturing the style of this city known for its worldly elegance.
• Travel along streets lined with Edwardian and Victorian mansions, churches and cathedrals, and the Gothic campus of New Zealand’s first university.
• Stroll among camellias and rhododendrons, roses and splashing fountains in an 1863 botanic garden.
• Ride back to the pier directly or step off in town to explore awhile longer and catch a shuttle back later.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Join the perfect introduction to Stockholm, the Capital of Scandinavia. Take a rural drive from Nynashamn into Stockholm while your guide tells you about Sweden and Stockholm.

Enjoy the beautiful sights as you pass by landmark locations like the Medieval Old Town of Gamla Stan, the Royal Palace, the Cathedral, Parliament House and more. Continue along the water and on to the green and lush island of Djugarden. Here you'll visit the Vasa Museum, home to the magnificent warship 'Vasa', one of Sweden’s number one attractions. The 'Vasa' dates back to the 17th century and is the best preserved warship of its time.

Leaving the 'Vasa', drive through the modern downtown and business areas before being dropped off in a central location for free time before your coach picks you up for the return drive to Nynashamn.

OVERVIEW

Travel to a rural wildlife park for up-close looks at Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and some most-unusual other animals, then enjoy a driving overview of Burnie. Your leisurely drive inland toward Mount Dial Nature Recreation Area traverses idyllic terrain and scattered villages where life has changed little over the centuries. Once at Wings Wildlife Park, you’ll have ample free time to ramble the trails and encounter famous fauna like the Tasmanian devil and Australia’s trademark kangaroo, as well as obscure ones like the bettong, a tiny marsupial that hops around like a mini-kangaroo. Other strange and unfamiliar creatures who call the park home include boobook owls, crab-eating macaques, quolls and long-nosed potoroos. Somehow, even American bison and Japanese quail are on the resident list. The more you learn about this immense menagerie of Tasmanian wildlife and their behaviors, the more interesting they seem. Back in Burnie, you’ll enjoy a downtown drive before returning to the pier. Founded in 1828 around an excellent natural harbor on Emu Bay and surrounded by vast eucalyptus forests, the timber industry dominated the town for the next 100 years. Today, the creative arts and culinary endeavors are what Burnie is most known for.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel by coach to Wings Wildlife Park, the largest collection of Tasmanian wildlife in Australia.
• Spend about two hours meandering the park’s paths and encountering its residents.
• See Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, bettongs, quolls, potoroos and others in this curiosity-shop of indigenous fauna.
• Settle in for a scenic return drive across an unspoiled landscape, followed by an informative orientation spin around Burnie itself.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes are recommended; no heels.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed

OVERVIEW

Journey into Tasmania’s unique natural world as you tour an indigenous wildlife park full of indigenous animals and a tranquil garden full of rhododendrons. The experience begins with a leisurely drive inland toward Mount Dial Nature Recreation Area, traversing idyllic terrain and scattered villages where life has changed little over the centuries. Once at Wings Wildlife Park, you’ll have free time to ramble the trails as you encounter famous animals like the Tasmanian devil, and obscure ones like the bettong – tiny marsupials who hop around like mini-kangaroos. Other unfamiliar creatures who call the park home include boobook owls, crab-eating macaques, quolls and long-nosed potoroos. Even American bison and Japanese quail are on the resident list. In contrast, the feature attraction at Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden is the flora, not the fauna, although here too you might run across South Pacific oddities like platypus and echidna joining the more conventional garden dwellers such as wild ducks and grebes. It’s a beautiful setting of meandering paths dotted with water features and gazebos – and some 22,000 rhododendrons. Plenty of other flowering shrubs and bedding plants ensure a colorful visit, no matter the time of year.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel by coach through unspoiled Tasmanian terrain to the Mount Dial Nature Recreation Area.
• Spend an hour among the many curious inhabitants who call Wings Wildlife Park home.
• See Tasmanian devils, bettongs, quolls, potoroos and others in this curiosity-shop of indigenous fauna.
• Experience the pastoral tranquility of Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden, colorful in any season
• Wander garden paths in a landscape dotted with lakes, waterfalls, bridges and gazebos.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Be one with the sky as you ride one of the most remarkable attractions in Sweden, the SkyView. The Ericsson Globe Arena, resembling a giant golf ball, is the largest spherical building in the world. An exhilarating ride will take you to the top of the Globe. At 426 feet (130 meters) above sea level, the glass gondola will stop for you to have ample time to marvel over the magnificent view over the city. Continue your introduction tour of Stockholm on the ground with a panoramic drive covering all major sights before stopping at the Vasa Museum, home to the magnificent warship ‘Vasa’. The ‘Vasa’ dates back to the 17th century and is the best preserved warship of its time. Afterwards you’ll be able to enjoy some free time in the city before returning to Nynashamn and your ship.

Travel off the beaten path and discover what lies beyond the urban areas of this destination. Meditate in the serene setting of a Buddhist monastery.

Embark on a scenic drive that takes you into the lush green countryside, passing small villages that are surrounded by bamboo fences and limestone walls, rice fields and water buffaloes.

Visit a monastery dedicated to Zen Buddhism and learn the history of Vietnamese Buddhist Zen. After fighting a fierce war with Kublai Khan's troops in the 13th century, King Tran Nhan Tong gave up his throne to become a Buddhist monk, establishing a sect of Buddhism in this area. During your visit, the monks will show you how to meditate and restore your energy through using Zen techniques.

You'll enjoy a walk through the streets of a small village observing a real Vietnamese community, its homes, village temples and market. Visit the home and garden of a local farmer where you’ll learn about life on the farm, growing crops are how the various farm animals are raised. You’ll be offered tea and seasonal products to taste.

After your transfer into town, begin with a short panoramic drive of the city. Continue to Gamla Stan, the enchanting, medieval Old Town. You’ll pass the Royal Palace and the dramatic royal theater as you drive to the island of Djurgarden, home of the Vasa Museum.

In the Vasa Museum, you’ll see the Swedish warship ‘Vasa’, once considered the pride of Sweden’s navy. The present museum is built around the restored 17th century warship, which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628. It was salvaged in 1961 with more than 12,000 objects on board and is one of the most important events in marine archaeology.

Continue on your panoramic drive to Ostermalm, a fashionable neighborhood of stately apartment buildings, then on to Sergel’s Torg, a square that is the focal point of modern Stockholm and the old town, where your guide will lead you on a walk through its cobbled streets, followed by a few minutes of free time to take some pictures or explore a bit on your own, before the return drive to Nynashamn.

After your transfer into town, travel through the city districts of Sodermalm, Gamla Stan, Norrmalm, Ostermalm, and Djurgarden. First you’ll cross Gamla Stan, the enchanting Medieval Old Town where you’ll pass the Royal Palace, which overlooks Stockholm’s inner harbor. Pass the Royal Opera, the Parliament Building and along the narrow canal at Slussen, where you’ll enter Sodermalm district. Sodermalm is the large island off Stockholm’s south side which contains a number of small, closely integrated neighborhoods. You’ll also drive west along Soder Malarstrand, where you’ll cross the Western Bridge that spans Riddarfjarden and offers views of the city skyline and City Hall. In the city center, the focal point of modern Stockholm, travel along Strandvagen to the island of Djurgarden. Here, you’ll have a chance to tour the island, which is regarded as Stockholm’s outdoor recreation center, and features attractions such as Grona Lund Tivoli, Skansen Open-Air Museum and extensive park lands beyond. Your panoramic drive also takes you through Diplomatic Town to Ostermalm, a fashionable neighborhood of stately apartment buildings.

OVERVIEW

This transfer is the ideal solution for independent-minded travelers who prefer to explore destinations at their own pace and discretion. From your ship in Invergordon, board a comfortable motor coach for a scenic journey to the center of Inverness, Capital of the Highlands. There’s much to see and do in this historic town along the River Ness with its thriving cultural, crafts and dining scene. And you’ll have about three hours of free time to discover whatever strikes your fancy here. While this is a self-guided experience, your coach escort will be happy to answer any questions you may have about how to make the best of your time here. Then, you’re on your own. At a prearranged hour and location, you’ll need to be back to rejoin the coach for the return drive to the pier. Plan this step wisely: those who run late for pickup must make their own way back to the ship, at their own expense.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Express your independence and keen traveler instincts by creating your own half-day in Inverness.
• Travel by coach across the Highlands countryside to a convenient spot in the center of town.
• Before striking out on your own for about 4.5 hours, make use of your coach escort’s local knowledge to plan out your itinerary. Or just wander and let it happen naturally.
• Make sure to be back at the prearranged time and place for the coach return to Invergordon.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Experience the ancient beauty of Old Bangkok during this splendid, full-day orientation tour of the city.

Depart the pier in Laem Chabang for the scenic drive into Bangkok. Your tour of Old Bangkok will begin with a stop at Wat Suthat, easily identified by the famous giant swing in front of the temple. During your visit, you will see a renowned collection of old murals from the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851) housed inside the main building, along with a splendid array of gilded Buddha images.

Next, you will proceed to a local hotel for a buffet lunch, then continue on for a sightseeing drive past the Democracy Monument.

Your tour will conclude with a visit to a local store specializing in gems and quality souvenirs.

Following your visit, you will re-board your coach for the return drive to the pier.