This cruise line is now offering 22-day trips in South America

Bookings are now open for Holland America Line’s 2025-2026 South America and Antarctica season.

Featuring a series of longer cruises up to 22 days, guests can experience the region’s captivating blend of diverse cultures, breathtaking natural landscapes and rich historical heritage — including 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

From November 2025 through March 2026, Oosterdam cruises between San Antonio (Santiago), Chile, and either Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Iconic sites

The itineraries offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for travellers, showcasing the iconic sites of South America like Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu and Torres del Paine National Park, along with Antarctica’s memorable scenery and wildlife. 

Oosterdam sails in Antarctica

Holland America Line 2025–2026 South America cruises visit 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including major tourism attractions like the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu. 

Authentic experiences 

On South America and Antarctic cruises, Holland America Line brings local flavors on board. Guests enjoy fresh, locally sourced specialties such as Chilean salmon, stuffed empanadas, and world-renowned wines including Malbec, Carménère, Torrontés and more.

On immersive shore excursions, guests can visit an indigenous Emberá tribe, meet a real Chilean huaso (cowboy), learn to craft a traditional Panama hat or enjoy an intimate dinner at an Argentine “closed-door restaurant.”

For more information, visit hollandamerica.com.

This local guide is eager to show off the Amazon

 

Would Percy Fawcett and his companions have returned from Brazilian jungle hale and hearty had they had one of Josue Basilio’s forefathers as a guide? Well, given the Basilio family’s ability to find its way around in the Amazon that might well have been the case.

Fawcett was a retired British army officer-turned-explorer who spent a lot of time in Brazil in the early 20th century, eventually becoming fascinated with tales of an advanced but abandoned city hidden deep in Brazilian jungle. Fawcett, who first arrived in Brazil after being asked to map a sparsely populated Amazon region, eventually set out to find the city that he labelled Z, returning in defeat more than once.

Undaunted, Fawcett sent off on another expedition with two companions in 1925 and none of the three were ever seen again. His story was told in the 2016 movie The Lost City of Z, which starred the likes of Sienna Miller and Tom Holland.

Basilio, a guide with Amazon Brazil travel company Katerre Expedition, which is based in the Amazon community of Novo Airao, reports that he never gets lost in the jungle, and his father and grandfather were equally at home in the world’s largest expanse of rainforest. “This is my house,” Basilio says of the wilderness.

The adventurous Basilio routinely leads Katerre Expedition guests into the jungle, happily demonstrating his wilderness skills, which are often dependent on his ever-present machete.

A recent Amazon waterways cruise on Katerre’s Jacare-Acu vessel had Basilio showing visitors how to make rubber, with his region once enjoying great affluence during the rubber boom. Basilio cheerfully made an incision in a rubber tree, then had a container catch the sap (area monkeys like to tip the containers so sap gatherers should keep a watchful eye on their area, he confided) and then quickly turned that sap into rubber.

Other tours had the multi-lingual Indigenous guide coaxing a large tarantula from its nest while cautioning his group to get somewhat but not overly close to the venomous creature; luring some bullet ants — known for their fearsome stings — into view; skillfully imitating the sounds of jungle birds; plucking a a smallish  but carnivorous caiman from the water and then showing it to the tourists he shared a boat with before releasing the seemingly relaxed reptile unharmed into river water; and using his machete to fashion a vine into a type of rope that he used to quickly scale a branchless tree trunk.

“The machete is very important in the jungle. If I have my machete, I can survive,” says Basilio, who dubs his machete a “pocketknife.” Basilio’s sprawling, untamed backyard is home to many creatures, some seemingly cute, and others which likely wouldn’t earn that description from visitors.

“On one side you have alligators. On the other side you have piranhas,” the affable Basilio jokingly told those he was recently sharing a boat with. Basilio says the jungle serves as his pharmacy, providing plants that can be used to successfully treat a variety of ailments.

Those at home in the jungle will certainly find food if they know what to look for, says Basilio, who notes that he’s eaten bullet ants, which he describes as lacking in flavour; and hearts of palm, which were delicious. Basilio’s own jungle track record leaves him to believe that an individual can learn adequate wilderness survival skills within six months and after two years be totally okay wandering deep into the Amazon unaccompanied. “They can throw me from a helicopter (well, into the jungle). I will survive,” Basilio confidently states.

More information can be found at katerre.com/us. The company can also be reached by emailing [email protected]

STORY AND PHOTOS BY IAN STALKER

Where to try the art of forest bathing healing in Peru

Forest bathing is a form of ecotherapy that emerged as a term in Japan in the 1980s. The physiological and psychological exercise has two purposes: to offer an eco-antidote to digital burnout and to inspire bathers to reconnect with and protect the country’s forests.

According to Expedia Group’s Sustainable Travel Study, 90% of global travellers (including those from Canada) are looking for more sustainable options when on vacation – and forest bathing is a great option.

To participate in forest bathing, travellers must choose a destination where their purpose is to effortlessly “commune with nature” and avoid external distractions – and the Peruvian jungle is the perfect place for just that.

Here are two locations within Peru ideal for forest bathing:

  1. Pacaya Samiria Reserve: With some of the richest biodiversity on the planet, the reserve offers glimpses of manatees, pink dolphins, monkeys, and a wide variety of birds, mammals, and fish. Visitors can also go canoeing or fish for piranha.

  2. Manu National Park: Established in 1973 and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, Manu National Park is home to over 15,000 species of plants, 1,000 species of birds, 1,300 species of butterflies, and a handful of species so exotic, they haven’t been named yet. The park also contains 14 distinctive ecosystems and can be divided into two sections: the mountains and the lowlands. Nature lovers will be excited by the possibility of seeing jaguars, pumas, tapirs, giant armadillos, a whole host of monkeys, spectacled bears, macaws, Andean condors, caimans, and maybe even anacondas.

To learn more about unique experiences to try in Peru, visit the official tourism website

South America’s first-ever luxury train will take you on one of the highest rail routes on earth

As of Mar. 31, the Andean Explorer, the first luxury train in South America, rides the rails once again after a brief hiatus.

A journey on the Andean Explorer is a magical experience designed to connect guests with the nature of the Peruvian Andes while travelling through some of the most spectacular landscapes in the country.

This luxury train traverses one of the highest train routes on earth and travels between the ancient Inca capital of Cusco to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca and the dazzling white city of Arequipa. Along the way, guests experience floating islands, fascinating archaeological sites, majestic natural wonders, and ancient kingdoms. 

Andean Explorer’s 20 beautiful cars evoke a contemporary aesthetic, perfectly designed to frame the awe-inspiring Andean vistas. Each carriage is named after flora and fauna found along the route.

Guests can take a seat for a world-class feast in the train’s two beautiful dining carriages – Llama and Muña – and enjoy a series of unique dining experiences against a backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery.

Muted hues and luxurious leathers mingle with artisanal millwork, and polished macramé divider screens keep culinary adventures intimate. Soothing treatments are available in the spa car, Picaflor, and further relaxing spaces include the Observatory Bar Car and Piano Bar Car.

For more information on Belmond’s Andean Explorer, click here!

A boutique glass dome hotel in Machu Picchu makes for an unforgettable sleep under the stars

Tucked between Cusco and Machu Picchu, in the heart of the Sacred Valley, StarDome Peru, a one-of-a-kind geodesic dome boutique hotel, has officially opened its doors.

Co-founded and run by the local indigenous Quechuan community, StarDome Peru provides curious travellers with firsthand cultural immersions and transformational experiences led by locals.

Accepting reservations starting Feb. 1, the property is the “epitome of rugged luxury, where heated marble floors and handmade ceramic bathrooms are contrasted by an ultra-remote location only accessible through a private road and a staff that, while enthusiastic to serve, is 100% local with no prior hospitality training.

With prime location and deep local roots, StarDome Peru serves as a gateway to the region and is passionate about providing native cultural experiences, nature immersions and spiritual encounters for those seeking not just to travel, but to heal. StarDome Peru’s structure is that of a geodesic dome where the bottom floor offers access to five guest suites and the top floor offers the unique and immersive StarDeck — the heart of the property. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, 360 degree views and a telescope allow for guests to feel like they are one with the sky. The space is built for lounging, stargazing or hosting events.  Guests can choose from six accommodation options.

Within the StarDome guests can choose from five suites: the Garden Mountain, Garden Valley, one of two Sacred Valley Suites and the owner’s personal hideout, the Royal Mountain Suite. Inspired by traditional Incan decor and construction, all of the suites include heated marble floors, a private stone shower, traditional Inca-inspired tiling by world-renowned Peruvian ceramic artist Seminario, queen-sized beds, handmade blankets and hotel-like amenities.

Meanwhile, the Royal Mountain Suite offers a luxurious space like no other with double the room, a King-sized bed, a double jacuzzi and a private entrance to the StarDeck, in addition to the most iconic view of the region. Towering above StarDome in a stand-alone, cabin-like structure, the Royal Apu Suite, offers guests the best views and ultimate privacy.  Included with each suite booking is a traditional breakfast at the StarDome’s signature restaurant Apu, with options for private dining experiences that showcase the refined culinary heritage of Peru and highlight local chefs.

Future plans call for as many as ten more suites, a healing center for yoga and groups up to 20 with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and endless views. Guests can book either nightly stays or three to six-day all-inclusive personal retreat packages that cover everything from accommodations and transportation, to meals and curated experiences.

Led by Quechua Inca community members and elders, StarDome guests can take part in unforgettable experiences like healing ceremonies, plant medicine encounters, and natural excursions to some of the area’s most sought-after destinations, such as the renowned Machu Picchu, the Puma Marca Archeological Site, and the ancient village of Ollantaytambo, to name a few.

Catering to solo travelers, couples and groups alike, StarDome Peru also offers buy-out options. Introductory nightly rates start from $399 during low season and $1,299 during high season.

All bookings can be made directly through www.stardomeperu.com.