Rachel Williams has spent 17 years taking travellers through the Galapagos, the Amazon and Patagonia. She reveals the secret to experiencing them in all their glory.
There’s aren’t many places on the planet where the wildlife isn’t bothered by the presence of humans. But in the protected Galapagos Islands, even the birds stay put when travellers respectfully approach.
“The giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, iguanas – they don’t fear us,” says Rachel Williams. The founder and managing director of Viva Expeditions has ventured to the South American archipelago several times, and each visit and encounter with the fauna leaves her in awe.
“The small sea lions love to play with you. If you’re snorkelling, they’ll swim up and blow bubbles in your face. If you wave your flippers up and down, they’ll mimic you. It’s incredible.”
Travellers exploring the islands with Viva Expeditions can glide between the remote volcanic islands on a luxury catamaran known as Elite.
With just eight suites, local naturalist guides on board and a crew ratio of one to one, it’s an intimate and immersive way to experience the place Darwin’s ideas took shape, as are the dinghies, kayaks and paddle-boards available to take you to shore.
“Your world feels so much bigger when you’re in such close contact,” says Williams, whose love for intrepid travel stems from extensive excursions throughout South America in her 20s, when she fell in love with the continent’s diversity, rhythm and natural beauty.
Spotting a gap in the market for adventurous, bespoke itineraries with all the comforts, she founded Viva Expeditions on her return more than 17 years ago.
The Galapagos Islands are just one of several small-ship cruises Viva Expeditions offers throughout South America – and beyond to Antarctica, via the Patagonia Fjords in southern Chile and Argentina.
“The small ships get you close enough, slowly enough and quietly enough, for you to really experience places that are otherwise inaccessible,” says Williams. “It’s an incredible privilege to be there.”
Next on her list is an eight-day expedition through Colombia, with a small-ship cruise along the scenic Magdalena River.
From the lively “Carnaval” atmosphere of Barranquilla; through UNESCO-listed Mompox, recognised for its preservation of colonial architecture; and onto Williams’ favourite city, Cartagena, with its colourful, whitewashed buildings and abundance of fresh flowers, the AmaWaterways vessel is a magical way to experience a country Williams says she’s always felt safe and at home in.
“The music, the colour, the food and the warmth of the people give you a totally new perspective,” she says. “Because it’s on the Caribbean coastline, it has an Afro influence and rhythm. It’s fun and lively with spectacular beaches.”
As you get out of the city and into lush landscapes, it’s not unusual to feel as though you’ve got the river to yourselves, she adds, as AmaWaterways only started taking travellers along the Magdalena in 2025.
“The whole project was put together with the community. The ships were built in Colombia, the majority of the staff are Colombian, and each stop along the way is in collaboration with the villages.”
Being so community-focused, it’s easy to gain a new perspective on life, says Williams. Seeing the simple way people live and the generosity of the locals, you come away humbled, she reflects.
“The people would give you the shirt off their back.”
A four-day river cruise through the Amazon in northern Peru on board the Delfin III, a luxury small ship that takes no more than 44 passengers, offers another appreciation for life on the water.
Cruising through “the lungs of the Earth” and into narrow channels bigger vessels are unable to access, Williams says you can’t help but feel gratitude.
“Each day you head out on a skiff with a naturalist guide and see local communities and parts of the Amazon so few people get to explore, along with monkeys, jaguars and pink dolphins – the funkiest, gnarliest creatures.”
After a day of exploring, travellers retire to suites that have been furnished by local artisans, each with floor-to-ceiling windows, some with private spa pools.
“It’s wonderful to be cruising along the river watching a beautiful sunset, waking up to a new view every day and hearing the chorus of birds – it’s almost deafening,” Williams says.
“Delfin is a great operator in that they really give back. They run an amazing programme where they work for the communities to restore the native forest. You come home grateful for the planet, but also for those people out there protecting it.”
Discover Viva Expeditions’ South America small-ship cruise itineraries at vivaexpeditions.com