Luxury South America Tours & Trip Packages

Luxury South America Tours & Trips

14 Luxury South America trips. Tours from 7 tour companies. 28 reviews. 5/5 avg rating.

14 Trips match your criteria (1 - 14 shown)

Antarctic Express: Cruise South, Fly North
4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • The excitement of a southbound Drake Passage crossing
  • The speed and convenience of a northbound flight over the Drake Passage
  • All the Antarctic Peninsula highlights
  • Lecturers and specialists deliver presentations on geology and animal life

Themes

50 plus, Family Friendly, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Zodiac trips are fantastic. The whale watching is amazing."

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Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica
4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Ushuaia

Highlights

  • Explore the world’s seventh continent on the Antarctic Peninsula by ship, Zodiac and on foot.
  • Learn about Antarctica’s unique geology, history and wildlife with an expert team of lecturers.
  • See the incredible wildlife of South Georgia, often referred to as “the Galapagos of the South.” This includes more than 30 species of breeding birds, including four species of Penguin.
  • Follow in the footsteps of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s perilous voyages on South Georgia and pause for a moment at his graveside.
  • Explore the quaint, British town of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands.
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Themes

50 plus, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Zodiac trips are fantastic. The whale watching is amazing."

Trip dates & details
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Galápagos Photo Expedition
3.5/5 Great
30 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Guayaquil, Santa Cruz Island

Highlights

  • Hone your skills while capturing images of wildlife in a variety of landscapes, from black lava fields to white-sand beaches, and from rocky cliffs to lush highland forests.
  • Photograph colonies of iguanas, frigate, sea lions, and birds unfazed by your presence.
  • See rare giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
  • Explore the waters of the Galápagos by kayak, glass-bottom boat, snorkel, or Zodiac.

Themes

50 plus, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel, Education / Learning, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Photography

What travelers are saying

"We booked a National Geographic expedition Holland and Belgium by River. The promotional literature promised a 14-day deposit refund window. The “invoice” was marked “non-refundable” deposit. We completed the National Geographic Traveler Information. About 8 days later we received the “Travel Agreement” to be signed. We both approved and signed the National Geographic documents. A Cruise Line Travel agreement was enclosed but had no signature line. This document contained language which was unacceptable. We submitted the signed NatGeo documents. The following day we canceled the trip due to the unacceptable Cruise Line language. Cancellation was made 12 days after booking and no deposit was returned. We were told on the phone that the refund deadline was triggered by the 14 day window OR signatures on the Travel Agreement which ever came first. This was NEW information. To date, we have received NO refund of our $1000. We cancelled our trip within the advertised 14 day window."

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Galápagos Family Odyssey
3.5/5 Great
30 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Guayaquil, Isabela Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santiago

Highlights

  • --Discover the fascinating wildlife and geology of the Galapagos Islands on a family adventure aboard the National Geographic Endeavour or Islander. --Cruise to pristine islands and walk among colonies of animals and birds unfazed by your presence. --Snorkel amid sea turtles, quirky penguins, and playful sea lions; gaze into the old eyes of a giant sea tortoise; and sit among a colourful band of marine iguanas . --Participate in special kids' activities, such as stargazing, scavenger hunts, drawing and poetry workshops, and knot-tying lessons.

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning, Family Friendly, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"We booked a National Geographic expedition Holland and Belgium by River. The promotional literature promised a 14-day deposit refund window. The “invoice” was marked “non-refundable” deposit. We completed the National Geographic Traveler Information. About 8 days later we received the “Travel Agreement” to be signed. We both approved and signed the National Geographic documents. A Cruise Line Travel agreement was enclosed but had no signature line. This document contained language which was unacceptable. We submitted the signed NatGeo documents. The following day we canceled the trip due to the unacceptable Cruise Line language. Cancellation was made 12 days after booking and no deposit was returned. We were told on the phone that the refund deadline was triggered by the 14 day window OR signatures on the Travel Agreement which ever came first. This was NEW information. To date, we have received NO refund of our $1000. We cancelled our trip within the advertised 14 day window."

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Epic Galápagos Photography Expedition
3.5/5 Great
30 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Guayaquil, Isabela Island, San Cristobal, Santiago

Highlights

  • Explore the Galápagos archipelago and undersea in great depth with hikes and Zodiac cruises
  • Tour paced for photo ops and timed to take advantage of the best light.
  • Shoot with and learn from top National Geographic photographers and the Lindblad-National Geographic Director of Expedition Photography
  • Go on daily photo assignments to help build your personal portfolio with wildlife legendary for uniqueness and lack of fear of humans - allowing for up-close and magical photo opportunities with blue-footed boobies, sea lions, giant tortoises, marine iguanas, and more.
  • Enjoy a mid-voyage photo seminar with our expert photographers and a special photography tour of the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Photography

What travelers are saying

"We booked a National Geographic expedition Holland and Belgium by River. The promotional literature promised a 14-day deposit refund window. The “invoice” was marked “non-refundable” deposit. We completed the National Geographic Traveler Information. About 8 days later we received the “Travel Agreement” to be signed. We both approved and signed the National Geographic documents. A Cruise Line Travel agreement was enclosed but had no signature line. This document contained language which was unacceptable. We submitted the signed NatGeo documents. The following day we canceled the trip due to the unacceptable Cruise Line language. Cancellation was made 12 days after booking and no deposit was returned. We were told on the phone that the refund deadline was triggered by the 14 day window OR signatures on the Travel Agreement which ever came first. This was NEW information. To date, we have received NO refund of our $1000. We cancelled our trip within the advertised 14 day window."

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Peru: Machu Picchu Inn to Inn
3.5/5 Great
30 reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Andes Mountains, Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu, Urubamba

Highlights

  • Trek high among the majestic peaks of the Cordillera Vilcabamba to Machu Picchu.
  • Spend a full day and a half exploring the magnificent citadel of Machu Picchu.
  • Delve into the enchanting world of the Inca during an evening with National Geographic grantee Peter Frost.
  • Relax in beautiful mountain lodges set amid spectacular scenery.

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Trekking & Expeditions

What travelers are saying

"We booked a National Geographic expedition Holland and Belgium by River. The promotional literature promised a 14-day deposit refund window. The “invoice” was marked “non-refundable” deposit. We completed the National Geographic Traveler Information. About 8 days later we received the “Travel Agreement” to be signed. We both approved and signed the National Geographic documents. A Cruise Line Travel agreement was enclosed but had no signature line. This document contained language which was unacceptable. We submitted the signed NatGeo documents. The following day we canceled the trip due to the unacceptable Cruise Line language. Cancellation was made 12 days after booking and no deposit was returned. We were told on the phone that the refund deadline was triggered by the 14 day window OR signatures on the Travel Agreement which ever came first. This was NEW information. To date, we have received NO refund of our $1000. We cancelled our trip within the advertised 14 day window."

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Colombian Getaway
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bogota, Cartagena

Highlights

  • Visit Plaza de Bolívar, the center of the downtown district of La Candelaria
  • Explore famous museum housing
  • Explore over a hundred species of exotic bird life, marveling at the natural beauty surrounding you
  • Visit imposing Fort San Felipe

Themes

Birding, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"I paid $107,000 to take my family on a trip to Patagonia. This company should be called “Unenchanting Travels”. They were absolutely unprofessional in every way. It started with their website payment service being very flawed. There were innumerable examples where the high-end and expensive hotels that they booked for us made egregious errors. These were five star luxury hotels that did not have English-speaking staff. Our point person wound up, becoming overwhelmed and was replaced by her manager, who is similarly grossly inadequate. They repeatedly misinformed us. One example was an occasion when they told us to take an Uber to a hotel where they had made a reservation for us, and indeed, no reservation had been made. When the flight of ours was canceled, which meant that we were going to miss our ship, it fell into our laps to do the planning to try to resuscitate the trip. They essentially told us that they were not feeling well and were overwhelmed. They were repeatedly blamed Problems, which came up on the hotels that they booked for us. I would not come close to this company again and would recommend avoiding them at all costs."

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Galápagos & Andes Safari: Ecuador
5/5 Excellent
2 reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Quito

Highlights

  • Explore on day-boat trips with a naturalist guide
  • Hike, swim and snorkel in Galápagos National Park
  • Enjoy a horseback ride at the most exclusive stables in Ecuador
  • See ancient pyramids constructed by the pre-Incan Caranqui culture

Themes

Birding, Climbing & Mountaineering, Cultural, Education / Learning, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"The wildlife viewing was incredible! We were able to take superb photos and the knowledge guides were enjoyable. We were impressed with our accommodations and especially the tented camps. The service at the camps were first rate!"

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Luxury South America Reviews & Ratings

5/5  Excellent
28  Reviews
See all Luxury South America tour reviews
Excellent
31
Great
0
Average
0
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
M

Mariam

Jul 2018

Written on

The trip exceeded my expectations.

Sebastian and Carolina were extremely helpful putting the tour together to South America. We had a great trip, the itinerary was good and I enjoyed the fact that the...

J

Jonathan

Feb 2018

Written on

We can strongly recommend Across Argentina as a secure and highly experienced travel agency

"We recently booked an extensive two week trip of Argentina and Chile through Across South America We approached the company by email (in English) from Australia and...

T

Top notch tour of Peru

Jun 2023

Best tour; from the guides to the hotels to the sites - absolutely top notch

We did a private tour of Peru with A&K for our 30th wedding anniversary. It was truly remarkable. The attention to detail, sites we visited, hotels we stayed a...

S

Steve

Jul 2018

Written on

We experienced Cusco, Trekking through the Andes

My wife and I just returned from our trip to Peru for 10 days. We experienced Cusco, Trekking through the Andes, and Machu Picchu. I spent a significant amount of ti...

L

Lori

May 2018

Written on

Amazing experience and all first class!

I just got back from a tour of Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Cusco. It was an amazing experience and all first class! Our tour guide, Allison Elaine Monge Carr...

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Luxury South America Tour Selection Trips

  • Most luxury tours to South America are of only one country. For this reason, choosing which country you want to see is important.
  • For those interested in an active and strenuous tour, may have a difficult time with luxury tours of South America. Most tours are easy to moderate level activity levels. However, there are some options. 
  • Luxury tours of off-the-beaten-path countries are growing. Since there are fewer tours offered to these countries, it’s important to book early to get your spot!
  • South American luxury tours aren’t just for the 50+ age group. There are plenty of tours for solo travelers, couples, and families out there.

Additional details

Why Consider Luxury Travel to South America

Luxury tours of South America offer you the opportunity to handcraft your own itinerary through this vast continent while also still getting exclusive experiences. Most South American luxury tour operators specialize in creating trips that are designed to fit your needs. They work with you from the first call all the way through your trip making sure you have the once-in-a-lifetime experience you’ve dreamed up. 

Additionally, a luxury tour takes care of all the nitty-gritty details of travel. You’ll have excellent transportation for those bus rides between destinations, a local guide will meet you in your next city to show you around, and the hotels are comfortable and relaxing after your long journeys. 

Luxury tours also offer exclusive experiences not normally included in backpacking or standard trips. You’ll be able to share a wine tasting with a master winemaker, private tango lessons in Argentina, or stay in a hotel just steps away from Iguazu Falls.

When is the Best Time to Visit South America? 

First, most of South America - besides the Caribbean coastline - is in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that the coldest months are actually May-August and the warmest months are December-February. If you are looking to take a vacation from the colder months of the Northern Hemisphere, then South America is one of the best places to see. 

Second, with such a vast difference in climates and natural landscapes, every part of the year is the right time to visit South America. Most of South America generally maintains a comfortable, cooler climate throughout the year. If you are visiting the mountains at any point of the year, it will be cold and wet. February is one of the best times to visit Peru and Chile as this is right before the colder seasons. Countries such as Ecuador and Colombia will be consistently warm throughout the year as they both sit right on the equator. 

For countries such as Argentina and Chile, you’ll see a wider change in temperatures during the year because they are farther away from the equator. It’s hard to pick an exact time of year to visit South America (unlike Italy or Vietnam) since each region of the country is vastly different from the regions. However, a good rule of thumb is that February and March may be prime time for many of the countries.

Packing List for South America

South America is enormous, that’s not an understatement. With climates ranging from tropical rainforests to snowy mountain ranges to salt flats, what to pack for South America can be a little daunting. 

The first thing to figure out when packing is where in South America you will be going. If you are sticking to the Caribbean coast of the continent or the Amazon Rainforest you’ll need to pack lightweight clothes and rain jackets.

If you are hiking the trails of the Andes or Patagonia you will need wool jackets and good hiking boots. Layers are key throughout the continent. The weather can change on a dime, so you’ll want to include a few different options for those outings. 

It’s best to base your packing list on where you will be going. Check your itinerary for the climates and regions you will be in to help determine what to stuff into your suitcase. A few essential things to bring with you no matter where you are: bug spray, rain jackets, warm socks, and a travel adapter. 

It’s also important to remember that luxury travel in South America isn’t about ball gowns, diamonds, and pearls. While you may be treated to a nice dinner here and there - and be accommodated in nice hotels and houses - don’t worry about packing as though you’re staying at the Ritz. Luxury South America tours are more about the opportunity to have a private guide, comfortable transportation and accommodation.

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On Travelstride you can find 14 trips to Luxury South America and more than 20,000 trips worldwide ranging from budget to luxury and private guided to group tours and everything in between. Only on Stride can you find and compare expert-planned trips from 1,000+ tour operators, cruise lines and local experts. Read traveler and professional reviews so you can confidently find your perfect trip.

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