South America Cruises

Choosing one of the many South America cruises, you will be close to the resident whales, dolphins, sealions, fur seals and otters.

The coastal region of Patagonia, the 'silent south' is famous for its mountain scenery, archipelagos, majestic fjords and mighty glaciers.

The itinerary for cruising visitors is full of landmarks reminiscent of the great explorers, including the Magellan Strait, Cape Horn and Drake's Passage. The realisation that you are in one of the most exciting and least known corners of the globe only becomes more apparent to visitors when places like Parque Nacional Torres del Paine are visited. Situated near Chile 's fragmented southern tip, this park is truly a wonder to behold. The massive granite towers that soar to over 10,000 feet above the surrounding countryside represent one of Chile 's best known geographical features. Not only are they stunning and beautiful with their hard grey cliffs and jagged snow dusted peaks but also by the rich green forests, azure lakes and herds of Geneco that graze the open steppes. There is also the occasional appearance of Andean Condors, Flamingos and ostrich like Rheas.

Putna Arenas offers easy access to a number of important historical and natural sites and the settlement of Ushuaia nestles at the northern side of the Beagle Channel, where jagged Glacial peaks soar to almost 4,900 feet above it. Settlement began in 1870, when missionaries used it as a base to preach in the Fuegian region, more recently it has been used as a naval base and a base for tourism, being a popular starting point for Antarctic cruises. It is even a ski resort in the winter!

Weather

Due to its vast length Chile varies largely in climate, with its northern and southern borders being the same distance apart as Havana and Hudson Bay, going from a mild medeteranian climate in the north to much colder in the southern fjordlands. Occasionally one should watch out for Williwaws, these are violent blasts of wind that routinely gust to 80 knots before moving on.

Beagle Channel

The Beagle Channel is a wide, navigatable waterway that runs from the Drake Passage at the eastern end of Tierra del Fuego, past the Argentine port of Ushuaia to the region south of the Cordillera Darwin. The Beagle Channel forms part of the border between Argentina and Chile. The Channel was named after HMS Beagle, which explored and charted it in the 1830s under the command of of Robert Fitzroy. Seals and Sea Lions can often be seen swimming in its salty waters, while cormorants, gulls and even condors soar overhead.

Cruises online

Ocean explorer has teamed up with Expedtiontrips to bring you a selection of South America cruises, click here to see what's available and find out more.