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SENEGAL TO SPAIN  aboard the clipper adventurer MArch 31 - April 13, 2009

From Senegal’s energetic capital, Dakar, to the volcanic islands of the eastern Atlantic, from the shores of 

magical Morocco to the picturesque coast of Spain… Our epic voyage tells tales of conquest and coloniza-tion, reveals bewitching landscapes and geological wonderlands, and showcases an amazing variety of cultural treasures.

Aboard the superb 118-passenger Clipper Adventurer, we follow in the wake of explorers and conquis-tadors who wove the intricate tapestry of history across this fascinating region. After the early explora-tions of the Phoenicians, expansion by the Roman empire, and invasions by the Visigoths, the Moors fromNorth Africa peaceably occupied the coast of Spain. From the 8th to 15th centuries they reigned as the most

enlightened rulers in feudal Europe, making brilliant contributions to architecture, astronomy, agriculture,and commerce.

After the Castilians reclaimed their lands in 1492, they, along with the Portuguese, became consummateexplorers as the Age of Discovery began. Sea routes to Africa and India found their way onto the map.Spanish conquerors took the Canary Islands, and the Portuguese settled Cape Verde. All sights were set onthe possibilities of the New World. And for four long centuries, the nefarious slave trade was run from theshores of Senegal.

 Throughout our journey, we witness the legacies of these times in extraordinary cities and timeless villages,at celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and in the warm hospitality that comes from the rich culturalblend of the people. Nature and bird lovers are rewarded with incredible diversity spread across a wealth of 

ecosystems and by the vast numbers of seabirds making their northbound migration.

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© Natalia Baechtold© Thomas Baechtold

Our voyage begins in eclectic Dakar, renowned or its beautiul mosquesand French colonial architecture. Our v isit to historic Gorée Island, oncethe center o the slave trade, is a deeply moving experience. Sailing north-ward, Portugal’s isolated Cape Verde Islands claim a drama all their own:the stark and rocky terrain is contrasted by verdant interior armlandsand colorul villages. In the Canary Islands, we witness two dramati-

cally dierent volcanic landscapes—Lanzarote’s sinuous black lava owsand enerie’s snowcapped eide Volcano, Spain’s highest peak and itsnewly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Te mystique o Morocco’s abled cities—Casablanca, Agadir, and arou-dant—unolds in labyrinthine alleyways, splendid Islamic palaces, andgraceul mosques. An optional two-day excursion takes us across the HighAtlas Mountains into Marrakech, with its entrancing medina (old town),palm gardens, and ancient souks perumed with intoxicating spices. A visit to the soaring, stalwart Rock o Gibraltar concludes our voyage andwe disembark in Malaga.

Wednesday, April 1: Dakar / Embark Clipper AdventurerArrive in Dakar, Ar ica’s westernmost city, in the early morning and transer tothe port to embark the Clipper Adventurer. Te morning is at leisure. Aer lunchonboard an aer-noon tour o Dakar oers an up-close look at the highlights o thisenergetic, eclectic, and cosmopolitan capital city including the stunning GreatMosque, handsome French colonial buildings, and President’s Palace. We also visitthe picturesque Kermel Market, overowing with ruits and owers, beore setting

o or the charming medina. In the fshing village o Soumbédioune we witness thefne crasmanship o pirogues and traditional handicras. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Tursday, April 2: DakarAter breakast birders head out on a ull day search or the treasure trove o West Arica’s aviauna, while others take a erry to inamous Gorée Island, aWorld Heritage Site. From the 15th – 19th centuries Gorée was a slave-tradingcenter, and we witness the contrasts between the dungeon-like slave quartersand the elegant colonial mansions o the slave traders. We explore the moving18th-century House o Slaves, the Women’s Museum, and the ortifed Le Castel,oering splendid views beore returning to the ship or lunch and the aternoon

at leisure. he captain hosts our welcome dinner this evening.

Friday, April 3: At SeaAs we cruise westward today to the Cape Verde Islands our lecturers oer naturalhistory and cultural perspectives on these starkly beautiul islands settled by the Portuguese conquistadors in the 15th century. Independence was as recent as1975. It was also here that Charles Darwin began his studies in natural history.hose on deck may spot migratory birds winging their way towards northernbreeding grounds.

Saturday, April 4: Praia, São iago, Cape Verde Islands / arrafalSão iago, the largest o the Cape Verde Islands, is crowned by Antonia Peak which

rises 4,500 eet above ertile armlands. Several excursion options include a ull-day overland exploration o the island or a ul l-day birding excursion to search orthe Cape Verde petrel, cream-colored courser, and European golden plover. Others

   ©   A   l   l  a  n   W   h

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© Thomas Baechtold

will explore the relaxed capital city o Praia with its colonial remnants, the or-tress o São Filipe, local market, and museum; during lunch onboard, the sh iprepositions to arraa l. From here, t hose onboard may choose between twoaernoon options. A southbound tour through green valleys and mountains bringsus to tiny villages, the Upper Botanical Gardens and horticultural institute, and the village o Assomada. Or, take a guided walk through seaside arraal, with itscentral market and ancient prison-turned-museum. All groups return to the shipor dinner.

Sunday, April 5: Mindelo, São VicenteBirders head out this morning rom Mindelo, while the rest o the group visitsFortim, the site o an old ort, with spectacular v iews. In the lovely town we seethe Governor’s Palace, court house, loca l market, and Ami lcar Cabral Square,anked by brightly painted colonial Portuguese houses. We also enjoy the stun-ning views rom the top o Mt. Verde beore returning to the ship or lunch.

Monday & uesday, April 6 & 7: Cruising the Atlantic OceanAs we sail toward the Canary Islands, watch or pilot whales and bottlenose dol-phins. Our lecturers prepare us or the Canary Islands, once a steppingstone inthe era o exploration.

Wednesday, April 8: Santa Cruz de enerife, Canary Islands, SpainAn early morning arrival in the capital o enerie gives us the opportunity tochoose a visit to either the northern or southern end o the island. Northern islandhighlights include small charming vil lages, dramatic miradors (viewpoints), andthe university town o La Laguna. Tis World Heritage Site, designated or beingthe irst , non-ortiied Spanish colonial town, is a showcase o superb exampleso 16th – 18th-century architecture, a layout that became the model or many American colonial towns.

Our southern tour includes the spectacular Botanical Gardens and a walk 

through the town o La Orotava. At eide National Park, designated aWorld Heritage Site in 2007, we view the twisted volcanic ormations o basalt and obsidian surrounding Spain’s hig hest peak. Aer lunch atEl Parador, enjoy a gentle or a more active hike to view the Roques deGarcia—bizarrely eroded rocks set in ochre plains and rivers o lava atthe mountain’s base. Birders head o to look or many o the 200 speciesthat populate the varied habitat.

Tursday, April 9: Arrecife, Lanzarote

Lanzarote, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is a volcanic island with some300 cinder cones pock-marking its rugged landscape. his morning wehave a choice o two tours. Our north-bound option eatures a drive to thecharming “white village” and ancient capital, eguise. A highlight is theJameos del Agua, a spectacular lava-tube cave transormed by amed localartist César Manrique into a delightul series o pools, gardens, and anatural amphitheater.

Or, you may choose to explore imanaya National Park and its stunning volcanic landscape, a legacy o the 1824 eruption. By coach, on dromedary,and on oot watch or some o the 177 species o rare plants, many o themunique to the Canaries. On the nearby coast, we view natural geologic

ormations where water rushes dramatically into a sea-eroded volcaniccave at Los Hervideros. Birders keep a keen eye out or Cory’s shearwa-ter, Eleanora’s alcon, and other species. In the aernoon we set sail orMorocco.

Friday, April 10: Agadir, Morocco / aroudantAter breakast we set o on a drive rom Agadir to the inland town o aroudant, oen called “litt le Marrakech,” to walk the ortress rampartsand through the central plaza. Te colorul Berber Market oers a asci-nating array o spices and quality handicras, while the artisan souk dis-plays silverwork, leather goods, and carpets. We enjoy lunch here beorereturning to Agadir in the aernoon.

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Saturday, April 11: Casablanca

Tis aernoon we dock in lovely Casablanca whose modern quarters, defned by broad palm-tree-lined bou-levards, are juxtaposed with the city’s elegant and historic civic buildings. Many o these were designed inthe 1930s in the local Mauresque architectural style—a decorative blend o traditional Moroccan, Frenchcolonial, and Art Deco motis. We begin our exploration with an excursion to the colorul Central Mar-ket, ollowed by a guided interior tour o the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest religious structure in theworld (aer Mecca). Its 700-oot-high minaretis visible or miles.

Continuing on, we pass through the elegant Corniche district which spreads along t he Atlantic coast; theAna Quar ters, where Roosevelt met with Churchill during World War II; the impressive Law Courts; andthe Habbous Quarters, bui lt by the French in the early 20th century. We return to the ship or dinner andsail towards Gibraltar.

Sunday, April 12: Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Te 1,400-oot Rock o Gibraltar soars rom the sea as we sai l through the strategic Strait o Gibraltar, which

connects the Atlantic and Mediterranean. We explore this tiny British outpost, including the labyrinthine St.Michael’s cave, and visit Europa Point or superb views across the strait to the northern coast o Morocco.Naturalists search or the grion vulture, Barbary partridge, and the indigenous, colorul wildowerknown as the Gibraltar candytu. Uphill, we meet the Barbary apes, a colony o introduced macaquesthat are the photogenic icons o Te Rock.

Monday, April 13: Malaga, Spain / Disembark Clipper Adventurer / Home

Early this morning disembark the Clipper Adventurer and transer to the airport or your independent ightback home.

SPAIN

CANARY ISLANDS

Gibraltar

  Arrecife, Lanzarote

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife

Malaga

Casablanca

 Agadir

MOROCCO

MALI

CAPE VERDE

ISLANDS

Dakar

Timbuktu

Bamako

MoptiDjenné

Taroudant

Marrakech

Praia

São Vincente

São Tiago

M

indelo

Tarrafal

SE

NEGAL

Granada

Ronda

Marbella

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The Clipper Adventurer 

Registry: Bahamas

Gross Tonnage 4,364

Built 1975 - Russia

Refurbished 1998 - Scandinavia

Ice Class A-1Length 101 m (330 ft)

Beam 16.5m (54 ft)

Draft 4.72m (15.5 ft)

Cruising Speed 12 knots

Capacity 118 passengers

Electricity 220 V.Stabilizers SperryGyron

TechnicalSpecications:

The118-passengerAdventurer,amongtheveryfewvesselsintheworldspecicallyconstructed

for expedition voyages to the far reaches of this remote land. Her ice strengthened hull permits herto glide easily and safely through ice-strewn waters that are not accessible to conventional cruise

vessels. She has advanced communications and navigation equipment, and newly installed, state-

of-the-artSperryGyronstabilizers.

In 1998 the Adventurer had a $13 million conversion done in Scandinavia. She is a handsome

expedition vessel, done in the style of great ocean liners when ships were ships. With lots of 

varnished wood, brass, and wooden decks, the ship has all new outside cabins, with lower beds

and private facilities. There is a Main Lounge, bar, Clipper Club, library/card room, gymnasium,

sauna,giftshop,andbeautysalon.InteandContinentalcuisine.Theshiphasaeetof10Zodiacs

and a special loading platform. An ice class rating of A-1 allows the Clipper Adventurer to go to

places larger cruise ships can only dream of, and she does it in comfort and style unsurpassed by

other vessels her size.

5Superior Double, twolower berths, shower,picture window.

4Deluxe Double, Yachtdeck, midship, two lowerberths, porthole window.

6Junior Suite, two lowerberths, bath or shower,sitting area.

7Suite, two lower beds,bath with shower, window,sitting area.

8Owner’s Suite, two lowerberths, shower, porthole

window.

2Double, two lower berths,shower, porthole window.

3Main Double, two lowerberths, shower, portholewindow.

1Junior Double, two lowerberths, shower, portholewindow.