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South America cruises, luxury adventure cruise vacations to Amazon River - Become familiar with South America and all it has to offer. Gather information on travel, adventure tours, sightseeing, attractions, weather, the Amazon and cruise port information. South America is a destination for those cruisers who are seeking variety! Visitors can explore the Amazon River, the Chilean Fjords, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires and Santiago.
Destination South America offers natural beauty and historical culture. A journey you will not forget, South America is the perfect destination for families, couples and singles. If you are looking for something different, a cruise to South America is the answer. The climate in South America mirrors North America's seasons, putting the continents peak summer months in the middle of northern winters. Although cruises to South America are offered from October through April, peak season is reached during the months of December, January, and February.
Typically the South America Cruise Vacations starts from Rio de Janeiro, Valparaiso, and Buenos Aires, but some do depart from San Diego, New York and Fort Lauderdale, as well. In addition to the traditional stops that are actually on South American land, ships sail around the continent, including the tip of Cape Horn, often calling in the Falkland Islands and Antarctica as well as stops in Mexico and Costa Rica. This exciting journey can last anywhere from 13 to 40 days, and usually attracts passengers with an appetite for adventure and education. Most cruise lines also offer pre-and post-cruise packages and overnight stays in some of the South American port cities.
The Amazon Cruise
Amazon River voyages typically sail between the city of Manaus, the major metropolis of the vast Amazonas region, and either Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires. Typically, cruise lines will charter a plane from Miami (or Ft. Lauderdale) for the trip to Manaus; passengers will use commercial air on the other end. Want to avoid air entirely? In some cases, cruise lines will combine an Amazon trip with the Caribbean (for instance, Holland America offers a 28-day Amazon Explorer that sails roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale).
The major attraction of the Amazon River itinerary is, of course, nature and the jungle. Cruise operators offer a variety of tours that range from canoe rides to wildlife experiences. A particular highlight, on the river not far from Manaus, is the Encontro das Aquas, or "meeting of the waters." Not a port of call, but where the Amazon's black waters meet up with the tan waters and run side by side for miles without mixing. Once ships swing around into the Atlantic Ocean and head south, down the coast of Brazil, city attractions become more important; in particular, if your ship stops in Recife try to take an excursion to Olinda, a wonderful Portuguese hilltop town that's a UNESCO World Heritage site. Rio de Janeiro, of course, is fabulous, cosmopolitan and completely exotic.
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