Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? All aboard Aurora for extraordinary adventures to a land of lush landscapes, captivating cities and bucket-list travel experiences. Start dreaming of your grown-up gap year to Central and South America today…

Set your sights on… a grown-up gap year in Central and South America

<p>&quot;On our first day here we visited the coastal city of Valparaiso, we had a wine tasting trip booked at the Casas del Bosque vineyard, which has fabulous gardens and wildlife. The second day we stayed local and went into San Antonio, where we saw sea lions and seals playing in the ocean and on the rocks.&quot;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Susan and Garry, travelled on Aurora in 2023</p>


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Woman sat on the edge of a pool in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Explore Topics

Top shore experience recommendation

<h2>Top shore experience recommendation</h2>
<h3>Three Reef Snorkel</h3>
<p>Take to Cozumel’s crystal-clear waters and snorkel among three thriving coral reefs. Beneath the island’s sparkling Caribbean seas, there are showstopping reefs, teeming with tropical marine life. Enjoy a breezy boat ride to the famous Paradise Hallow Reef, get your snorkelling kit on and explore an exceptionally beautiful underwater world with a kaleidoscopic array of fish. Paradise Reef was one of Jacques Cousteau’s favourites. Just 200 yards from shore, it’s home to green turtles, sea fans, schools of angelfish and yellowtail. If you have an underwater camera, bring it along. Dazzling coral gardens roll out beneath you at Dzul Ha Reef. Spot lobsters and crabs scuttling below and watch for graceful rays gliding by.</p>


Costa Rica

<h2>Costa Rica</h2>
<p>With about a quarter of its jungles and mountains protected, Costa Rica is famous for the extraordinary richness of its biodiversity. Hummingbirds, toucans, parrots, sloths and jaguars all abound – in fact, there are more than half a million different species of wildlife and flora compared to only 70,000 in the UK. The cruise port of <a href="https://www.pocruises.com/ports/puerto-limon-costa-rica">Puerto Limón</a>&nbsp;is close to incredible nature reserves where expert guides can help you spot notable animals and plants. The country is also covered with beautiful mountain trails that allow for spectacular hikes and, on some, the chance to bathe in a crystal-clear waterfall pool.</p>


Uruguay

<h2>Uruguay</h2>
<p>Sandwiched between two giants – Argentina and Brazil – Uruguay’s location means it is often overlooked. While it might be the second smallest country in South America, it’s all relative – it’s still five times bigger than the Netherlands. The country has much to offer visitors, from a verdant interior to stunning Atlantic beaches and beautiful Art Deco architecture in the capital, <a href="https://www.pocruises.com/ports/montevideo-uruguay">Montevideo</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>‘We had an overnight stay in Montevideo on our trip,’ say Susan and Garry. ‘On the&nbsp;first day we went out of the city into the countryside to sample some of the famous wines grown there. Local homemade food was brought out, and&nbsp;we sampled four different wines and a white port.’</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Travel east from Montevideo and you’ll hit popular beach resorts such as Piriápolis and&nbsp;Punta del Este, while the road west leads to the UNESCO-listed colonial city of Colonia del Sacramento and the mouth of the mighty Río de la Plata.</p>


Panama Canal

<h2>Panama Canal</h2>
<p>When it comes to bucket-list experiences, cruising through the <a href="https://www.pocruises.com/ports/panama-canal-partial-transit">Panama Canal</a> is likely to be near the top.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>When the 65-kilometre-long canal opened in 1914, it transformed the world, cutting more than three weeks off the average journey from the Atlantic side’s Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean’s Gulf of Panama and vice versa. Today, the canal comprises a system of two independent transit lanes with a combined total of 12 locks. If water levels allow, up to 40 ships can pass through the canal each day, navigating a series of locks that elevate and lower vessels by 26 metres.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Depending on the cruise, our ships will perform either a full transit (taking in Miraflores Locks, Pedro Miguel Locks, Gaillard Cut and Gatun Locks) or a partial transit, which typically negotiates the canal from Colón on the Caribbean side to the Gatun Lake, where your ship is lifted 26 metres to the level of the lake.</p>


Feeling inspired?

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Feeling inspired?</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Book your grown-up gap year <a href="https://www.pocruises.com/find-a-cruise?duration=17-*&amp;ships=AU,AC">here</a>.</h2>


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Set your sights on… a grown-up gap year in Central and South America

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