Expedition Cruising

Some of Latin America’s greatest places have no roads, and the only way to reach them is by sea or river. An expedition cruise takes you there in a small ship, with expert guides, daily landings and time out on deck watching the wildlife go by. This is travel to the wild edges, from the Antarctic Peninsula to the channels of the Amazon.

What expedition cruising is like

This isn’t the big-ship, buffet-and-ballroom kind of cruise. Vessels are small, from a handful of cabins to a couple of hundred berths, and the days are built around getting off the boat – Zodiac landings, guided walks, snorkelling, wildlife watching. Naturalists and expedition leaders travel with you, with fascinating talks on deck and over dinner. Between landings there’s the water itself, a chance to spot penguins porpoising past, whales surfacing and seabirds tracking the wake.

Where to go on an expedition cruise

A few regions are made for it. The Galápagos, where a small ship is the classic way to island-hop and the wildlife barely notices you. Antarctica, reached from the southern tip of the continent, for ice, penguins and whales on the greatest scale. The Amazon, where riverboats slip into narrow channels no road can reach. And Chilean Patagonia, threading the fjords past glaciers to Cape Horn. We’ve been sending travellers south for a very long time, and we can guide you through the choice of ships.

Choosing your ship

The vessel makes the trip, so we match you to the right one, from simple, comfortable and expedition-focused, with cabins and dining options to suit. We’ll talk you through the trade-offs of size, itinerary and season, and match the voyage with time on land so you see the mainland as well as the water.