Amazon to Antarctica: South American cruises are the next big thing

With new ships and unusual routes, cruising in South America is a whole new world of adventure. Here are five of the best cruises to book now

15 April 2018 - 00:00 By Chris Moss

1. GREEN ROUTE TO THE WHITE CONTINENT
Sharing many species of flora and fauna with Antarctica and catching the tail of polar weather systems, the Chilean fjords are a great introduction to the White Continent. So why not combine the two in a single trip?
The 2019 southern summer cruise season (November through to February) will see the arrival at the Antarctic Peninsula of what Norwegian cruise operator Hurtigruten calls the "world's greenest ever expedition ship", the MS Roald Amundsen.
The 530-passenger new-build is equipped with hybrid fuel technology, a new hull design and on-board power management systems to reduce fuel and CO² emissions by an estimated 20%.The ship also features indoor and outdoor observation decks, innovative touchscreen gadgetry in a dedicated science centre, and underwater drones for passenger use, to capture and live-stream Blue Planet-style footage.
Time ashore on the Voyage of Discovery Southbound cruise through Patagonia, the Chilean fjords and Antarctica will offer plenty of opportunities for kayaking, hiking and close encounters with marine wildlife including penguins and seals.
• An 18-day cruise from Va paraiso via Antarctica to Punta Arenas (Chile) costs from £7,113 (about R122,000) per person, departing on October 26 2019. Visit hurtigruten.co.uk2. SOUTH AMERICA'S FORGOTTEN RIVER
French cruise operator Ponant's new 10-day "Sailing the Orinoco" cruise on its newly launched 92-cabin Le Champlain starts at Cayenne and dramatic Devil's Island in the colonial enclave of French Guiana, before visiting Paramaribo in the former Dutch colony of Surinam.
Leaving the South American mainland, the itinerary zigzags up through the Lesser Antilles to reach its final destination of Martinique.
The highlight, though, is arguably a short detour into the Orinoco Delta. Flying underneath the tourist radar, the Orinoco river flows 2,140km through Venezuela and Colombia before joining the Atlantic Ocean.The UK Foreign Office is currently advising against all but essential travel to Venezuela, so this is a safe way of seeing the country's famous river. The ship features an underwater lounge with whale's-eye-shaped portholes.
• From £4,233 (about R72,500), departing December 19 2018. See ponant.com3. BUTTERFLIES AND BEACHES
For a prime example of how cruising can take you to otherwise off-limits places, this expedition cruise around Central America's Pacific coast really hits the spot. A notable inclusion is the Darien National Park in Panama, where passengers can meet Embera tribespeople and explore pristine tropical jungle in one of the remotest spots on earth.
The cruise, with Journey Latin America, leaves from Panama City and also visits the Pearl Islands, the Chagres River and the Panama Canal. Your ship is the small motor vessel MV Discovery.
• From £3,982 (R68,000) per person with departures in May, June, October and November. Visit journeylatinamerica.co.uk4. THE UNKNOWN AMAZONThe mighty Amazon that meanders through Brazil is iconic, but most naturalists would agree that Ecuador, where the so-called headwaters gather, is better for wildlife. Tributaries such as the Upper Napo and Aguarico are narrower, and wind through national parks, including the Yasuni, Ecuador's largest wildlife reserve.
The flora is extraordinary and typical species sighted from kayaks and motorised canoes include pink river dolphins, squirrel monkeys, white caiman and several kinds of parrot.Rainforest Cruises' 40-passenger luxury riverboat, Anakonda, undertakes four-, five- and seven-day cruises, with food, guides and transfers included.
• Original Travel offers a seven-night trip to Ecuador including a four-night cruise on the Anakonda and two nights in Quito, from £3,950 (R67,000) per person. Includes flights from the UK. Visit originaltravel.co.uk5. PATAGONIA'S NEW SHIP
Cruise line Australis has been taking adventurers into the mountain-hemmed fjords and glacier-strewn channels of Tierra del Fuego since 1990. This year sees the launch of the luxury 210-passenger Ventus Australis (Latin for "southern wind").Taking round-trip, four-day mini-cruises between Punta Arenas in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina, the ship is ideal for exploring the shallow waters, getting near to the calving ice and rounding Cape Horn, the continent's southernmost tip - where, conditions permitting, passengers disembark to visit a chapel and lighthouse. - The Sunday Telegraph
• Four-night "Fjords of Tierra del Fuego" (Punta Arenas to Ushuaia) and "Patagonian Explorer" (Ushuaia to Punta Arenas) cruises cost from £1,023 (R17,512) per person, including drinks and excursions. See australis.com..

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