Small Ship SOUTH AMERICAN CRUISES

A Journey Through Time

Thick rainforests pulse with life, a symphony of hearts beating in butterflies, ocelots, peccaries, sloths and more. While cities – some standing, some recently risen from the grave – wait to amaze visitors. Lima’s jalousie balconies. Machu Picchu’s impeccably fitted granite walls. Chan Chan’s ingenious modular buildings made of mud. Beaches, biosphere preserves, weathered forts, Panama Canal gates the size of tennis courts, and more are on the horizon. Come see South America 180 degrees from ordinary.

Windstar Knows the Way to South America

When you’re looking for things like howler monkeys in a rainforest, barely inhabited beaches, or small farms growing coffee, cacao and bananas, nobody gets you closer than Windstar. We know the way to must-sees like Machu Picchu, Lima, and Cartagena. Our small yachts navigate narrow channels and hidden harbors that larger ships can’t reach, bringing you to the heart of South America’s most authentic ports. With expert-led shore excursions, you’ll uncover local traditions, vibrant markets, and breathtaking landscapes at every turn.

Featured Voyage: Costa Rica, Panama Canal & Machu Picchu Cruise Tour

Combine a cruise to ethereal Costa Rican rainforests and the Panama Canal with Peru's ancient Incan splendors and archeological wonders in Machu Picchu during a cruise and land tour through Central and South America.

It's a Jungle Here

Central America, Colombia and Ecuador are teeming with life, rating as one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Visitors to places like Costa Rica will find an incredible variety of flora and fauna, including species not found anywhere else. Iconic creatures like howler monkeys, sloths, scarlet macaws and toucans can be spotted by sharp-eyed visitors to Costa Rica’s rainforests.

Ports with Personality

Go beyond the major ports big ships visit, to smaller, less-visited ports and islands off the beaten track. Places like Santa Marta, the oldest city in Colombia and the location of Tayrona National Park, a protected area with more than 58 square miles of lush vegetation and pristine beaches. Machala, the capital of the El Oro Province in Ecuador and a region known for its agriculture, specifically its production of coffee, bananas, and cacao. And Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru an area recognized for its archeological site, Chan Chan, a vast adobe complex built by the Chimu tribe.

Overnight Delights

Our immersive itineraries include overnight stays that let you explore a place in greater depth, experiencing a city’s restaurants, nightlife, and skyline as well as its daytime attractions. You can also book sightseeing tours that take you further from port. In Lima, visit the pre-Columbian Pachacamac ruins, watch the Magic Water Circuit show, or dine in one of the world’s great food towns. Other places we stay overnight include Cartagena and Colon.

Check the Panama Canal Off Your Bucket List

Daylight Transit of the Panama Canal

Crossing the Panama Canal is on every cruiser’s bucket list but experiencing it on a small Windstar ship is utterly unique. Appreciate the true scale of the gates as you approach them at eye level instead of looking down at them from above. Watch from close up as locomotive “mules” nudge our ship into place, sometimes high above us as we descend with the water level. And easily move from one excellent viewing platform to another to catch all the action. An onboard Canal Historian describes each fascinating stage, and on some cruises, an onboard naturalist also joins you on deck.

WINDSTAR VOYAGES TO SOUTH AMERICA