I love visiting South America and the best thing is that there is just so much to do there. It is a continent that you could spend years exploring, due to the sheer size and various cultures there. I wrote this article to talk about the things that I love about visiting South America, so read on and enjoy.
Antarctica
This is the place to visit for a little side trip when you are in the very southern part of South America. You can actually take a cruise to Antarctica from Argentina. This is perhaps not the most spontaneous thing to do, but it is definitely a great idea if you are planning to visit South America anyway and the cruise to Antarctica is well worth it. You will get to see the most unreal looking sea and landscapes, as well as some great wildlife including many types of penguins, whales, seals and many other types of birds. You also get the ultimate bragging right, because how many of your friends can actually say that they have been to the end of the world?
Carnival
There really isn’t much better than celebrating the world’s biggest Carnival celebration in Rio de Janeiro. Carnival is a time of expression and the outfits and music definitely match this free form of expression. The floats are also a spectacle with many colours and designs that are simply out of this world. This has got to be the best place in the world to dance and there is no question about that.
Hike the Inca Trail
The Inca Trail is the path to the Sacred Valley and the ancient city of Machu Picchu. This is one of the wonders of the world and you can experience the mountain atmosphere, subtropical jungles and many Inca ruins in the area. The trail was used by the Inca people in order to reach Machu Picchu and is a physically demanding experience that will certainly leave you with the feeling that you have earnt everything that you see on the way.
Explore the Amazon
Amazingly the Amazon is home to one third of the world’s animal species and this makes it an incredible place to explore. The huge diversity of plant life is also another thing that is very interesting, because there are thought to be many thousands of plants that have not yet been discovered there. It is a great place to explore and the best way to do this is by boat, trust me you will never forget the lush forests and amazing animals.
Visit the Galapagos Islands
These small islands are located just off the coast of Ecuador. They are particularly famous for the Galapagos tortoise, which is the largest species of tortoise on the entire planet. These truly have to be seen to be believed and some can reach over 400 kilograms in weight. This sight is worth seeing the islands alone, but they also offer a volcanic formed landscape for you to explore as well as great water activities, like snorkelling and diving.
