Amaze Yourself in Latin America
Latin America includes Central and South America—full of amazing scenery and abundant natural wonders including the dense jungles of the Amazon rainforest, the jagged peaks of the Andes Mountains, tropical beaches and cascading waterfalls. Known for its outdoor adventure, this region has become synonymous with eco-tours and trips. Latin America also offers cultural adventures including following in the footsteps of ancient civilizations in Peru and Guatemala, seeing amazing colonial architecture, drinking up the Chilean wine country, and visiting small villages as well and magnificent metropolitan cities like Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aries. Here are a few favorites:
Central America—Wildlife & Wonderment
For divers and snorkelers, Belize is a must see. It’s home to the second longest barrier reef in the world, and other amazing sites such as the “Blue Hole” which drops to astounding depths surrounded by coral and aqua waters. For more incredible outdoor adventures, visit Costa Rica and its national parks where you can see a wide variety of wildlife from Howler monkeys to Ridley turtles, beautiful beaches, cloud forests, rain forests, and zip lines that zing you through the tree tops for a birds’ eye view (and a rush of adrenaline).
South America—Machu Picchu & More
South America teems with ancient archaeological sites. The Peruvian Andes provide a breathtaking backdrop for the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu—a forgotten temple only revealed to the Western world in 1911, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Explore this city buried beneath vegetation for centuries, which now reveals a myriad of staircases, terraces, temples, ceremonial baths, and the Intihuatana rock pillar used by Inca astronomers to predict the solstice. Machu Picchu is reachable by train or by foot for the adventurous. Cuzco, Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire (founded AD 1100), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the highest cities in the world is also a fascinating blend of Inca and colonial Spanish architecture. Nearly every central street features remnants of Inca walls, arches and doorways.
The Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are an ecological monument uninhabited by human beings but thriving with rare wildlife such as giant tortoises, lizards, iguanas, the popular blue footed booby birds made famous by Charles Darwin’s scientific voyage during the 19th century. Some 50 percent of the islands’ species are found nowhere else in the world and Ecuador has protected the islands and turned them into a national park. Divers can witness the spectacular migration of the whale shark, the largest of the species, who also are vegetarians (phew).Trips to the Galapagos are highly regulated by the government and are usually on small expedition-type ships to minimize impact.
Brazil is the largest county on the continent and includes dramatic jungle regions, the enormous Amazon Rain Forest, the large, cosmopolitan cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Trips to the mighty Amazon River are conducted on small expedition-type vessels, giving you an up close look at the rainforest and its people.
Hungry for a great steak? Argentina and its capital city, Buenos Aires, are known for cuisine, elegant shopping, museums, culture, and nightlife. Aside from this European-style city is a country with outstanding scenic and natural attractions such as Iguazu Falls (which forms a crescent-shaped cliff over 2 miles long with 275 cascading waterfalls plummeting 269 feet into the gorge below) and the colossal Perito Moreno Glacier. Outdoor enthusiasts can also go horseback riding, bird watching, hiking in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, or skiing in the Andes.