The Wonders Of South America

Argentina

Argentina is officially called the Argentine Republic. The country is located in the southern half of South America and its capital is Buenos Aires.

Iguazu Falls is an amazing waterfall found along the border between Argentina and Brazil. The Iguazu National Park is in Argentina and Iguacu National Park is in Brazil. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The huge waterfalls draw many visitors and you can get close to these thundering falls through a network of accessible walkways and viewing platforms. Some are at the bottom of the falls in an area called the Devil's Throat.

Iguazu consists of between 150 and 300 individual falls at varying heights between 60 to 82 meters.

Buenos Aires is one of the most attractive cities in South America. La Boca is the city's most colorful neighborhood and home to the Caminito Street Museum, a pedestrian zone and an open-air museum. There are many cafes to relax in and you can hear music in the streets and see tango dancers.

Bolivia

Bolivia is a country in central South America. It has a varied terrain that spans the Andes Mountains, Atacama Desert and the Amazon Basin rainforest. Its capital La Paz sits on the Andes Altiplano Plateau with snow-capped Mt. Illimani in the background.

Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America and borders Bolivia and Peru. It is thought that the Incas and other native people originated in the region.

At the south-eastern shore of the lake is Tiwanaku which are the ruins of an ancient city-state believed to be a precursor of the Inca Empire. Lake Titicaca has become a popular tourist destination.

Madidi National Park stretches from the Andes to the Amazon. It is known to be one of the most biologically diverse parks in the world.

Here you can see a jaguar, a giant otter, or a titi monkey which is a species of monkey that is found nowhere else in the world. Over 11 per cent of the planet's 9,000 species of birds can be found in this national park.

Brazil

Brazil is officially called the Federative Republic of Brazil and is the largest country in both South and Latin America. Its capital is Rio de Janeiro.

The most recognizable and amazing landmark is Christ the Redeemer. It is the biggest and most famous Art Deco statue in the world. The statue stands atop of Corcovado and looks over Rio de Janeiro. It took four years to build with pieces arriving from France. Another five years passed before its Inauguration in 1931 and today Christ the Redeemer stands 2,300ft above sea level. In 2007 it was elected to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Ibirapuera Park is Latin America's largest park and one of the major landmarks in Brazil. It is an urban park amidst the skyscrapers of Sao Paulo.

The park includes the Afro-Brazilian Museum, the Modern Art Museum, a Japanese Garden, a planetarium, some restaurants, an auditorium, an exhibition space and some important monuments of Brazilian history.

Chile

Chile is a long, narrow country that stretches along the western edge of South America. It has over 6,000km of the Pacific Ocean coastline. Its capital Santiago sits in a valley that is surrounded by the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range Mountains.

The Hand of the Desert is a famous statue located in the middle of the Atacama Desert. This gigantic hand looks like it is reaching for the heavens and is 36 feet high. The sculpture was built by Mario Irarrazabal in the early 1980s. The desert has white sand dunes.

Chiloe is a remote archipelago with rolling hills and volcanoes. The highlights here are its churches.

The Spaniards brought Christianity to the island and built unique churches that were made from local timber. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Easter Island is known for its mysterious and massive Moai statues. It is a small Chilean territory locally known as Rapa Nui and is one of the most remote places on Earth. It sits right in the heart of the Pacific Ocean about 3,700km from the South American coast.

Rapa Nui National Park covers much of Easter Island with amazing volcanic landscapes, ocean vistas and those incredible statues. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The statues date back to the 12th century representing the island's Polynesian ancestors.

Colombia

Columbia is officially called the Republic of Colombia. Its boundaries are the Caribbean Sea on the north, Panama on the northwest, Ecuador and Peru on the south and Venezuela on the east. Its capital is Bogota.

Medellin is a city that draws tourists. It has quaint cable cars and lush "eco-parks." The Old Quarter at Botero Plaza is of interest with 23 portly sculptures donated by Colombian artist Fernando Botero.

Adjacent to the plaza is the Museum of Antioquia and the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture.

Take to the hills to experience riding the sleek escalator system through Comuna 13 a neighborhood of colorful homes and elaborate street murals.

Take the time to see the trendiest commune, El Poblado with eateries, boutiques, and hotels.

Leticia is a small frontier town sitting along the banks of the Amazon River. It is a great place for eco-tourism, wildlife safaris, or hikes into the Amazon.

Ecuador

Ecuador is a country right on the equator on the west coast of South America. It has a very diverse landscape consisting of the Amazon jungle, Andean highlands, and the Galapagos Islands. Its capital is Quito located in the Andean foothills.

Quilotoa Lake is an amazing crater lake near Quito. It is a popular destination. Views from the crater are stunning and visitors can hike down to the water. There are kayak rentals. Hiking back up can be difficult on the steep incline and you can get a donkey to carry you back up.

Around the lake, you can take a multi-day hike called the Quilotoa Loop. It is considered to be one of the best treks in South America. There are small towns to see along the way and the paths are well-marked.

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve was established in 1979. Here visitors can combine seeing the tropical scenery with viewing wildlife. The reserve is home to over 500 bird species and 15 monkey species as well as tapirs, caimans, butterflies, and anacondas. It is located in Orellana Province at the Andean foothills. It has eight ecosystems among them watersheds and rainforests.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the most iconic places to visit in South America. They are known for their wildlife and you can see sea lions everywhere. There are giant tortoises and marine iguanas.

Take a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station to find out about the unique ecosystem here. There are endless white beaches and on every island, in the archipelago, you can see marine iguanas strolling by.

Guyana

Guyana is a country on the north Atlantic coast of South America. It has a dense rainforest and its capital is Georgetown.

Kaieteur Falls is the world's largest single-drop waterfall. It is located in the Guyanese interior surrounded by thick rainforest. It is accessible by a one-hour flight from Georgetown or a two-day hike.

The Iwokrama Forest is one of the last remaining pristine primaeval rainforests on Earth. It is in the very heart of the country with highlands giving way to tropical lowlands. There are many waterfalls and mountain streams. The forest is known for its canopies at 30m high. There are endangered bats, harpy eagles, multi-colored frogs and lizards living here.

There are jaguars, giant armadillos, and howler monkeys to see if you go on a safari across rope bridges.

Paraguay

Paraguay is a landlocked country between Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. It has swampland, subtropical forest and chaco, wildernesses, savannah and scrubland. Its capital Asuncion sits on the banks of the Paraguay River.

Saltos del Monday is located on the outskirts of Ciudad del Este and is one of Paraguay's amazing natural wonders. The series of waterfalls is 45m tall and 120m wide. Visitors can climb and abseil down the rocky walls. You can view them from wooden walkways stretching across the river.

Ybycul National Park is full of wildlife and waterfalls. At the old iron foundry, you can learn about munitions production during the Triple Alliance War. It is refreshing to swim in the natural pools. Hiking along winding paths you can see capuchin monkeys, tropical butterflies, peccaries, and coati.

Peru

Peru is home to sections of the Amazon rainforest and the amazing ancient Incan city Machu Picchu. Its capital is Lima.

Take the famous Inca Trail which ends at Machu Picchu one of the most visited sites in Peru. The trail takes you past 30 Inca ruins and offers some amazing scenery.

The Inca city of Machu Picchu is perched atop a ridge, 300m above the Urubamba River. The backdrop to the city is steep, lush and cloud-shrouded mountains. In 1911 Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu believing it was the "Lost City of the Incas." As of January 2020 visitors here must tour with a guide.

Suriname

Suriname is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America. It is covered by tropical rainforest. Its capital is Paramaribo.

Galibi Nature Reserve is one of the most biologically diverse reserves in the region with many different species of flora and fauna.

It is knowns for being the home of the giant leatherback sea turtle, an endangered species. There are some Amerindian villages where you can see local artwork and handicrafts.

Mount Kasikasima stands at more than 2000ft and is located in central Suriname about 40 miles outside of Palumeu, an Amerindian village. The mountain provides a challenging mountain climb and you can also hike, trek, and canoe.

Uruguay

Uruguay is known for its verdant interior and beach-lined coast. Its capital is Montevideo.

Montevideo is an eclectic mix of Neo-Classical and colonial architecture, African influences, and modern European flair. Palacio Salvo is home to the Tango Museum of Montevideo and the Legislative Palace was built with almost 30 different types and colors of marble.

The oldest part of the city Ciudad Vieja is a lovely neighborhood that includes the Citadel Gate which is the only remaining part of the city walls and the Plaza Independence with green space.

Tourists are attracted by the beaches of Montevideo and Rambia a coastline sidewalk.

Cabo Polonio is a tiny hamlet with no electricity or running water which is fine with local residents. With a population under 100 people living in small cabins and houses with one store in town.

All around are grassy sand dunes and giant boulders. The only building connected to a power grid is the lighthouse.

Venezuela

Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America. Along its Caribbean coast are tropical resorts and to the northwest are the Andes Mountains. The capital is to the north, Caracas.

Angel Falls is located in the heart of the country dropping 979m and is the highest waterfall in the world. It is in the Canaima National Park. The best time to view the falls is during the rainy season between May and November.

Morrocoy National Park is known for its white-sand beaches and coral reefs that stretch along the mainland and ring the offshore islands and cays. One of the main activities here is diving.

The park is home to many birds like osprey, parrots, flamingo, and the scarlet ibis.