PUBLISHED - 30 September, 2011

Take a South American cruise

holidays abroad

Join a cruise and discover the beauty of South America, says Robin McKelvie. From the carnival spirit of Rio de Janeiro to the mystical, ancient charm of Machu Picchu, it’s a truly diverse continent.

As cruising becomes ever more popular, many people are looking to expand their horizons beyond the traditional waters of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. As a result, South America is emerging as a real cruise hot spot and it’s easy to see why. From sweeping fjords to verdant Amazonian jungles, from mystical ancient cities like Machu Picchu to two of the world’s most thrilling port cities, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, this massive continent boasts an incredible amount of drama and diversity. Handily for British travellers, when it’s our winter it’s summer in South America and that’s the best time to go, especially to the south of the continent as the winter weather can be harsh.

It’s hard not to be instantly charmed by a city where there are more people on the streets at three in the morning than three in the afternoon.

As more cruise ships start to ply South American waters, an established route has emerged from the Peruvian capital of Lima on the Pacific west coast, down past the Chilean capital of Santiago, through the lands of the fjords and around the very southern tip of the continent into the Atlantic, then back up through Argentina to Buenos Aires and on to Rio in Brazil. Princess Cruises offers the complete route in 27 nights, but most passengers choose the part that particularly appeals to them, often combining it with a few days in Rio or Buenos Aires.

Whichever cruise you opt for, you simply have to visit at least one of the continent’s brace of world-class port cities. It’s hard not to be instantly charmed by a city where there are more people on the streets at three in the morning than three in the afternoon.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires – simply ‘BA’ to the locals – is one of the most effervescent cities on the planet: one endless street party where the locals live out life’s dramas in a collage of tango beats, multicoloured houses and street stalls.

This vibrant capital of Argentina is renowned for its nightlife, confidence and preference for living life to the full. It’s a place to enjoy great wine (try anything from Mendoza) and the world’s most famous steaks. Other attractions include the last resting place of Eva Peron, the Recoleta Cemetery, the chic boutique-laden Palermo district, and La Boca, a vibrant working-class neighbourhood that’s home to an open-air market.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, meanwhile, is Brazil’s most flamboyant city, and now is a great time to visit before it becomes busier than ever in the run-up to Brazil hosting
the football World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

The city’s iconic symbols – the Christ the Redeemer statue and the glamorous white sands of the Copacabana – are instantly recognisable, and it gives BA a run for its money on the party stakes. There’s certainly no competition at Carnival time in February when Rio is the most fun place on the planet. The city is also awash with museums and galleries that delve beyond the beach culture and if you miss the big party, a visit to the Carnival Museum is highly recommended. Elsewhere, the National Museum tells Brazil’s story, the National History Museum has plenty of interactive exhibits making it great for kids, and the Museum of Modern Art boasts a fine art collection.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers 12-night sailings between BA and Rio, while with Royal Caribbean International’s range of three- to seven-night voyages you can dig a little deeper into Brazil, with further calls possible in the cities of São Paulo (Santos) and Salvador da Bahia, as well as picturesque Búzios and Ilhabela.

Cusco and Macchu Picchu

Away from the big city bustle, an increasingly popular cruise excursion is to the Peruvian city of Cusco, an historic gem with easy access to Machu Picchu. The massive emerald-green mountain crags create a spectacular natural amphitheatre for the ancient hideaway of the Incas. Once thought lost forever, it’s now revealed in its full glory of temples and spiritual sites and this lost city, swirling in mists and mystery is, for many, the highlight of their trip.

Cruises also open up the chance to visit some of the wildest areas on the continent, or indeed in the world. Celebrity Cruises offers Valparaiso (Santiago) to BA voyages that take in the lakes around Puerto Montt in Chile before heading south to the tip of the inhabited world at Cape Horn and exploring the legendary Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) in Patagonia. This wildscape of epic fjords, rugged mountains, tumbling glaciers and floating icebergs is truly breathtaking.

Further north in the lush tropics, Amazon cruises open up the beauty of this mighty waterway. Holland America Line sails up the Amazon on a 24-day cruise that both embarks and disembarks in Fort Lauderdale in the US. The itinerary also includes numerous calls in the Caribbean and an overnight stay in the jungle capital of Manaus in Brazil, which is as far as cruise ships can safely navigate the world’s second longest river. This virginal rainforest couldn’t be more different from the glaciers and icebergs of the south, or the vibrant cities of Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro. This is a continent whose sheer diversity is a real breath of Latin American fresh air.