Seattle, WA – With destinations as diverse as the Seychelles and Svalbard, the East Coast of Africa to remote Pacific Islands, in 2012 Zegrahm Expeditions continues its 20-year tradition of taking discerning travelers on highly personal adventures that explore the most intriguing places on the map.
Headlining the upcoming collection are small ship voyages aboard the comfortably elegant, 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey, whose easy maneuverability and fleet of Zodiacs makes it ideal for Zegrahm’s expedition cruising concept.
The Clipper Odyssey begins a new routing in 2012, cruising through the Indian Ocean on three island-studded itineraries, which include the endemic species and magical landscapes of the Seychelles. On their Voyage to Madagascar birds and lemurs take center stage, while exotic Zanzibar offers a profusion of cultural charms. Arab, French, Portuguese, and Dutch history are part of Mozambique’s mystique on Zegrahm’s East Africa Odyssey, which also includes the chance to view and photograph the numerous hippos and crocodiles that inhabit Greater St. Lucia Wetland National Park—South Africa’s first natural World Heritage Site. Rounding the southernmost tip of Africa on an inaugural voyage, the Clipper Odyssey shows intrepid travelers the wild splendors of South Africa and Namibia by Sea. And a kaleidoscopic array of cultures and scenic wonders unfold on the magnificent new itinerary: Tracing the Coast of West Africa.
The Clipper Odyssey also voyages from North Africa to northern Europe in 2012, introducing travelers to the stunning Roman ports of Algeria and Libya and revealing archaeological treasures of Greece and coastal Turkey. The perennial favorite, Circumnavigation of The Black Sea, returns—with explorations in all seven bordering countries. And, on Baltic Odyssey, travelers investigate the art and architecture of such glorious cities as Visby, Riga, Tallinn, and St. Petersburg. In the Middle East, Zegrahm unveils the alluring landscapes and timeless traditions of lesser-visited lands, such as Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, and Eritrea.
A two-part mid-summer voyage, Across the Far North, begins in the ice-bound world of Svalbard, home to glaciers and polar bears, then cruises to glittering Iceland. Part II continues from Iceland westward into Greenland, with its dramatic fjords and ancient Norse archaeological sites. Due south, the West Coast of South America cruise follows the continent’s dramatic and geographically varied shoreline, from Chile to Peru and Ecuador. And Jungle Rivers of South America drifts deep into Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela and into the lush and secret habitats of macaws, monkeys, and river dolphins.
Also on offer in 2012 are a series of small group, land-based adventures which include the highly popular Back to Africa with Lex Hes (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia); Snow Monkeys & Cranes of Japan; and Five ‘Stans: Hidden Heart of Asia. New for 2012 is an in-depth exploration of Nicaragua and Panama, from the rainforest canopy to the Panama Canal, and to the sublime, and rarely visited wildlife wonderland of the Solentiname Archipelago.
For more information, including the full 2012 Zegrahm Expeditions travel calendar, specific itineraries, and brochures, visit www.zeco.com/2012.