South America: The 15 most beautiful travel destinations is written af Anna Lohmann
Beautiful South America
It's hard to make the list short when you think about how many beautiful places there are in South America. The continent covers 12 countries, which is truly a cornucopia of beauty.
The 12 countries contain everything from towering mountains, fantastic beaches, glaciers, a unique wildlife and the world's largest rainforest. Therefore, it is not an easy task to select the 15 most beautiful places in South America, but read on and see if you agree with the editors' choice.
Mount Roraima, Venezuela
Mount Roraima I. Venezuela is one of the world's most unusual geological formations. With its area of 31 square kilometers, the mountain is the largest mountain in the Pakaraima mountain range.
The mountain sides are 400 meters high, which is probably why I can feel my fear of heights just when I read people's stories about how they got all the way to the top. But beautifully it is good enough! And what a view one must have up there.
Mount Roraima is the source of inspiration for the landscape in the famous animated film "Up".
2. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is one of the most beautiful Brazilian landscapes. This paradise-like desert with its blue-green ponds spreads over 155.000 hectares in the northeastern part of Brazil. The most beautiful ponds in the national park are Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita.
By the way, Brazil is the largest country in South America.
3. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
This incredibly beautiful rug-like area in Bolivia is actually a salt flats. And not just any: It's the largest in the world.
With a surface area of 10.582 square meters, 25.000 tons of salt are extracted per year. In order not to be a lie, an entire hotel in the area has been built only out of salt, where even the furniture is made of salt.
4. Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina – South America's glaciers
The famous glacier Perito Moreno located in Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia, Argentina. Back in 1981, the glacier was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has since grown in popularity.
You can walk by it and on it, and not least get out to sail on the glacier lake in front of the massive and impressive ice wall.
There are a number of glaciers and beautiful mountains in that part of the Andes, and you can get close to them at Perito Moreno and El Chaltén, which are within driving distance of each other.
5. El Tatio, Chile – geysers in South America
There are very few places in the world where there are geysers, which is why I think El Tatio belongs on this list. With 40 geysers, El Tatio is the world's third largest 'geyser field'.
In addition to the many geysers, there are also 62 hot springs that you can swim in. Even if you have to get up before the rooster crows, it is highly recommended to watch the sun rise at El Tatio in Chile.
Torres del Paine National Park - and in general the whole Patagonia - is also really worth a visit if you are in southern South America anyway.
6. Tayrona National Park, Colombia
The wonderful Tayrona National Park in Colombia could not have a much better location. The park is located right next to the Caribbean Sea. It is known for its rich plant and animal life, and if you are lucky, you can see howler monkeys, colored iguanas and countless species of birds.
It is said that the park has up to 400 different kinds of bird species, so if you love birds, this is the perfect place to go.
7. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana
Kaieteur Falls, located in Kaieteur National Park, is one of the most popular attractions in Guyana.
Although it is popular, you are often all alone when you visit the waterfall. So it's just a matter of getting going before the rest of the world discovers this gem and Gyana, which may be an unknown country in South America for a while yet.
8. Quilotoa, Ecuador
This beautiful volcanic crater lake Quilotoa in Ecuador has gradually also become popular due to the many hiking trails in the area.
The routes can both lead down to the shores of the lake, where you can take a dip, or they can lead up into the terrain, where you really get a view for all the money.
9. Machu Picchu, Peru – The Inca people of South America
It's probably no surprise that Machu Picchu should be on this list. At least I was not in doubt.
The Inca city of Machu Picchu is one of Turkeys absolute greatest sights.
This town provides a unique insight into how the Inca people lived, and personally I think it is absolutely incredible that it is so well preserved.
Machu Picchu is very beautifully situated in the mountains not too far from the town of Cuzco.
10. The Paraná River in South America, Paraguay
At 4880 kilometers, the Paraná is the second longest river in South America, surpassed only by the Amazon River.
The river also runs through Brazil and Argentina, but I have now chosen this vantage point for the river from anyway Paraguay as one of the most beautiful. One can almost sense the power and grandeur of the river just by looking at the picture.
The river hits the Itaipú dam, which with its 12 kilometers in width is an impressive sight. It is located close to the national park Iguazu.
11. Angel Falls, Venezuela – South America's and the world's highest waterfall
This list would not be complete without the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela.
The 979 meter high waterfall has for many years attracted travelers, and there is nothing to say about it, when the waterfall is even one of the most beautiful in the world. Although Venezuela is not an easy travel destination, it is still possible to visit Angel Falls by flying there.
12. Cabo Polonio, Uruguay
Cabo Polonio is one of Uruguay's most rustic coastal villages. The city is seven kilometers away from the nearest main road, and you can only reach the city by either walking or driving in a four-wheel drive.
Fortunately, there are several who arrange trips there. Cabo Polonio is also home to the country's second largest sea lion colony. They usually stop right behind the village lighthouse.
Uruguay is a small and safe country that lays beaches for many bathers from Argentina and Brazil, not least in the most trendy seaside resort in all of South America, Punta Del Este.
13. Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Suriname
Suriname nature reserve covers a full 16.000 square kilometers, and the picture shows very well that the reserve is primarily tropical rainforest.
In the year 2000, it was admitted to UNESCOs World Heritage List, and you are not surprised when you see how rich the reserve is in nature and different animal species.
14. Île du Diable, French Guiana
Off the coast of French Guyana is the beautiful island, which in Danish is called Djævleøen, is part of the archipelago Salvation Islands, in French Îles du Salut.
It is best known for the story of the Frenchman Henri Charrière, who fled to Venezuela after 12 years of captivity on the island. He has also written an autobiography called 'Papillon' about captivity, and the book has since been filmed under the same name.
15. Mendoza, Argentina – a must in South America for wine lovers
Mendoza is the most important region in Argentina, which is the second largest country in South America. At least according to me. It supplies 90% of Argentina's wine exports. In the area there is one vineyard after another, and between all the grapes you can spot picturesque landscapes with the snowy Andes in the background.
If you are planning a trip to Argentina, the waterfalls in Iguazú are well worth a visit, and there are a lot of unique nature experiences in the beautiful country.
These were just a few gems in South America out of quite a few. It's just about getting started exploring this beautiful travel continent that really saves on many good and versatile experiences.
Have a good trip to South America.
Here are 7 amazing sights in South America:
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- Iguazu Falls, Argentina and Brazil
- Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
- Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
- Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
- Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
- Angel Falls, Venezuela
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