Experience a Luxury holiday in South America, a land of sharp cultural and geographical contrasts, the vast majority of South America’s extensive landmass lies in the southern hemisphere, and is bounded by the South Pacific, South Atlantic and Southern Oceans to the south – next stop, Antarctica! Equally perfect for lovers of the outdoors, stunning beaches, delicious wine, fascinating culture and indigenous wildlife, the continent offers more than enough for all visitors in search of something a little different for their holidays – in the finest luxury every step of the way, of course.
Our featured destinations – Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina – offer boundless opportunities for fascinating itineraries and once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the continent, whether combined together or discovered individually, and we can easily arrange a whole host of land, air or sea-based journeys that will allow you to immerse yourself in this culture-rich area of the world, be that on a luxury or specialist cruise, a self-drive combination, a luxury rail journey or by connecting two or three destinations by plane.
Visitors to Ecuador are often lured there by the attraction of the incredible indigenous wildlife found in the Galapagos Islands – located six-hundred miles off the coast – along with its inextricable association with Charles Darwin. We can arrange a luxurious seven-night cruise around several of the archipelago’s islands that will allow inquisitive, yet discerning, travellers to learn all about the geography, nature and culture of this fiercely protected gem.
Peru is a fascinating and beautiful country that showcases a number of cultural treasures, including the historic, high-altitude city of Cuzco, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon River. Peru’s most famous asset is, of course, Machu Picchu and we feature a number of luxurious properties that are ideally placed for exploration of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, or, indeed, overlook it. The most luxurious way of reaching the long-lost Inca settlement, however, is to take the luxury Belmond Hiram Bingham Train, with the magnificent natural architecture of the Andes revealing itself to you en route.
Brazil offers an entirely different proposition, with its charismatic cities, such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, pulsating with the sounds of Bossa Nova and home to gorgeous beaches, cosmopolitan café culture, bustling food markets, chic boutiques and swanky coffee houses. Contrast this Latino exoticness with incredible natural wonders to be found in the Pantanal wetlands, the laid-back, old-fashioned ambience of tropical Trancoso, incredible rainforest accented by the word-famous Iguazú Falls and the super watersports and cave-diving available in compact, charming Bonito, and you have a very impressive portfolio of opportunity for a thrillingly diverse luxury holiday.
Chile and Argentina occupy a huge expanse of the continent; the sliver of Chile nestles invitingly between the Andes and Pacific Ocean, beginning in the north of the continent and meandering right the way down to the far south, allowing for an incredibly eclectic collection of landscapes, from the Atacama Desert in the north, to the majestic snow-capped mountains, impossibly hued blue lakes and awesome ice fields of Torres de Paine National Park further south. Chile counts Easter Island, lying off the South Pacific coast, amongst its greatest cultural treasures, boasting a fascinating (and tragic) history, incredible volcanic scenery, acre-upon-acre of grassland and lovely white-sand beaches. An adventurer’s paradise, Easter Island’s most famous asset is its collection of large Moai stone figures, numbering the hundreds, which still stand formidably amongst the landscape and give the island a distinctly mysterious and spiritual ambience.
Nestling the border of Chile, Argentina, the second-largest country in South America, is a wild frontier just begging to be discovered. It’s a richly diverse country replete with extraordinary scenery – to be found in Patagonia and the Andes – which juxtaposes incredibly well with its cosmopolitan, colonial cities, including Mendoza, known the world over for its mouthwateringly rich and flavourful malbec wine – hence its proliferation of wineries, which number over a thousand. Buenos Aires provides the frenetic, metropolitan city life, incredible culture, Spanish Colonial architecture, passionate residents, world-famous football teams, excellent gourmet restaurants, high-end shopping and a variety of neighbourhoods, from the Bohemian to the elegant – not to mention its world-famous dance, the tango. Contrast this with the incredible scenery of Bariloche, El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park, perfect for outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain-biking, kayaking, fishing and white-water rafting. Explore the periphery of the country, and the Falkland Islands, on board a luxury cruise ship that may even take you into the Antarctic region, embark on a discovery of Argentina’s winelands and gourmet heartland on a self-drive tour staying at a number of luxury boutique wine lodges, take the cultural, cosmopolitan city route residing in contemporary five star hotels, or combine them all for a thrilling, fascinating sojourn of this enriching, enticing South American country.
Explore our website to view our featured destinations and properties, or call our expert Luxury Travel Specialists for further information and inspiration