Guide Book Recommendations for a South America/Antarctica Cruise aboard the Zaandam

I know little about South American ports South of the Amazon area and even less about Antarctica. Suggestions for some pre-cruise reading would be most welcome. Itinerary starts in Santiago with a 2 day pre-cruise package of a wine country tour and ends in Buenos Aires.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I know little about South American ports South of the Amazon area and even less about Antarctica. Suggestions for some pre-cruise reading would be most welcome. Itinerary starts in Santiago with a 2 day pre-cruise package of a wine country tour and ends in Buenos Aires.

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

I am sure there will be more, but we started here... http://www.lonelyplanet.com/

This isn't a guide book but it will give you a wonderful understanding of Tierra del Fuego and the waters around Cape Horn including the history, topography, weather, sailing conditions, etc.: Rounding the Horn: Being the Story of Williwawas and Windjammers, Drake, Darwin, Murdered Missionaries and Naked Natives by Dallas Murphy.

Our party of 4 all read it before our LA to Rio cruise this past December. We were well prepared for the enrichment lectures on board and for much of the information shared by our guides in Punta Arenas, Ushuaia and the Falkland Islands. If you are reading it on a tablet I will suggest to run off a good map of the area so you can follow the adventures more easily; I had no idea how many islands and channels there are.

Hi, I did the same cruise (without Antarctica) on the Zaandam last fall from Santiago to BA and LOVED it! It is just a magnificent journey through an incredible part of the world, and this is one cruise I intend to do again. I went in November, so we did not see baby penguin chicks, so I would go a different time. Anyways, the fjords and the Andes are magnificent, and Ushuaia is gorgeous (next time I would walk around the town and not take a shore excursion). Loved the Falklands and the penguins, and the folks are very friendly. I would suggest two books. First is "Over the Edge of the World" by Laurence Bergreen, which details Ferdinand Magellan's voyage from Europe through the now Magellan Straits. Excellent and easy to read. I listened to the audiobook of Isabel Allende's "My Invented Country"--magnificent story of her impressions and love of Chile, and the book provides deep insights about the people, the history, and the culture. A must read! Enjoy your cruise!!!!!

Mtngirl2 and capriccio,

Thank you for the excellent information you have provided! It is exactly what I was hoping to receive.

Not a book, but a map:

https://www.amazon.com/Patagonian-Fuegian-Channels-Waterproof-Map/dp/1879568969

The ship posted on with our route. I hung mine in my cabin.

Not a book, but a map:

https://www.amazon.com/Patagonian-Fuegian-Channels-Waterproof-Map/dp/1879568969

 

The ship posted on with our route. I hung mine in my cabin.

Thank you for this suggestion. I will do some shopping and see what I can find.

... First is "Over the Edge of the World" by Laurence Bergreen, which details Ferdinand Magellan's voyage from Europe through the now Magellan Straits. Excellent and easy to read.

You can see an excellent full size reconstruction of Magellan's Nao Victoria (and Darwin's Beagle and Shackleton's James Caird) just a mile or so north of the dock in Punta Arenas.