Explore the astounding diversity of the12 Latin American countries while onboard one of the many South America cruises. Warm Caribbean waters and Venezuelan coast beckon you to the north. This country is a fascinating display of extremes, from the impossibly high peaks of the northern Andes to the idyllic coast, perched on the edge of the Western Caribbean Sea.

The Gujana Highlight of southern Venezuela gives way to the Amazon River basin and the precious ecological treasures of Brazil. The Andes is a foreboding mountain range home to the secret forts and esoteric monuments of the ancient Inca, stretches for thousands of miles, beginning in Argentina, curving southwest on the rim of the continent towards Columbia, through Ecuador, down into Peru and ending south in Chile.

The equator crosses the continent in Columbia, Brazil and Ecuador, making these regions, especially Brazil a hotspot for the countless species of native rare tropical life that calls the Amazon Rainforest home. The mighty Amazon River begins as a series of innocuous streams that converge into the mightiest river in the world and the center of the local culture, history and economy.

On the eastern coast of this continent the highlands of the Andes was the dramatic setting of the Incan empire, which rose to its peak in the fourteenth century. Peru and Bolivia are the two countries, which were at the heart of the Inca civilization.

Cruises to South America can take you to the mysterious ruins of Tiahuanaco at Lake Titicaca have puzzled archeologists for ages - these finely fitted walls, enormous stone pavilions, and exquisitely carved sun gods were ancient by the time of the Inca. A group of them came to revere the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca as the birthplace of the sun, and where other fantastic myths live on in the great Feast in the ancient ceremony known as Inti Raymi, the Solemn Feast Of The Sun, which takes place on June 24, a modern recreation of the elaborate sun worship ritual of old.

South America cruise travel allows you to experience the culture of different countries. Home to centuries of history, Argentina is where soaring mountains give way to rolling plains known as pampas. The undulating harmony of nature's sculpted monuments is the highlight of any cruises to South America. The majesty that awaits you here is beautiful beyond any vista you could imagine.

Buenos Aires, Argentina is a fabulous port call, a city with a non-stop pulse and an intoxicating Latin beat. Mingle with Europeans of every kind in the most sophisticated venues in all of Latin America. Buenos Aires is an enchanting city, and your next adventure could begin in a candle lit outdoor bistro or on the boardwalk by the harbor.

Chilean ports of call are equally enjoyable. A long thin strip of land, buttressing the Andres Mountains to the east as it sits, a cusp of land on the edge of the South American continent. The country of Chile is home to glaciers, dizzying fjords, volcanoes, and some of the warmest hospitality and good cheer. Most of the population lives around Santiago, a vibrant port city that answers every question you have about Chile- strike up a conversation and see where it takes you.

You'll leave your South America cruises with a strong understanding of Latin American culture and how it's come to be influenced and has flourished in so many ways, that you'll want to return to experience it time and time again.