16-DAY INCA & PANAMA CANAL DISCOVERY

Experience an unforgettable voyage that blends vibrant cities, sun-drenched coastlines, and lush rainforests as you sail from Chile to Fort Lauderdale. This exceptional cruise includes a once-in-a-lifetime transit of the Panama Canal and features overnight stays in Peru and Panama, giving you extra time to explore, immerse yourself in local culture, and truly experience each destination beyond the typical port visit.

March 24, 2027 - San Antonio (Santiago), Chile

This large, modern port serves Chile’s capital, Santiago, a city with Spanish colonial charm and a vivacious spirit. Encircled by the Andes and the Coastal Range, Santiago is centered around the Plaza de Armas, with several of the city’s landmarks: the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral the Palacio de la Real Audencia from 1808, the City Hall and the National Museum of History. North of San Antonio lie the picturesque old port and university town of Valparaíso and the colorful seaside resort of Viña del Mar. In between the coast and the capital are valleys filled with some of Chile’s most famous wineries, all inviting you to come and taste.

Mar 25, 2027 - Coquimbo (La Serena), Chile

Coquimbo may be relatively small for a capital city (it's the seat of the Chilean province Elqui), but between its location along the Pan-American Highway and its status as an important port, Coquimbo receives quite a few domestic and international visitors. Many of them use the city as a jumping-off point from which to explore the attractions of the surrounding Elqui Valley. Reached by the Ruta de Estrellas (Route of the Stars), the valley's vineyards yield to a desert landscape that is home to approximately 70 percent of the world's astronomical observational infrastructure, including nearly a dozen observatories. Other popular out-of-town destinations include southern beach towns like Guanaqueros and Tongoy. Don't rush beyond city limits without checking out Coquimbo's own sights, though; because of its mining and port history, there's been a fair bit of global influence on local life and culture. One place where this influence is evident is the Coquimbo Mosque; while it's a recently built structure, inaugurated in 2007, it's still a testament to the long and fascinating history of this Chilean coastal town.

March 26 - 27, 2027 - Days at Sea 

Mar 28, 2027 - General San Martin (Pisco), Peru

While most tourists envision a lush Peru—with mountaintop citadels shrouded in jungle and mist—the Pisco region is a stunningly stark junction of lunar landscape and teeming sea—all earth tones and aquas. For a place whose beauty is so austere, however, the area is shockingly fertile, both agriculturally (the beloved national brandy of the same name hails from here) and culturally (civilizations from the Paracas to the Incas have left a mark—or many—here).

But your visit won't be all about signature cocktails and ancient ruins: The local waters are home to such a mind-blowing menagerie, they're often called the Galápagos of Peru or simply Little Galápagos. You can reach these wildlife hangouts, among other Pisco-area highlights, quite easily from the port of General San Martín. Or you can simply stake out a seaside table and fill up on some of the freshest ceviche of your life—a house pisco sour close at hand for good measure.

Mar 29 - 30, 2027 - Callao (Lima), Peru

Peru's bone-dry capital (only Cairo is drier as far as national capitals go), Lima is a booming energetic metropolis built on ancient foundations millennia in the making. At first she is no looker, but scratch that parched surface below the high-rise offices and dust-settled dwellings and Lima's charms begin to shine: Strikingly preserved pre-Columbian ruins sit defiantly among modern skyscrapers, a cultural potpourri of world-class museums, sun-toasted beaches beautifully illuminated by nightly sunsets and one of the most exciting and dynamic culinary landscapes in the world.

Lima is a tale of two cities. Colonial charms abound in the city's historic center, where impressive plazas—including the cinematic 16th-century Plaza de Armas, the handiwork of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro—are overseen by Baroque and neoclassical cathedrals, palaces, monasteries and remnants of ancient city walls. But a different Lima emerges in the cliff-hugging seaside barrios of Miraflores and Barranco. Miraflores, Lima's modern face, is a bustling enclave of chic restaurants, bars and nightlife, and Barranco is a bohemian resort commune flush with grand casonas converted into atmospheric hotels and eateries. One of the city's allures is navigating between the old and the new.

But the Peruvian capital is at its most extraordinary at mealtimes, where the signature dishes of its world-famous cuisine—ceviche, lomo saltado pisco (beef stir-fried with tomatoes, peppers, onions and fried potatoes), aji de gallina (a pepper-laced chicken stew), causa (avocado and shrimp layered between mashed potato)—are the culinary stuff of legend, further wowing when chased by Peru's extraordinary national cocktail, the highly addictive pisco sour. ¡Salud!

Mar 31, 2027 - Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru

The port of Salaverry is essentially a ticket to a best-of-Peru buffet. Half an hour away is Peru’s northern capital, Trujillo, home to one of the most iconic squares in the country: the city's Plaza de Armas. The bright blue, yellow and red buildings date back to the 16th century, and—traffic aside—transport you back to the days of the conquistadores. For time travel to a more distant past—a past that predates even the Inca—visit the profusion of ruins around the city. There’s the Chimu capital Chan Chan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Mochica sites of Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, to name just a few. And for time travel with a twist—or more accurately, with an arc—there are the caballitos de totora, curvilinear fishing boats made from reed and used by ancient Peruvians, that continue to ply the waters (and serve as the calling card) of the nearby village of Huanchaco. Watching these graceful arched vessels "surf" the waves is totally enchanting—especially if you’re seated at a beach-view table with some ceviche and a cerveza.

April 1, 2027 - Day at Sea 

Apr 02, 2027 - Manta, Ecuador

Located on the Pacific coast, Manta is one of Ecuador’s most important ports. The mainstay of the economy of this city with some 200,000 residents is tuna—both fishing and the processing and canning of the catch. In other words, unless you have a keen interest in the tuna industry, Manta will, most likely, simply be a stopping point to other destinations in the country like Quito, the Galápagos and the haciendas in the foothills of the Andes. Even so, Manta is a pleasant port town with some contemporary buildings and a few historic sights, interesting museums and natural beauty in the form of parks and nearby beaches.

Neither the Galápagos nor the country’s capital, Quito, can be visited as a day trip from Manta. If you have extra time before or after you reach Manta, however, it's a short flight to both. Still not enough time? Isla Corazón, to the north, and Machalilla National Park, to the south, provide introductions to the flora and fauna of equatorial rain forests. If even those destinations are too far, the city’s archaeological museum is highly recommended, and a walk along the Malecón pairs ocean views with cooling breezes.

April 3, 2027 - Day at Sea 

April 4 - 5, 2027 - Fuerte Amador, Panama

Located west of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a gateway to exploring the many faces of this unique Central American country. The impressive engineering of the canal itself is a wonder to behold; a quick trip to the Miraflores Locks' visitor center with its panoramic observation decks offers the chance to watch behemoth barges thread their way through the legendary manmade waterway. Just minutes from the cruise port, the recently opened Biomuseo is a Frank Gehry–designed natural-history museum dedicated to Panama's ecological marvels. And Fuerte Amador sits within easy taxi distance of Panama City, the bustling, multicultural capital metropolis where visitors can wander a conquistador-era UNESCO World Heritage Site, sip coffee in street cafés and peruse modern malls. For a rural escape, it only takes an hour or two by car to trade the city for the tropical rain forests of Soberanía National Park, where an aerial tram carries passengers through treetops, or to meet Emberá tribespeople in their traditional village along the Chagres River.

Apr 05, 2027 - Cruising Panama Canal

The construction of the Panama Canal is one of those epic tales from the past, an old-school feat of engineering, ambition and courage. A cruise along it today is a journey through the centuries, from the Spanish fortifications near Limón Bay to the glittering skyline of Panama City, not to mention the canal itself. Over the course of a decade a little more than a century ago, tens of thousands of workers drilled dynamite holes, drove belching steam shovels and labored with pickaxes, all the while fighting off malaria. While the French builders of the Suez Canal ultimately gave up in Panama, American crews persevered and created a route allowing ships to travel across a continent. As David McCullough recounts in his sweeping history The Path Between the Seas, it was a combination of sheer human might and engineering prowess. In 2016 an expansion more than doubled the canal's capacity, ensuring it will continue to be central to the world's maritime traffic.While many think of the Panama Canal only as a remarkable manmade achievement, the area is also of interest to naturalists. Panama’s rain forest suffered great biodiversity loss during the canal's construction, but today more than 100 species each of mammals and reptiles, as well as some 500 different birds, thrive in the nature reserves along the length of the canal.

April 06, 2027 - Day at Sea 

Apr 07, 2027 - Georgetown, Cayman Islands

George Town, the vibrant heart of the Cayman Islands, offers more than just clear waters and balmy breezes. A culinary hotspot, the city boasts a variety of gourmet restaurants influenced by the 135 nationalities residing on the island. Take a stroll on the iconic Seven Mile Beach, dive into stunning coral reefs, or relax at Rum Point. With Holland America, explore the best of the Cayman Islands' cuisine and natural beauty.

April 8, 2027 - Day at Sea 

Apr 09, 2027 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US

Fort Lauderdale, also known as the Venice of America, invites visitors to explore its intricate canal system on a paddlewheeler or water taxi. Discover the city’s vibrant nautical lifestyle, upscale Las Olas Boulevard, and the cultural delights of the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. An airboat adventure through the Everglades offers an unforgettable Florida experience, solidifying Fort Lauderdale as a top cruise destination.

This is a once in a lifetime itinerary - contact your Uniglobe Travel consultant to take advantage of our special rates today!