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Where to Visit in South America?

South America is an amazing continent with a huge range of natural and cultural highlights. The huge Amazon Rainforest, snow-covered mountains and peaceful beaches can be combined with visits to crazy cities, impressive museums and ancient ruins, Machu Picchu being the most famous. All of which make for an enjoyable and memorable vacation but the continent is so vast that it might take you many years if your goal is to see everything. To help you decide how to get the most out of your South American holiday, here is a quick introduction to the top destinations in South America.

Peru and Bolivia

Peru is a good place to start if you are looking to explore the Andes and visit the many colonial towns, indigenous villages and ancient ruins that exist in this amazing country. The town of Cusco is found high in the Andes and is the longest continuously inhabited city on the continent. From Cuzco, you can easily reach the famous archaeological jewel of Machu Picchu at the end of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Peru also features the beautiful Cordillera Blanca, the Tibet of South America, with its density of 5500 meter plus peaks. Arequipa, known as the white city, with its old cobblestone streets and huge Santa Catalina Monastery, the nearby Colca Canyon, the mysterious Nazca Lines and the strange floating islands of Lake Titicaca. From Lake Titicaca, you can even travel by boat to Bolivia which itself has a great amount to offer in terms of natural and cultural heritage. One of the most spectacular things to do in Bolivia is the 4 day tour of the salt flats, the Salar de Uyuni. Peru and Bolivia can be combined easily as they share a border and relatively good transport links.

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

A small country with many attractions Ecuador is somewhat similar to Peru and Bolivia in geography and culture and its size and infrastructure makes it quite easy to get around. Set around the Andes mountains you are able to trek through the amazing scenery, take your mountain bike along the rugged mountain roads or go horseback riding among the snow-covered volcanoes found in Cotopaxi National Park for example.  Access to the Amazon jungle is relatively easy and this is a great option to add to other elements of your Ecuador tour. For many the Galapagos Islands are the signature visit, this is a unique and exciting destination and many choose to combine the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu with a cruise around the Galapagos.

Brazil

Brazil is the largest country in South America, with a land mass greater than the United States. Many start the trip in Rio de Janeiro, a true world city nestled within forest-clad mountains, and well known for its attractive beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema, fabulous festivals such as Carnival, exuberant people and vast offerings of music and football madness. Two of the best known landmarks in Rio are the sugar loaf mountain and the Corcovado statue, but the city has much more to offer besides.

Remote and beautiful coastlines are only a few hours away and offer colonial towns such as Paraty and rainforest-covered islands such as Ilha Grande. If you have additional time, you can visit the colonial city of Salvador in the northeast which is the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture, the truly breathtaking Iguazu Falls are located on the border with Argentina, and also the captial Brasilia, which is renowned for its otherworldly architecture, is a worthwhile visit. Of course there is also the mighty Amazon jungle which can be visited through the gateway city of Manaus, plus the vast swampland of the Pantanal where Crocodiles and Anacondas roam!

Colombia

Many in our office rate Colombia as their favorite destination after our beloved Peru. The country is now as safe as most places for travel after suffering a torrid time in the past. The people are very courteous and the infrastructure mostly very good meaning you can get around easily. A tour of Colombia usually starts in Bogota, the capital of the country located high in the mountains. It is a cultural gem filled with interesting architecture and museums, charming cafes and dance-filled night clubs with many nearby attractions such as an underground salt cathedral and the Candelaria hill.  Colombia is famous for coffee so a visit to the coffee zone around Armenia is a must, and for salsa lovers why not dance in its home city of Cali. There are beaches for sunning oneself at Taganga along the Caribbean coast, hikes to the largest pre-Colombian town known as the “Lost City” or Cuidad Perdida and the colonial / resort city of Cartagena is a real pleasure. Give Colombia a try, you wont regret it.

Argentina and Chile

These two countries share the southern half of the continent and between them command a huge range of physical and man made treasures. In Buenos Aires and Santiago you have two activity-filled capitals, stylish and steeped in history. Close to Santiago is the center of the famous Chilean wine industry so day trips, or even better, nights spent on a vineyard are easily done from the capital. During the ski season a short drive from Santiago takes you to the slopes. Buenos Aires has a rich history, tango and interesting districts such as La Boca to keep you entertained for days.

As well as its own wine region based mainly around Mendoza, Argentina has spectacular Iguazu Falls and the glacier parks of Patagonia as its top attractions. Chile boasts the Atacama desert, its wine country and its own half of Patagonia plus the lake district, and dont forget the amazing Easter Island.

Uruguay

Somewhat off the beaten track is the country of Uruguay with its pristine beaches and the vibrant capital of Montevideo which offers a lively arts scene and the Afro-Uruguayan Carnival, the world’s longest carnival celebration. For days filled with fun and excitement, visit Punta del Este where you can parasail, windsurf, waterski and fish along the sandy beaches by day and party at night at its glitzy nightclubs and casinos. Uruguay is also becoming known for its wine production, due to its temperate climate with conditions similar to those of the Bordeaux region of France. The Tannat grape is the major source of Uruguay wines and many boutique wineries can be found where the wines produced from this grape can be tasted.

These are just some of the highlights of the travel destinations in South America and with some additional research and help from your travel consultant you can be assured that your visit to this continent can be enhanced with many sites not even mentioned here!