Blog: 10 Reasons to go to South America

Look at the back of any of the guidebooks in Waterstones and you’ll notice that the only one that says “the most exciting continent on the planet” is the one for South America. It goes on to say that if you’re jaded or bored with life, it’s the place to go.

Here are ten reasons to go:
1) It’s a super colourful continent: the people, their clothes, the food, the views, life itself is all in full colour.

2) The music: whether it’s Tango, Salsa, Merengue, pan pipes, drums or a mix, music fills the air wherever you go.

3) The Andes: the longest mountain range on earth; stunning high mountains to be looked at, trekked on, climbed, feared or admired.

Green macaxs at a clay-lick in the Amazon

4) Waterfalls: The Angel Falls, Venezuela (world’s highest) and Iguassu Falls, Argentina/Brazil border (huge) are both very impressive.

5) The Amazon: The largest rain forest on earth; enormous, wild, the most diverse ecosystem there is, the Amazon river itself, anacondas, monkeys, morpho butterflies, tribal people, medicinal plants, canoe trips ………

6) Islands: Los Roques, Venezuela is a Caribbean paradise. The Galapagos Islands off Ecuador are renowned for the tame wildlife and Darwin’s theory of evolution. Easter Island in the remote Pacific off Chile is famous for its carved head statues with mysterious origins.

7) Beaches: Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic. Miles and miles of beaches for all tastes, from chilled and calm with thatched huts, to big wave surfing, to the much feared Cape horn at the end of the world!

8) Crazy politics; no continent has a more fascinating political history, filled with revolutions, wars for independence and larger than life characters like Ché Guevara and Evita.

9) The vast diversity of landscape: you can experience coast, mountains, desert and jungle all within a few days. It’s got it all!

10) The X factor: South America just seems to put a spell on people; an undefinable, infectious magnetic pull which draws you back to it again and again, and may be incurable requiring several return visits!

11) One for luck: 2 new ‘wonders of the world’: Machu Picchu, Peru and Rio’s Christ The Redeemer statue, Brazil. In fact, when it comes to ancient cultures and sites to explore Indiana Jones style, nowhere comes close.

Tempted? Why not go and find out for yourself.