Silversea South America Ultra Luxury Holiday Cruise to Devils Island, Belem, Amazon Delta; Breves Narrows; Santarem, Boca Da Valeria; Anavilhanas.

Puerto Montt, Chile
Located on the northern tip of the vast Reloncavi Bay, Puerto Montt is the gateway to the Chilean Lake District. Crowding the harbor are vessels that ply the route between Cape Horn and Puerto Montt, finding shelter here from the storms of the Pacific.
The first German colonists arrived in this area in 1852; their descendants have remained a small but influential percentage of the 130,000 inhabitants. The town spreads along a narrow seaboard and climbs the slopes that enclose Puerto Montt to the north. Since 1985, the city has experienced considerable growth and development; there are more than 30 salmon farms, in addition to forestry, fishing industries and service companies, new hotels, restaurants, caf�s and shops have opened. Puerto Montt itself offers scant attractions for visitors apart from shingle-roofed houses around a flowered central square. The main draw here is the proximity to the lake and mountain region, and spectacular fjord cruising.

Laguna San Rafael, Chile
Some 150 nautical miles south of Puerto Chacabuco lies Laguna San Rafael National Park. Getting here is in itself a wonderful experience as the ship cruises through waterways, fjords and estuaries that offer stunning scenery.
Within the park is the tallest peak in the Southern Andes, Mount San Valent�n at 13,310 feet. Fields of ice extend over this mountain and the surrounding hills and from it 19 glaciers are born. However, the most famous attraction is the Mount San Valent�n glacier. Here large blocks of ice can be seen calving off the glacier and crashing into the lake with a thunderous roar. Truly an amazing sight!

Punta Arenas, Chile
Founded in 1848, Punta Arenas was originally a military garrison and penal settlement. It also provided a convenient stopover for vessels en route to California during the Gold Rush. In the early years, the economy depended on wild animal products, such as sealskins, guanaco hides and feathers from the rhea (South American ostrich). The economy improved when the government authorized the purchase of 300 purebred sheep from the Falkland Islands; the success of this experiment encouraged further investment in sheep. By the turn of the century, the number of sheep had increased to nearly two million.
In 1875 the population of Magallanes Province was barely 1,000. European immigration accelerated as the wool market flourished. Today, Punta Arenas numbers over 100,000 inhabitants. It has the look of a bustling city, with a fine cathedral and an attractive central square. It is also a major base for the Chilean navy. A statue of the explorer Magellan salutes present-day navigators.
The main attractions are found in the rugged outdoors, where indigenous fauna and flora try to exist in often harsh and unpredictable weather conditions. Many of the sites in this vast region of Patagonia require fairly long drives from Punta Arenas. But in recent years, trips to the bottom of the world have become increasingly popular by travelers looking for more rustic adventures.

Ushuaia, Argentina
Originally founded as an outpost on the Beagle Channel by the South American Missionary Society, Ushuaia has developed into a fast-growing frontier town. The capital of the Argentinean part of Tierra del Fuego boasts a spectacular setting. The jagged peaks of the Martial Range rising from sea level to nearly 4,500 feet provide Ushuaia with a dramatic backdrop. The surrounding areas offer great outdoor recreational possibilities, such as trekking, hiking and fishing. Rugged roads lead into the mountain and lake region and to Lapataia, part of the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
From the 16th-century voyages of Magellan and the 19th-century explorations of Charles Darwin to the present time, Tierra del Fuego has held an ambivalent fascination for scores of adventurous travelers. Separated from the South American mainland by the Strait of Magellan, the archipelago consists of one large island, Tierra Mayor, and numerous smaller, uninhabited islands. The name Tierra del Fuego derived from the fires that the Yahganes Indians kept burning day and night in order to keep warm. This prompted the first Europeans to name their discovery Land of Fire (Tierra del Fuego). For more than three centuries the climate and terrain discouraged European settlement.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Situated snugly in a well-protected bay of the Golfo Nuevo, Puerto Madryn is the Chubut Province's natural access point for the plains of Patagonia. This vast area covers one third of the country but is occupied by less than four percent of the population. Patagonia characteristically encompasses three different regions: a vast and windy, treeless plateau; the Atlantic coast; and the southern part with its national parks, awesome mountain ranges, glaciers and fjords. In the north of Patagonia, in Chubut Province, is Argentina's Welsh community, which began when a group of adventurous Welsh immigrants settled in the area around Puerto Madryn in 1886. The town took its name from Love Parry, Baron of Madryn. Although today the town appears unmistakably Argentine, Welsh customs, names and even some of the language have survived. On the town's outskirts stands the statue of a Welsh woman depicting the simple life of these early settlers.
Puerto Madryn has experienced rapid development thanks to Argentina's first aluminum plant established here. Lately it has also become a popular tourist center because of its excellent diving and water sports, recognized by visitors from all over Argentina and other parts of South America. Still, its major draw is the proximity the Valdes Peninsula, the region�s most important wildlife reserve. Visitors endure long drives to visit this unique wildlife sanctuary, ideal for close-up watching of elephant seals, sea lions, Magellanic penguins and whales (the season for whales ends December 15).
In town, a casino and several restaurants known for good seafood provide travellers with basic diversions. In addition, there is the Museum of Natural Sciences and Oceanography with exhibits portraying the remarkable wildlife in Chubut Province. Main street shops offer a limited selection of leather goods, water sports equipment and items made by the Patagonian Indians.

Montevideo, Uruguay
With its population of 1,362,000, Montevideo is home to nearly half of Uruguay's population. The relatively small capital is the nation's only major city, yet visitors do not come here in search of the hustle and bustle of a large metropolis. Montevideanos themselves travel to Buenos Aires and S�o Paulo when they crave big-city excitement. As Uruguay's cultural, political and economic center, the city boasts a good number of monuments, museums and impressive architecture. There are sidewalk caf�s, fine restaurants, chic shops, casinos and miles of clean beaches.
For such a small country, Uruguay boasts an astonishing literary and artistic tradition. Theater is a popular medium and playwrights are very prominent. Uruguayan artists such as Pedro Figari have earned recognition well beyond the country's border. The tango is nearly as popular here as in Argentina. Afro-Uruguayan Candombl� music and dance add a unique dimension. Historically, the major and most productive part of the Uruguayan economy has been the pastoral sector. Cattle and sheep estancias occupy more than three-quarters of the land, providing grazing ground for over nine million cattle and twenty-three million sheep. Once the gauchos subsisted on wild cattle, but with time the establishment of estancias pushed the cattle back into the interior.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dubbed the �Queen of the Rio de la Plata� by Argentine author Carlos Romero, Buenos Aires is Argentina�s cosmopolitan capital and to Porte�os synonymous with Argentina. Easily the most European of all South American capitals, even the phone book holds more last names indicating Italian or German heritage than Spanish. The city experienced a boom in the 19th century, taking its cue from Paris, and since then is often referred to as the Paris of South America.
Based on the original Spanish settlement, old Buenos Aires was laid out around a central plaza, bordered by a fort and armory, the city hall and cathedral. This ensemble became the Plaza de Armas, later renamed Plaza de Mayo. Nouveau Buenos Aires rivaled New York as a port for European trade. Landed gentry with estancias larger than some countries hired Parisian architects to design urban villas for their visits to town.
The modern parts of the city feature glass office buildings, often adjacent to those done in ornate French style. One out of every three Argentineans lives in Buenos Aires, finding the city irresistible. The world has few cities that are enjoyed as much as the Porte�os enjoy theirs. And they are most eager to share their good fortune with visitors like you.

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