South America Tours & Small Ship Cruises
Travel made your way ™
| Trip Name | From | Days | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Islands | $5,200 | 6 | Embark the Alya on this 6-day catamaran cruise of the Western Galapagos Islands, visiting some of the most popular sites including the Tortoise Breeding Center on Santa Cruz, snorkeling in Elizabeth Bay on Isabela, kayaking around Urbina Bay at Fernandina, and hiking the Chinese Hat Islet near the southeast coast of Santiago, plus much more! |
| Amazon Discovery - High Water Season | $3,800 | 4 | Embark on a 4-day Amazon River cruise aboard the Delfin III, where you'll discover the wonders of this vibrant ecosystem. Encounter rich culture and diverse wildlife as you visit indigenous communities, explore the jungle on day and night hikes, and observe fascinating creatures like monkeys, macaws, sloths, jaguars, and pink river dolphins! |
| Galapagos Southeast Islands | $3,233 | 5 | This affordable 5-day Galapagos cruise aboard the Coral I or II explores the southeastern and central islands of the Galapagos including San Cristobal, Española, Floreana & Santa Cruz. Encounter fearless wildlife like giant tortoises and marine iguanas, and snorkel in the crystalline Galapagos waters viewing colorful fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles. |
| Patagonia and Chilean Fjords | $13,595 | 15 | Embark on a 15-day expedition cruise from Ushuaia to Puerto Montt aboard the Sylvia Earle, exploring Patagonia and Chile's southern fjords. Experience guided hikes, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, including humpback whales and penguins, while visiting stunning locations like Torres del Paine and Cape Horn. |
| West Galapagos | $10,920 | 8 | Witness the greatest spectacle of evolution and dynamic volcanic terrains on this 8-day West Galapagos expedition from Santa Cruz Island to Baltra Island aboard Aqua Mare. Tour Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre, Punta Cormorant, Punta Moreno, Punta Espinoza, Puerto Egas, Rábida, North Seymour, and Mosquera. |
| Exploring Galapagos | $6,605 | 10 | Spend 10 days exploring the legendary Galápagos Islands aboard a classic, 96-guest expedition ship, the Endeavour II. Actively experience the wildlife and wonders of the islands through kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and hiking. |
| Darwin's Odyssey | $8,495 | 7 | Embark on a 7-day Darwin's Odyssey cruise aboard Tribute through the Central and West Galapagos Islands. Explore Santa Cruz for giant tortoises, snorkel with playful sea creatures, hike Sierra Negra volcano, and witness unique wildlife like flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins. |
| Southern Islands | $5,200 | 6 | Discover all the magic the Southern Galapagos Islands have to offer on this 6-day cruise. Sail through one of the most mind-blowing ecosystems on earth aboard Alya, with lovely white-sand beaches and unique wildlife, including sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. |
| Northern & Southern Islands | $6,645 | 8 | Set off on an 8-day cruise aboard the Galapagos Angel to explore the Northern and Southern Galapagos Islands. Witness unique wildlife, geological formations, and diverse landscapes. Discover giant tortoises, rare bird species, sea lion pups, and more, concluding at Black Turtle Cove before departing from Baltra Airport. |
| Western & Southern Islands | $6,645 | 8 | Embark on an 8-day Western & Southern Islands cruise aboard the Galapagos Angel. Explore Bachas Beach, Dragon Hill for bright flamingos, Espinoza Point's cormorants, and Tagus Cove's trails and views. Activities include snorkeling at Devil’s Crown, hiking Sierra Negra Volcano, observing unique wildlife at Dragon Hill and Cormorant Point, and more! |
| Trip Name | From | Days | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Amazon | $5,990 | 8 | Board the M/V Anakonda for an 8-day unique cruise through the Ecuadorian Rainforest. Visit remote Amazonian villages, sail through unique and fragile ecosystems, and experience close encounters with the teeming wildlife of the Yasuni National Park. |
| Authentic Amazon | $5,990 | 8 | Explore the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest aboard the M/V Anakonda for an 8-day tour of Amazon Tributaries. Explore isolated communities and rare, biodiverse habitats on a boat tour. Kayak through rivers and lakes with otters and turtles as your guides, climb observation towers to see the rainforest canopy up close and explore the jungle on foot while keeping an eye out for local species. |
| Luxury Amazon Explorer - High Water | $4,800 | 5 | Venture to Peru to enjoy a luxurious 5-day cruise exploring the Amazon on the Aria Amazon. Expert guides take you each day by skiff to explore the flooded forest and local villages. Learn about the medicinal properties of the plants, spot the incredible wildlife, and experience the rainforest with activities like piranha fishing, trekking, and bird and monkey spotting. |
| Luxury Amazon Discovery - High Water | $4,920 | 4 | Embark on this 4-day Amazon River luxury cruise on the Aqua Nera, from the Amazon port town of Iquitos. Your journey includes Yacapana Islands, Lake Clavero, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, and the major tributaries of Ucayali and Maranon. Keep your eyes open for the mysterious pink river dolphin along the way, and enjoy activities like hiking & kayaking. |
| Luxury Amazon Discovery - High Water | $3,600 | 4 | From the Amazon port town of Iquitos, Peru, embark on this 4-day Amazon River luxury cruise on the Aria Amazon, hosting your journey includes Yacapana Islands, Lake Clavero, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, and the major tributaries of Ucayali and Maranon. Get to know the local cultures and incredible biodiversity of this dense jungle. |
| Luxury Amazon Explorer - Low Water | $6,560 | 5 | Enjoy a luxurious 5-day cruise exploring the Amazon on the Aqua Nera. Expert guides take you each day by skiff to explore the flooded forest and local villages. Learn about the medicinal properties of the plants, spot the incredible wildlife, and experience the rainforest with activities like piranha fishing, trekking, and bird and monkey spotting. |
| Luxury Amazon Expedition - High Water | $7,980 | 8 | An 8-day river cruise on the awe-inspiring Amazon awaits you aboard the Aria Amazon. Get up and personal with wildlife like Amazon dolphins and monkeys, interact with local indigenous people, eat fantastic food, and learn from naturalist guides while exploring Pacaya-Samiria Reserve in the company of just 32 passengers. |
| Exploring Peru: Machu Picchu and the Amazon | $10,531 | 9 | Actively experience the wonders of Peru as you explore the upper Amazon, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley on this 9-day cruise & inland adventure. The 28-guest Delfin II hosts this incredible journey with stops in Cusco, Iquitos, Lima and chances to snorkel, kayak, and visit indigenous communities. |
| Amazon Encounter - Low Water Season | $5,000 | 5 | Embark on a thrilling Amazon adventure aboard the Delfin III. Experience the local and remote villages lining the river and search for the mysterious pink river dolphin that lives between its shores. Opportunities to explore nature abound with day and night hikes where you'll see jaguars, monkeys, manatees, sloths, and more! |
| Luxury Amazon Explorer - High Water | $6,560 | 5 | Enjoy a luxurious 5-day cruise exploring the Amazon on the Aqua Nera. Expert guides take you each day by skiff to explore the flooded forest and local villages. Learn about the medicinal properties of the plants, spot the incredible wildlife, and experience the rainforest with activities like piranha fishing, trekking, and bird and monkey spotting. |
| Trip Name | From | Days | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Journey via Ucayali River | $1,890 | 4 | La Perla hosts this 4-day Amazon cruise from Iquitos. Explore the Amazon, Ucayali, and Pacaya Rivers on their way deep into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. Trek into the dense jungle in search of Amazon wildlife and birds, take a night safari and guided trips, visit local villages, and learn about wildlife preservation efforts in Peru’s Amazonia. |
| Tambopata Research Center | $1,873 | 5 | Explore the Amazon rainforest on this 5-day tour from Puerto Maldonado. Hike on the floodplain trails, search for frogs at night, and look for the gleaming eyes of the caiman during your stay at the comfortable and enthralling Tambopata Research Center. |
| Refugio Amazonas Adventure | $1,140 | 4 | Take your family on a Peruvian trip to the Amazon rainforest from the comfort of Refugio Amazonas on this exciting 4-day tour. Enjoy climbing a 30 meter canopy tower, take a catamaran around Lake Condenado and let your kids explore the trail for children as you immerse yourself in the stunning nature of this dense verdant jungle. |
| Ceiba Tops Amazon Lodge | $915 | 4 | Explore Peru's vast jungle with a 3-night stay at Ceiba Tops Lodge. Make your way to Iquitos, the headwaters of the Amazon, and travel down the river to your jungle home. Visit an indigenous community and view wildlife from the canopy during your stay. |
| Reserva Amazonica Snapshot | $715 | 4 | Experience the wonders of the Amazon rainforest on this 4 day tour. Go on the Anaconda Walk, search for wildlife, and explore a rainforest garden during your stay at Reserva Amazonica lodge. Along the way, keep an eye out for a variety of amazing wildlife such as caimans, osprey, trogons and sloths. |
| Hacienda Concepcion Rainforest Adventure | $502 | 4 | Experience a snapshot of the Amazon rainforest during your stay at the Hacienda Concepcion on this entrancing 4-day tour. Learn about the local farmers, listen to the sounds of the rainforest at night and look for footprints to track animals. You will also have the chance to canoe down the Madre de Dios River and meet local people. |
| Manu Wildlife Adventure | $2,829 | 6 | Explore the beauty of the Amazon on a 6-day trip to Manu Wildlife Center in Peru. Watch as tapirs and macaws feed on clay licks, boat down the river and search for nocturnal animals like the caiman on this exciting itinerary. Active opportunities include hikes, canopy towers, boating in oxbow lakes and more. |
| Manu Wildlife Snapshot | $2,424 | 5 | Travel to the remote Amazon Rainforest on your trip to Peru. Watch in awe as woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets fly around the treetops on this 5-day adventure at Manu Wildlife Center. Your trip will give you the chance to intimately experience nature from trails, canopy towers, oxbow lakes, and rivers! |
| Trip Name | From | Days | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inca Trail Express | $1,938 | 5 | This 5-day trip spends 4 days hiking the Inca Trail then visits Machu Picchu for a full day exploring the ruins. Hike with expert guides and enjoy deluxe camping to assure the best possible experience. Travelers are required to spend a minimum of two nights at high altitude before the trek, usually in Cusco, Sacred Valley, or Lake Titicaca. |
| Torres del Paine Multisport | $5,180 | 6 | Explore Torres del Paine in this multisport tour of Patagonia's best while hiking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding, and trekking! With EcoCamp as your home base, explore magnificent Patagonian mountains, glaciers lakes and rivers spotting guanacos and ostrich-like rheas. |
| Rio Serrano Hotel & Spa - Torres del Paine | $2,376 | 5-6 | Enjoy a 5-day all-inclusive adventure along the Serrano River, a 38-km waterway colored by Southern Ice Field sediments. Located in Río Serrano village, the hotel is the largest in Torres del Paine and offers easy access to hiking, horseback riding, fly fishing, and mountain views. Just 86 km from Puerto Natales, enjoy daily guided excursions. |
| Awasi Atacama Desert | $2,970 | 4 | Spend your nights in San Pedro de Atacama on these 3 to 5-night luxury Chile tours with flexible itineraries that explore the best of the Atacama like the Valley of the Moon, Lasana Valley, and the El Tatio geysers. |
| Estancia Cerro Guido Experience | $4,560 | 5 | On this 5-day tour, visit a traditional estancia built outside of Torres del Paine National Park. Immerse yourself in real estancia life by learning the traditions and daily work of the gauchos. Travel through the most incredible landscapes using a 4x4 vehicle, or enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds the ranch on foot or by horseback. |
| Patagonia Camp - Torres del Paine | $2,040 | 4-8 | Patagonia Camp is located on the shores of enormous Lake Toro and facing the Paine Massif, only 15 km from the Torres Del Paine Park’s administration center and close to the the main attractions that have made Torres del Paine world famous. Enjoy trekking, light hiking, fishing, kayaking as you explore Chile's famed National Park. |
| Explora Atacama | $2,800 | 5 | Immerse in an all-inclusive adventure in the heart of Atacama and witness geysers, salt flats, lagoons, volcanoes, and dunes. Experience Explora's cozy lodging, including its spa and gastronomic offerings, and various excursions like a trip to the observatory to witness some of the world’s clearest skies and thermal baths in Puritama hot springs. |
| The Complete Patagonia Experience: Culture and Nature | $5,631 | 8 | Join this 8-day Patagonia culture and nature adventure, a combination of unique wildlife, cultural immersion and spectacular scenery in the heart of Chilean Patagonia. Explore Torres del Paine National Park and choose your activities each day based on your preferences and interests. |
| Hotel Las Torres - Torres del Paine | $3,210 | 4-8 | Located near the base of the towers that give Torres del Paine its name, this hotel offers a range of activities. Enjoy trekking, light hiking, or horseback riding as you explore Chile's famed National Park. When you are ready to relax for the day you can rest in comfort at the Las Torres Patagonia hotel. |
| Ecuador Adventure | $3,291 | 9 | Bike down the slopes of Pichincha Volcano, hike through dense, biodiverse cloud forest, zip-line over the forest canopy, hike, and ride horses through the high Andes near the active 19,347-foot high Cotopaxi Volcano on this exciting 9-day adventure tour of Ecuador. |
| Ship Name | Max Passengers | From | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvia Earle | 126 | $9,395 | Designed for low-impact voyages featuring a fuel-efficient Ulstein X-Bow®, reduced air emissions and light pollution, and virtual anchoring for protection of the sea floor. The ship honors the highly accomplished marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer, Sylvia Earle. This ship will channel her marine-conservation ethos into a fully immersive on-board guest experience, not only in the Polar regions but in other destinations as the ship sails between the Arctic and the Antarctic. |
| Greg Mortimer | 132 | $12,195 | With only 132 passengers on board, Greg Mortimer reimagines Arctic expedition, tropical, and European cruises for the future. Modern, comfortable, and designed with guests in mind, this ship represents a significant increase in sailing capability. |
| Star Clipper | 170 | $1,740 | Star Clipper is a 170-passenger vessel designed to provide a unique traveling experience unlike any other cruise vacation. Step aboard and discover a new age of sailing, where the traditions of the past are happily married to the comforts and amenities of the present day. |
| Royal Clipper | 227 | $1,260 | The Royal Clipper is the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world, carrying just 227 privileged guests aboard. She offers the ultimate tall ship sailing experience, balancing the grandeur, adventure, and tradition of sailing with the superb service, amenities, and accommodations of the finest modern yacht. . |
| Douglas Mawson | 154 | $8,795 | Introducing the Douglas Mawson, Aurora Expeditions' latest small ship for global exploration. With sustainability features and luxurious amenities, it accommodates up to 154 adventurers, offering unique itineraries including East Antarctica and Subantarctic Islands explorations. |
| Archipel I | 16 | $2,325 | The 16-passenger twin-hulled Archipel I catamaran combines comfort and space onboard for the optimal experience on its naturalist and diving cruises of the Galapagos Islands. Ocean view cabins with air conditioning, private bathrooms, and hot water couple with various social areas, including the dining room, lounge, and sundeck. |
| MV Plancius | 112 | $2,450 | Built in 1976 and reconstructed in 2008, the MV Plancius is fully equipped for polar expedition cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica, and accommodates 112 passengers in 54 comfortable cabins. |
| Sea Spirit | 114 | $6,495 | Explore polar regions in style and comfort aboard the all-suite Sea Spirit. Providing spacious accommodations for a maximum of 114 passengers, the Sea Spirit also features the maneuverability and friendly atmosphere of a small ship. |
| Scenic Eclipse II | 228 | $22,490 | The latest addition to the Discovery Yacht fleet, Scenic Eclipse II, stands proudly as a sister ship to Scenic Eclipse. It boasts enhanced wellness experiences at the luxurious Senses Spa, a stunning new Sky Bar, and a refreshing Vitality pool on Deck 10. This remarkable vessel explores the captivating southern hemisphere, including the uncharted territories of East Antarctica, Australia, the South Pacific, and Asia. |
| Ultramarine | 199 | $8,695 | The Ultramarine is designed with an ice rating of 1A+, PC6, making it one of the most capable polar exploring vessels on the planet. Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, Ultramarine offers the most robust portfolio of adventure activities in the industry, the most spacious suites in its category, breathtaking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships its size. |
The Natural Highlights of South America
The Amazon- Between Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, this dense jungle is home to more species of birds, plant life, & other endemic wildlife than any other part of the world, and it comes to vivid life for you as you explore the unspoiled wilderness where there are still uncontacted tribes, friendly river dolphins that swim among piranhas, and curious monkeys swinging through the canopy above.
The Galapagos Islands- Off the golden coast of Ecuador, you'll fine the sun-kissed Galapagos Islands, where Darwin himself first postulated his theories of evolution. A cruise to these pristine islands will show you the same fascinating creatures that Darwin saw, like the Giant Tortoise, Marine Iguanas, Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, a rainbow of tropical fish, and an array of the most stunning bird species in the world.
Patagonia- In the beating heart of Argentina you'll find the expansive landscapes of Patagonia, which has inspired travelers and explorers for centuries. From the bustling metropolitan center of Buenos Aires, you will embark on an adventure across sub-Antarctic forests, past glacial lakes, and up the steep mountains & rolling hills to get absolutely incredible panoramic vistas.
Machu Picchu- Nowhere else quite captures the grandeur of the ancient Incan Empire as well as the breathtaking citadel at Machu Picchu. These well preserved ruins in the Peruvian Andes demonstrate the astonishing engineering feats that the Inca were able to accomplish. Your guide will explain how each part of the city was specially designed as a functional tribute to nature and the gods that watched over this ancient civilization.
South America is incredibly diverse, offering a wide range of cultures, climates, and natural landscapes. Travelers can explore the lush Amazon rainforest, trek through the towering Andes Mountains, and experience vibrant local traditions across countries like Brazil, Peru, and Argentina. Its rich biodiversity, ancient ruins, and scenic beauty make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and cultural explorers alike.
Brazil is a vast and vibrant country that covers nearly half of South America. It offers an exciting mix of stunning beaches, exotic rainforests like the Amazon, and dynamic cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. This diversity makes Brazil ideal for travelers seeking both natural beauty and urban adventure.
Often overlooked, Uruguay offers a unique travel experience just across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires. Known for its laid-back atmosphere, it’s the safest country in South America according to the GPI ranking. The capital, Montevideo, boasts stunning architecture and beautiful beaches, making it a peaceful and charming destination.
Peru is perfect for first-time visitors with its diverse attractions suited for every type of traveler. Whether you're into nature, adventure, or food, this incredible country has it all. Explore stunning landscapes, savor delicious cuisine, and embark on exciting activities like hiking to Machu Picchu or exploring the Sacred Valley.
Most travellers to South America will inarguably plan for a trip that lasts somewhere between three and five weeks, whether they have a specific interest in mind (like hiking extensively through Patagonia) or are first-time visitors wishing to tick off what we call 'South America's Big 5': Machu Picchu.
