5 Reasons Why You Should Travel to South America

Looking to backpack to a region where you’d hit up with a millionaire, parking his limo to grab a bite from a food stall cramped into a slim street? Or to puzzle yourself in its unending stretches of historical landscape? There are only few places in the world that can boast to captivate you with its extraordinary blend of hominid and natural diversity. One such place is the continent of South America. Positioned in the western hemisphere, South America holds safe, secrets to some of the most intriguing mysteries of the foregone human civilization. Read along, as we discover some of these secrets until you have enough reasons to make South America as your next travel destination…

The staircase to heaven – Machu Picchu, Peru

One of the marvels of human engineering and architecture, Machu Picchu is the most familiar icon of the Inca civilization. Built high up in the Andean Mountain Range, it was brought under the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 1983 to keep the area under expert protection from human mishandling. Since then, the site has been restored several times to enable tourists to gather its majesty from different angles. Moreover, within this large expanse also lies a flight of stairs that run through the edge of a mountain, popularly known as ‘The staircase to heaven’. Climbers can absorb a bird’s eye view of the breathtaking Incan site from these stairs, hence the nomenclature. So what are you waiting for? Booking.com 90% Off Voucher is here to give you jaw dropping savings on your next most awaited Peru trip.

The largest salt flat on the planet – Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia

Mirroring every by-stander, Salar De Uyuni is undoubtedly a dream destination for any travel junkie. The mammoth salt patch is basically the remains of a pre-historic lake that went dry, leaving behind more than 10,000 sq. kms of bright white desert. Salar De Uyuni also acts a giant mirror during as the rainy season washes off the superficial salt layer making it a haven for creative photography. Radio carbon dating of the shells preserved as sediments, tell us that the area was in its liquid state somewhere around 30,000 to 42,000 years ago! However, in recent history, the region was used as a bustling trade & distribution hub for minerals and spices. Adding to the antiquity of this place, an old train route in the vicinity of Salar De Uyuni has now turned into an artefact for visitors.

image

Climate Control – Amazon Rain Forest, Brazil, Peru and Columbia

Housing the largest river by volume, the Amazon River, this is the largest rainforest in the entire planet. Larger than the next two largest rainforests combined! It also houses the grand Amazon River, another feat for the continent crowning the title of the largest river in the world (by volume). The world needs to thank this side of the planet as it plays a key role in regulating the CO2 and Oxygen level – cushioning our survival to a great extent. The jungle, also known as Amazonia, is home to around 16,000 species of trees, 2000 species of birds and animal, and about 2.5 million species of insects! Making it one of the most bio-diverse territories on our planet. Needless to say, the lush green forest has suffered bludgeoning by humans for material gains. However, stricter laws have been put in place to curb this mistreatment and safeguard this piece of wild beauty.

The Devil’s Throat – Iguazu Falls, Argentina

Call it love at first sight for a travel enthusiast, it pushed Eleanor Roosevelt to exclaim, “Poor Niagara, Poor Niagara” when he witnessed the beauty of the Iguazu Falls. Located right at the northern border facing Brazil, the Iguazu Falls are by far the largest water fall systems in the world. This natural wonder has been caused by the large number of islands pegged along the line of the Parana Plateau, gifting the Iguazu falls with numerous tributaries that plunge down as waterfalls and cataracts. With varying heights, the largest fall has been measured at an astounding 82 meters (approx. 280 feet). About half of this system declines into a singular path leading to a voluminous area known as The Devil’s Throat.

image

Sun, Sandand Sea – The Pan De Azucar, Chile

One of the smallest national parks of Chile, Pan De Azucar is a one shop stop for anyone who is looking for a stark contrast between thin forestry, spacious desert and clean blue waters, all at the same place. The national park is also home to some of the rarest specie of flora and fauna, and has led biologists to bisect the ecosystem into two segments - The steppe desert of Sierra Mackenna and the Taltal desert on the coast. Quite ironically, the ‘national park’ lacks rain but the coastal mist suffices the growth of indigenous cacti and shrubs.

Glorified for its celebratory culture and a native population known for their heartwarming gesture towards foreign visitors, South America is an unusual gem in our planet’s treasury. Coupled with an unending list of places finding top spot in your bucket list, we see no reason why this peninsula should not be worth a try!