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.
