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South America

Cruise South America and The Amazon

You’ll find desert, jungle, mountains and glaciers, and some truly legendary cities around this exciting continent.  The western coast of South America meets the Pacific Ocean, the north and east are bordered by the Atlantic while the Caribbean surrounds the north-west corner of the land. Most of the continent’s 385 million inhabitants live along the east and west coasts, with only a small proportion of the population settled inland.

Vibrant rainforest and icy glaciers, this continent of sprawling cities and crumbling colonial towns is balanced by huge swathes of wilderness. Culture, traditions, cuisines and dialects vary greatly making a cruise an ideal way to compare them. South America thrives with spirit, soul and passion. A continent abundant with natural wonder, where life beats to its own drum.

When it comes to natural beauty, South America really does have it all. Watch water tumbling from Iguazu Falls, the enormous waterfall straddling Argentina and Brazil, and explore untamed wilderness in Alerce Andino National Park. But nature is not the only thing visitors can marvel at. Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is a popular destination, especially during the famous Carnival festival with its colourful street parades. Whilst in Rio, you cannot miss the chance to take the cable car up to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue.

Journey to the mighty Amazon and learn how the rise and fall of the river relates to the rise and fall of fortunes and how the local people deal with their sometimes inhospitable environment. An Amazon River cruise will take you through some of the most astonishingly biodiverse landscapes in the world. Monkeys, sloths and tropical birds inhabit the trees, jaguars prowl the forest and manatees and dolphins float through the river’s murky waters.

Upcoming Cruises

Ports you might visit

Amalia Glacier
Buenos Aires
Buzios
Cartagena, South America
Fortaleza
Manaus
Manta
Montevideo
Punta Arenas, Chile
Punta Del Este
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Salvador
Santarem
Santiago, Chile
Ushuaia

Amalia Glacier

To cruise by Amalia Glacier is to take a journey into a pristine wilderness. In this area of Chile, silence is punctuated only by the occasional warble of a cormorant as you glide through narrow fjords past towering glaciers and jagged mountain peaks.

Buenos Aires

Argentina's capital possesses a grandeur embodied by the Colon Theatre, one of the world's great opera houses. The vast Recoleta Cemetery is worth a visit too, where you'll find the black marble memorial that is the resting place of Eva Peron. For many, the city's soul lies in districts like La Boca, home to colourful houses and lively tango caf̩es.

Buzios

A peninsula dusted with 23 beaches, Buzios stands on the Brazilian coast around 93 miles due east of Rio de Janeiro and virtually on the Tropic of Capricorn. At the time nothing more than a simple fishing village, it was discovered' on the world's behalf by Brigitte Bardot and her Brazilian boyfriend in the early 1960s. It is now one of Brazil's most upmarket seaside resorts, where designer boutiques meet fine dining and sophisticated bars. For the more adventurous, diving and snorkelling are also popular here, thanks to a rich marine life including a variety of corals, giant stingrays, barracuda and even green turtles on occasion.

Cartagena, South America

Charming, narrow streets host quaint colonial buildings, while the magnificent cathedral and palace dominate the city. The walled old town brimming with colonial history, brightly painted facades, charming balconies and delightful plazas awash with flowers.

Fortaleza

On the northern stretch of Brazil's shoulder, Fortaleza is a pleasant palm-lined resort. The sands are soft and the backdrops often impressive. A complex of reddish coloured cliffs lie behind Marro Branco, while from Canoa Quebrada, an expanse of sand dunes stretch inland like waves.

Manaus

Manaus sits where the dark waters of the Rio Negro and the lighter Rio Solimoes flow side-by-side before merging to become the Amazon. With the rubber boom long since gone, this city of almost two million people feels unexpected so deep in the jungle, 1,000 miles from the ocean, and its grand opera house stands as a testament to this faded glory.

Manta

Manta sits almost directly on the equator, around halfway up Ecuador's Pacific shore. The setting was inhabited by at least seven different civilisations before the Spanish conquered the area in 1534. While mostly considered an industrial city today, it has also found fame for its beaches and watersports.

Montevideo

Uruguay's vibrant capital city Montevideo houses close to half of the nation's population, resulting in a diverse and exciting metropolitan environment. Your Montevideo exploration could start in the large Plaza Independencia which lies between the Old and New City. Full of interesting architecture the historical Old City has maintained buildings dating back to the Colonial times, whilst the Torre Antel, a distinctly modern skyscraper, shows the evolution of the city. Wine connoisseurs should explore further afield of the city and take advantage of the range of wineries and ranches which help make Uruguay one of the leading wine producers in South America.
Punta Arenas, Chile

Punta Arenas, Chile

The western coast of South America meets the Pacific Ocean, the north and east are bordered by the Atlantic while the Caribbean surrounds the north-west corner of the land. Most of the continent’s 385 million inhabitants live along the east and west coasts, with only a small proportion of the population settled inland.

Punta Del Este

A glitzy seaside resort on Uruguay’s Atlantic coast, Punta del Este has earned the nickname of Uruguay’s St. Tropez thanks to its glamorous visitors and famed nightlife. It is more than just a party, though. When the sun comes up and the crowds melt away, stunning beaches and quaint colonial towns take centre stage.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio will command your non-stop attention from the moment you set foot on its shores or the golden sands of Copacabana or Ipanema for that matter. Climb Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car, then try out your samba steps as night falls. Rio is an amazing experience a city everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

Salvador

As the host of the world’s largest carnival, Salvador is sometimes referred to as the Brazilian capital of happiness. A cruise to Salvador gives you a taste of the country’s rich cultural history, beautiful architecture, candy-hued buildings and unusual cuisine. Originally the capital of Brazil until 1763 when Rio de Janeiro was given the title, it is now the third most populous city in the country.

Santarem

Santarem has been a major player in the booms of wood, rubber, minerals and now soybeans. Nearby is a ‘meeting of waters’ where the pale brown Amazon is joined by the darker Rio Tapajos. A few miles to the west, the town of Alter do Chao attracts visitors with its white sand beaches, a huge natural lagoon and the surrounding national forest.

Santiago, Chile

A single tram ride will open up a whole vista of possibilities during your visit to Valparaiso - from the colourful houses set upon the hillsides to the stunning Maipo Valley wine region.
Ushuaia

Ushuaia

The southernmost town on earth, surrounded by spectacular snow-capped mountains, waterways and the Tierra del Fuego National Park, this small town in Argentina is the gateway to some stunning locations.