South America

Overview

The continent lies between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans to the south of the Isthmus of Panama.

With more than 1,000 tributaries, the Amazon River basin is the largest in the world. A voyage of exploration into the depth of rainforest offers the opportunity to get very close to the natural world. The rainforest is in stark contrast to the Atacama Desert, in Chile, which is amongst driest places earth.

The Galapagos, situated off the coast of Ecuador was the setting for Charles Darwin's work on the Theory of Evolution due to the unique species that can be found on the islands.

The Andes which stretch the length of the continent are perfect for mountaineering. Cusco in Peru once capital of the Inca civilization is the gateway to Machu Picchu, the most famous of their sites.

Top destinations in South America include Santiago with its beautiful colonial architecture, Rio with its vibrant carnival and Buenos Aires for a spot of Tango dancing.

Ice-climbing on an Ecuadorian glacier, swimming near a Colombian beach or gazing upon the dazzling Angel falls of Venezuela are just a few of the things on offer in South America.