The ruins of Mayan cities, beaches, deserts, mountains and nature reserves – every year South America is becoming more and more popular among tourists. We will tell you about the most beautiful places in Latin America, where you can spend a vacation like no other.
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
In the southwest of Bolivia, on the desert plain of the Altiplano, Uyuni is located – the largest salt marsh in the world, its area is 10,588 km². During the dry season, the salt marsh is a flat, snow-white desert that shines in the sun. And during the rainy season, when the salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water, it turns into a huge mirror surface. The horizon disappears, the water reflects the sky and many people have the illusion that the earth is moving under their feet, like clouds in the sky. The only hotel on the salt marsh, Palacio de Sal, is built entirely from salt blocks. Even furniture and decorative elements are made of salt. Uyuni is located 350 km from La Paz, the unofficial capital of Bolivia, from where buses run to the salt marsh.
Machu Picchu, the mysterious city of the Incas in Peru
This Incan city, lost in the mountains of Peru, was discovered just a hundred years ago. No one knows why the Spaniards did not discover it and where all its inhabitants disappeared in the 16th century. Temples and palaces, rock-cut houses, squares and hundreds of staircases are perfectly preserved. The main attractions of the city are the Inti Punku Sun Gate, through which the setting sun illuminates the streets of the city, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Square, entirely carved into the rock, and the observatory. You can get to Machu Picchu by bus from Cusco, the largest city in southern Peru.
Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile
This unique biosphere reserve was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Torres del Paine is isolated from the world by a mountain range. On 2,400 km² there are dozens of lakes and lagoons and the huge Salto Grande waterfall, rare birds, animals and lizards live. The park is considered the most beautiful trekking destination in South America. You can get to the park by bus from the town of Puerto Natales (3 hours) or from the city of El Calafate (5 hours).
Iguazu Falls (Cataratas del Iguazu), on the border of Brazil and Argentina
Iguazu Falls is a complex of 275 waterfalls on the Iguazu River, in the national park of the same name, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The waterfalls have been repeatedly called the most beautiful in the world and were included in the list of “New Wonders of the World” in 2011. The height of most of them is 60-70 meters, and the largest, “Devil’s Throat,” is 82 meters. Mesmerizing views of the waterfalls open from above, from observation platforms, and from below, during a boat excursion through the seething pit. We also recommend taking a walk through the park – rare parrots live in the dense tropical forests and huge orchids bloom. Iguazu National Park is located 18 km from the city of Puerto Iguazu, from where a narrow-gauge railway goes to the waterfall.
Photo: nationalgeographic.com
Pantanal, biosphere reserve in Brazil
The Pantanal is a protected area stretching over 150 thousand km², with hundreds of species of fish and birds, jaguars, alligators, tapirs, pumas, caimans and huge otters. 400 species of birds and animals are found nowhere else on the planet. Unique natural conditions have arisen in the Pantanal thanks to hundreds of swamps. The reserve also has cascading waterfalls, lakes, rivers and lagoons. In the Pantanal you can go on day and night boat safaris, watch caimans and alligators, catch and roast piranhas. It is better to come to the reserve from May to October, during the dry season. You can get to the Pantanal by bus from the cities of Cuiaba and Campo Grande, where planes fly from Rio and Sao Paulo.
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