AnnaGlide through South America at the pace it was meant to be seen—aboard slow-boats and ferries that carry you through rivers, fjords, and remote ports, sharing the experience with locals. From the Amazon’s meandering waterways to Paraguay’s cargo-laden ferries, Patagonia’s rugged fjords, and even the icy edge of Antarctica, these 4+1 routes offer unique, budget-friendly, once-in-a-life adventures that stretch time and imagination, letting you drift with the continent’s heartbeat one unhurried mile at a time.
1. Iquitos (Peru) → Manaus (Brazil) on the Amazon River
Why it’s unique: Legendary slow-boat journey on the Amazon River crossing three countries (Peru, Colombia, Brazil). It’s the longest river journey budget-travelers can do in South America.
- Journey length: 7-10 days in total
Experience: It’s not a river cruise, rather a ferry transporting budget-travelers and cargo. Think of hammock decks for sleeping, basic meals (rice, chicken, beans), cargo stacked with bananas and chickens, jungle sunsets, spotting jungle animals by chance. In fact, it’s a journey in 3 legs: 1. Iquitos-Letitia, 2. Border crossing in Leticia/Tabatinga, 3. Tabatinga-Manaus. The ferry runs every few days, so flexibility with schedule is key.
Budget factor: With your own hammock passage costs around $85–120 in total (payable in the local currencies), meals are included.
- Where to buy tickets: Purchasing your ticket is only possible in person at each port.
Highlight for readers: “This is the Amazon highway: forget comfort, embrace the experience.”
2. Pucallpa → Iquitos (Peru) on the Ucayali River
Why it’s unique: Less famous than Iquitos–Manaus, this route is a shorter Amazonian slow-boat journeys. (Ucayali is an Amazon River tributary – that means, it’s a connecting river to Amazon.) It links Peru’s jungle city of Pucallpa with Iquitos, the largest city on Earth unreachable by road.
- Journey length: 4-5 days
Experience: Endless jungle horizon, pink dolphins (spotted by chance), rustic food onboard, hammocks strung shoulder-to-shoulder. Departures are every 2-3 days, when the boat is full of cargo.
Budget factor: Hammock space is 100-120 soles that is around US $30–50). A few cabins may be available for a higher price, and low comfort. Meals are included in all tickets.
- Where to buy tickets: similarly to other Amazon River boats, ticket can only be bought in person at the ferry port. Head to the port in Pucallpa (Puerto Henry, also called Puerto Pucallpa), or alternatively, local travel agents can also arrange for you for a fee.
Highlight for readers: “Arrive in Iquitos the way locals do — by surrendering to the river’s pace.”
3. Concepción (Paraguay) → Asunción on the Rio Paraguay
Why it’s unique: This slow journey down the Rio Paraguay takes you through the heart of Paraguay, the landlocked country, linking cattle ranch towns, wetlands, and small riverside communities. Few international travelers take this route, but it’s a lifeline for locals.
- Journey length: 2 days
Experience: Hammocks or bunks on passenger-cargo boats, encounters with locals transporting goods, stunning river sunsets. Wildlife sightings possible in the Pantanal fringe. Departures are every 2-3 days, when the boat is full of cargo.
Budget factor: Roughly 100,000–150,000 Guaraníes (~US $15–20), meals are included.
- Where to buy tickets: tickets are only available in person at Concepción river port (Puerto de Concepción). Or alternatively, hotels/hostals in town can arrange tickets for a fee.
Highlight for readers: “A voyage into Paraguay’s quiet heart, where time moves as slowly as the river itself.”
4. Puerto Natales → Caleta Tortel (Chile) along the Patagonian Fjords
Why it’s unique: This route links the gateway town to Torres del Paine and the Carretera Austral, threading through Chile’s labyrinth of fjords, glaciers, and fishing villages. A remote, little-known alternative to the more expensive Puerto Montt–Puerto Natales Navimag ferry.
- Journey length: 3 days
Experience: Ferry that transports cargo as well, very weather-dependent, unforgettable landscapes. One of the most isolated boat journeys in South America accessible without a private yacht. Departures are once a week in Oct-Apr high season, and once every 2 weeks outside.
Budget factor: 151 USD
- Where to buy tickets: The easiest way is to book on Tabsa’s website: tabsa.cl, or alternatively, if you are already in Puerto Natales, you can walk in to Tabsa’s office at the ferry port. Seats are limited, so book months in advance.
Highlight for readers: “Sail where the Andes crumble into the Pacific, with glaciers spilling into the sea.”
We traveled this route – read more info and about our experience in our Puerto Natales – Caleta Tortel ferry through the Patagonian fjords article.
Traveling to the Antarctica is never cheap, since there’s no permanent population there, so no need for constant cargo. Therefore, costs are signigicatly higher than for the above journeys. Nevertheless, a slow-moving ferry can be booked occasionally, and the journey is a lifetime experience, so we’ll leave this recommendation here, as a +1 in the list.
+1. Tierra del Fuego (Argentina or Chile) → Antarctica
Why it’s unique: The most epic voyage of all — crossing the Drake Passage (the strait between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans) to Antarctica. Most departures are from Tierra del Fuego’s biggest city, Ushuaia (Argentina), but Chilean Punta Arenas also runs occasional expeditions. While luxury cruises dominate, last-minute standby deals can bring the cost within adventurous backpacker reach.
- Journey length: ~10 days
Experience: Icy seas, penguin colonies, towering icebergs, surreal light. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip, still technically “South America” since you embark from Tierra del Fuego.
Budget factor: Not cheap, but worth including as the ultimate budget stretch: last-minute cabins can drop below $3,000 (vs $10,000+ brochure prices).
- Where to buy tickets: Some small expedition and tourist boat operators in Ushuaia sell unsold berths cheaply a few days before departure, the so-called “last-minute / standby” tickets. Prices can drop to US $1,000–1,500 for a 10-day trip in a shared cabin. Go to Ushuaia’s tourist port or local travel agencies 1–3 days before departure, and be flexible and patient. Rarely, from Punta Arenas research trips with paid passenger spots are available for ~$1,000–2,000 USD.
Highlight for readers: “The continent beyond South America: a budget hack into the white wilderness.”
