South America Travel Guide

Decades of cinema and National Geographic Magazines have done much to fuse South America into the imagination. Destinations like Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu, The Galapagos Islands and Patagonia conjure images and emotions at their mere mention. But unlike so many of the world's fabled destinations that have been dulled by tourism, South America's remain eternally awe-inspiring. Everything looms larges here, from her natural wonders to the monumental remnants of past civilizations, from the driving rhythms of her festivals to the passion and spirit her peoples bring to each moment.

South America is a destination for real travelers, where undiscovered treasures and authentic experiences abound. Feel your heart sigh as you wander the cobbled colonial streets of Cartagena, or the star-kissed beaches of Buzios. Marvel as your neck cranes to take in the modern architectural wonder of Brasilia or the soaring condors of Peru. Feel every cell of your being resonate as you stand at the edge of Iguazu Falls, or abandon yourself to the gyrating oneness of Rio's Carnival. Journey upriver into the very lungs of the world - the Amazon Basin - and breathe in time with Mother Nature.

From Tierra del Fuego in the south to Caracas in the north, South America is a tapestry of cultures and landscapes stitched together by ever-present rhythms that both bind and define. Some of the world's greatest explorers, naturalists, poets and thinkers got their groove here, and you will too. But don't be surprised if you soon start planning a return visit, because life after South America will seem like a slow shuffle.