Bao Sandra - Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring

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Andean peaks, Amazonian rainforest, Patagonian glaciers, Incan ruins, colonial towns, white-sand beaches and vertiginous nightlife: the wonders of South America set the stage for incredible adventures.

Patagonias Cerro Fitz Roy ()
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From the snowcapped peaks of the Andes to the undulating waterways of the Amazon, South America spreads a dazzling array of natural wonders. This is a continent of lush rainforests, towering volcanoes, misty cloud forests, bone-dry deserts, red-rock canyons, ice-blue glaciers and sun-kissed beaches. As landscapes go, there arent many other places on earth that offer so much range or so many opportuni- ties for adventure.

You can hike past ancient temples first laid down by the Incas, contemplate the awe-inspiring power of Iguaz Falls or spend the day watching wildlife from a dugout canoe on one of the Amazons countless igaraps (narrow waterways). You can barrel down Andean roads by mountain bike, go whitewater rafting on class V rivers and surf amazing breaks off both coasts. And once you think youve experienced it all, head to the dramatic landscapes in Tierra del Fuego, go eye-to-eye with extraordinary creatures in the Galpagos, and scramble up tableland mountains in the Gran Sabana for a panorama that seems straight out of the Mesozoic era.

South Americas great diversity doesnt end with geography. Across the continent youll find magnificent colonial towns where cobblestone streets lead past gilded churches and stately plazas a scene little changed since the 18th century. Elsewhere, you can haggle over colorful textiles at indigenous markets, share meals with traditional dwellers of the rainforest and follow the pounding rhythms laid down by Afro-Brazilian drum corps. South America is home to an astounding variety of living and ancient cultures, and experiencing it all firsthand is as easy as showing up.

Festival in Cuenca, Ecuador ()
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Welcome to one of the worlds great music destinations. Colombian salsa, Brazilian samba, Argentine tango and Andean folk music all receive airtime across the globe, but nothing quite compares to hearing those rhythms in the place where they were born. Sultry milongas (dance halls) in Buenos Aires, simmering samba clubs in Rio, salsotecas (salsa clubs) in Quito all great places to chase the heart of Saturday night. Yet this is only the beginning of a great musical odyssey that encompasses poetic Peruvian trovas , soulful Ecuador- ian pasillos , fast-stepping Brazilian forr , whirling Venezuelan merengue, steel-pan Guyanese drumming, Paraguayan harp music and scores of other regional styles. The best way to experience it is to simply plunge in though you might want to take a dance class along the way!

Machu Picchu

A fantastic Inca citadel lost to the world until its early 20th-century discovery, Perus Machu Picchu () stands as a ruin among ruins. With its emerald terraces and steep peaks that echo on the horizon, the sight simply surpasses the imagination. This marvel of engineering has withstood half a dozen centuries of earthquakes, foreign invasion and howling weather. Discover it for yourself, wander through its stone temples and scale the dizzying heights of Wayna Picchu.

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The Amazon

Home to the greatest collection of plant and animal life on earth, the awe-inspiring Amazon encompasses more than seven million square kilometers. There are countless ways to experience its astounding biodiversity: trekking through dense jungle, visiting indigenous villages, flying over the vast green expanse of undulating waterways, slow-boating between river towns or lounging in a jungle lodge after a day spent wildlife-watching. Nine countries share a bit of the famous rainforest, and all of them have excellent bases to experience it firsthand.

Emperor tamarin
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Rio de Janeiro

Few cities in the world enjoy more seductive charm than Brazils Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City), but calling it merely marvelous doesnt quite cut it. On privileged real estate flanked by striking Atlantic-blue waters, sugary white sands and a mountainous backdrop of Crayola-green rainforest, Rios () cinematic cityscape has few rivals. And once its soundtrack kicks in a high-on-life sirens song of bossa nova and samba Rios raw energy seizes you with the come-hither allure of a tropical fantasy. Youll have no choice but to follow.

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Lake Titicaca

Less a lake than a highland ocean, Lake Titicaca () in Bolivia is the highest navigable body of water in the world. In Andean tradition its the birthplace of the sun. Here, banner-blue skies turn to bitterly cold nights. Among its fantastical sights are the surreal floating islands crafted entirely of tightly woven totora reeds. Enthralling and in many ways singular, the shimmering deep-blue Lake Titicaca is the longtime home of highland cultures steeped in the old ways.

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