There are many varied cruising opportunities in and around South & Central America. Whatever your interests may be the team at South America Travel Centre can help you pick the cruise that best suits you. Our agents can meticulously put together piece by piece your tailor-made journey.
The amazing Galapagos Islands are undoubtedly the most well known. In addition there are several wonderful, some luxury, Amazon River cruises in Peru, Ecuador and Brazil. Patagonia Fjord cruising is also another incredible cruise option where guests get to explore many incredible fjord complexes as well as some small and remote communities. The last cruising opportunity is a cruise around parts of Latin America’s very long coast line. We recommend a combination of cruising and land based exploration to enable you to discover the many wonders of Latin America (e.g. Machu Picchu, The Amazon and Patagonia)
The Amazon is a wonderful place to experience by river boat. Venture though the rain forest exploring the tributaries, taking walks through the forest on trails with expert naturalist guides, visit local communities, try your hand at piranha fishing and enjoy evening excursions looking for caiman and other nocturnal creatures. You may even see pink dolphins! Each night the experienced captains navigate the rivers to ensure when you wake you will have a new area of the forest to explore and being so close to the river bank you will have many opportunities to see wildlife coming to the waters edge for a drink.
Most of the vessels offer 4, 5 and 8 day itineraries. In Peru there are many luxury boats with itineraries starting in depart from Iquitos. Ecuador has some excellent vessels that offer cruises starting in Cocoa, a short 30 minute flight from Quito. Amazon cruises in Brazil commence in Manaus.
Of the 13 main islands, six minor islands and myriad islets that make up the Galapagos National Park, only five are inhabited and even now, human population numbers are comparatively low. As a result, the wildlife – including marine and land iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles and Giant Tortoises, blue- and red-footed boobies, frigate birds and penguins – remains amazingly unafraid of predators.
A trip to the Galapagos is so many things rolled into one – a cruise, a relaxing holiday and, foremost, a wildlife extravaganza. It truly is the experience of a lifetime, not only for birdwatchers or wildlife obsessives but for every traveller who has any interest in seeing the incredibly diverse and often absolutely unique species of birds, reptiles and mammals.
Fjord cruising commences in the Chilean town of Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales or from Ushuaia in Argentina. There are a range of voyages 3, 4 or 7 nights sailing through the channels and archipelagos, past tiny fishing villages and thickly wooded slopes below snow-capped mountains, to emerge among the ice floes of sensational Glaciers. Daily Zodiac excursions and shore visits provide opportunities to observe close up the stunning glaciers and the diverse flora and wildlife of this amazing region.
There are many excellent cruises to choose from that incorporate various destinations in South America. Here are some options that are available.
Panama, Colombia & Ecuador:
Start in Colon (Panama) transit the Panama Canal and explore the Darien Jungle. Next stops include Bahia Solano and Utria National Park in Colombia before cruising south to Isla de La Plata and Machala in Ecuador before ending this voyage in Guayquil. Which means that the Galapagos Islands could be added with ease.
Costa Rica and Panama
Explore the beautiful beaches and national parks of Costa Rica. If you like you can have a go at Kayaking or paddleboarding. If you are lucky you may see wildlife such as jaguars and tapirs. Visit Coiba Island a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stop at Pearl Island in Panama then visit Panama city and take a trip through the Panama Canal.
Chile and Peru:
Start your cruise through the Patagonian fjords, visiting remote glaciers and islands, head up to the quaint island of Chiloe and finish at the port of Valparaiso, a short drive to Santiago.
There are many ships making the journey to the Antarctic Peninsula and one of your toughest decisions will be which voyage to choose? Our team of specialists have the personal experience combined with a wealth of knowledge to help make your choice easier. We have a dedicated website devoted to voyages to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Let our experts at Antarctica Travel Centre take care of all of your arrangements before and after your voyage to make your special trip one of ease and astonishment.
South America Travel Centre can look after all aspects of your holiday, including flights and travel insurance.
We start by asking you what your interests are and where you are interested in, when, for how long, what standard and style of cruise. Once we have a good understanding of just what you’re looking for, we can begin to create a holiday to meet your time and budget requirements and, most importantly, that will deliver interest and enjoyment in an experience to exceed your expectations.
Please book early. Many of the hotels, lodges and cruise vessels we recommend are relatively small. For example, the M/V Delfin 1 (Peruvian Amazon cruise) accommodates just 8 guests. This exclusivity combined with high demand means they can be booked out up to 6-8 months in advance.
If you’re thinking of travelling during any major holidays like Christmas, New Year and Easter, or during any festivals, our advice is simply to book as early as you can, even 12 months or more, and we can add flights as soon as they become available.
Australian citizens are required to pay Reciprocity Fees to enter Chile. You will need to hold a valid passport and have a return ticket when you arrival. When visiting Brazil, Peru and Argentina, Australians DO NOT require a visa for entry up to 90 days.
Vaccinations are advised for common diseases like Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid as well as Influenza. There are no compulsory vaccinations. We advise you to consult a Travel Doctor specialist prior to departure to assess any health risks in relation to your medical history and travel plans.
We have access to a wide range of airfares and have excellent relationships with our key airline partners. Our two main airline partners in Latin America are LATAM Airlines, QANTAS Airlines and Air New Zealand. We can also arrange internal flights for you within Latin America.
Irrespective of whether you book directly with us or with your preferred travel agent, we’ll request the details of all of your fights to ensure if there are any changes your transfers and other arrangements are adjusted accordingly.
Genovesa Island is a shield volcano in the Galapagos archipelago, famous for an abundance of bird life. On a recent visit to the island Fiona finds out first hand the main attraction of the island. Find out how to get there and what you will see....
The incredible bird life of the Falkland Islands is awe-inspiring. Take a look at some of the species you may encounter on a visit to this fascinating place....
The ‘BIG 15’ has been released, a list of the most iconic wildlife of the Galapagos Islands chosen by consensus among top naturalist guides and dedicated wildlife enthusiasts, and you’ll encounter many of these amazing creatures on cruises of 5 nights or longer...
Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards Joe & Judy
Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards, Joe & Judy
We cannot recommend Hayley from South America Travel Centre (SATC) more highly. Our entire trip was planned perfectly from the second we left Sydney. Not only did she incorporate all of our preferred destinations, Hayley also made suggestions on additional places based on our preferences and some of these turned out to be the highlights of our trip! We tend to be more independent travellers and Hayley was able to create the perfect mix of seamless travel with the flexibility for us throughout the journey to take advantage of any unexpected opportunities that arose. The guides at every location were extremely knowledgeable and offered excellent suggestions on everything from safety through to restaurants and laundry locations. I absolutely cannot fault the services provided both locally and in Australia from the SATC team.
