South American cruises - Candid tips by authority Howard Hillman

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South American cruise

tips you can trust

Best 2 South American
cruise ports to experience

Rio de Janeiro

Popular with cruisers...

Striking panoramic views of Rio from the Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain

Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches

Pulsating nightlife

Gemstone shopping

And, of course, the annual Carnival

Read my Carnival in Rio
and Rio Panoramic Views pages.

Buenos Aires

Popular with cruisers...

Puerto Madero restaurant and nightlife district

La Boca neighborhood (home of the Tango and colorful buildings)

Buenos Aires shopping areas

Best excursions
beyond your port of call

Helpful pointers

Amazon

Manaus is the chief cruise port on the Amazon River. Unfortunately, it's an urban center (million-plus population). To appreciate the raw Amazon, you must take excursions into the hinterland. Read my Amazon Cruises guide.

Antarctica

Large cruise ships sailing to Antarctica do not make landings on that continent. For landings, you need to sail a small cruise ship. Read my Antarctica Cruises guide.

Chilean Fjords & Lake District

Puerto Montt is the main gateway cruise port for this area that is blessed with beautiful fjords, lakes and snow-capped volcanoes.

Galapagos Islands

First, you need to fly to the islands from the Ecuador mainland (from Guayaquil or Lima). You then transfer to a small Galapagos cruise ship or yacht. Read my Galapagos Cruises guide.

Iguacu Falls / Iguazu Falls

These stunning falls straddle the Argentine-Brazilian border. Most visitors fly in from Buenos Aires or Rio. Read my Iquacu Falls and Iquazu Falls pages.

Machu Picchu

Your cruise ship docks in Callao near Lima. You fly to Cuzco, then take a train to the Inca ruins Machu Picchu. Read my Macchu Picchu page.

Tierra del Fuego

This striking national park has wonderful mountain vistas. To get there, fly in from Puerto Arenas (or Ushuaia or Santiago).