Silversea Cruises offers 50 specially tailored overland excursions to compliment their 2012 cruise calendar.

Just when you thought you could not … explore the sand dunes of the Namib Desert, climb the steps of the Potala Palace in Tibet, or observe a passing herd of elephants while on a cruise vacation, think again.

In 2012, luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises is adding 19 new mid-voyage land adventures. These overland trips are designed to get the cruise visitor off the ship and deeper into the surrounding areas.

The optional mid-voyage land programs feature deluxe accommodations (if overnight stays are required), all transportation, transfers, guided sightseeing and some meals.  The optional tours are at an additional expense to the cruise guest.

When a day in port is not enough…

Silversea is offering these adventures to travelers who want more time off-the-beaten path to explore territories that are either inaccessible by ship or when a ship

Like everything Silversea Cruises does, there has been a lot of thought put into the development of the expanded overland excursion program. Here is a roundup of some of the overland adventures:

• “Ayers Rock & The Red Centre” — Get into the interior of Australia during a  four-and-a-half-day adventure. Priced at $7,199 per guest, particpants on Silver Shadow‘s December 20 sailing (#3237) from Singapore to Sydney will depart from Darwin and rejoin the ship Cairns.

• “Venture into Amazonia” — Immerse yourself for 5 days in the Amazon jungle.  Visit Manaus and see the Meeting of the Waters, the point where the dark-colored waters of the Rio Negro converge with the sandy-colored Solimoes River. Priced at $3,899 per guest, two nights at the Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge are included for cruisers on Silver Whisper‘s January 7 voyage (#4202), sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Rio de Janeiro (a segment of World Cruise 2012).

• “Gorah Elephant Camp” in South Africa — Experience an authentic safari adventure during your stay at the exclusive Gorah Elephant Camp,  The three-day package, priced at $3,199 per guest, is offered on Silver Wind voyages of January 14, 24 and February 3.

• “Perito Moreno & El Calafate” — See the glaciers in Patagonia. Silver Spirit‘s January 27 voyage (#5203), Santiago to Buenos Aires, offers guests the chance to embark from Punta Arenas on this eleven-and-a-half-hour adventure, priced at $2,157.

• “Sossusvlei Desert Lodge” — Discover Namibia — the sand dunes of Sossusvlei (pronounced SOSS-oo-vlay) in the Namib Desert with an overnight stay at the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Priced at $1,599 per guest, this two-day adventure is offered during the overnight stay in Walvis Bay on Silver Wind’s February 13 voyage (#2205), sailing Cape Town to Las Palmas.

• “Chengdu Pandas & Tibet” — See China’s giant pandas at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center.  Then fly to Lhasa, capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Tibet.  This five-day package, priced at $3,999 per guest, is offered from Hong Kong to in-transit guests on Silver Whisper‘s March 3 sailing (#4206), Hong Kong to Shanghai. Guests depart from Hong Kong and rejoin the ship in Shanghai to continue on the following voyage (#4207), all part of World Cruise 2012.

• “Greeks, Romans & The Pharaohs” in Egypt. Get indepth immersion into ancient and modern Egypt during a two-day package, priced at $999 per guest. Silver Wind guests on  March 27, October 19 and 31 (#2208, 2233 and 2234) can participate.

• “A Tale of Three Cities” — Explore three of Germany’s most historical and celebrated cities – Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig. Priced at $2,799 per guest, the three-day program is offered on Silver Cloud‘s July 10 voyage (#1218), sailing Copenhagen to London.

Have you ever done an overland trip while on a cruise? Let us know what you thought.