Americas > Central and South America
Central
and South America offer fantastically diverse holidays
for adventurous travellers everywhere. Home to many of the world’s most vibrant
cities, the continent has stunning and varied scenery, from Brazil’s famous miles of golden beaches to Argentina’s breathtaking Andes Mountains.
The
continent runs from the deserts of Mexico
to Argentina’s
snowy peaks. Diverse scenery reflects the diversity of the cultures you will find there. If you
want a vibrant,
buzzy destination, South America’s legendary sprawling capitals will suit
you perfectly. Mexico City is vast in scale and
variety: built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan,
the ancient Aztec capital, the city surrounds you with amazing historical
sights while offering a feast to the senses. The only difficulty will be trying
to take it all in!
Buenos
Aires in Argentina
is a famously stylish city. Take the opportunity to explore bustling streets,
grand avenues, stylish restaurants and old-world cafes. Another city of great
heritage, Buenos Aires
has a unique melting-pot character forged by years of immigration from all over
the world.
Rio de Janeiro is the world’s party capital. Every
February, the city hosts the greatest and most famous carnival on the planet.
Get your dancing shoes on and samba the night away! Alternatively, get your
flip flops on and take a stroll down the famous Copacabana beach. Why not play
a game of beach football in the greatest footballing nation on Earth?
Of course, for
every sprawling metropolis in South America,
you will find thousands of acres of unspoilt countryside. Check out some of the
world’s finest and rarest wildlife and plants in the Amazon basin, either on
foot or by boat. Hike in the Andes for
stunning scenery of an entirely different, but no less beautiful type.
Here are some
great ideas for holidays in South and Central America:
- Dive with sharks, humpback
whales and giant manta rays off the coast of Costa
Rica, or with sea lions and penguins from the
incredible Galapagos Islands
- Follow in the
footsteps of Che Guevara from Buenos Aires to Lima, visiting the Atacama desert, Lake Titicaca and
the Inca’s lost city of Machu Picchu
- Venture into the
Amazon basin and
explore the jungle by riverboat or travel south to watch the birdlife in
the Panatanal wetlands and gasp at the majestic Iguassu Falls
- Discover Patagonia’s deserts and forests in the North and lakes and glaciers
in the South, where you can don your crampons and trek over the famous
60m-high Perito Moreno Glacier
- Go loco in Acapulco and watch the famous cliff-divers of La
Quebrada, or try horse riding, surfing or whale watching in Baja California
Because of its sheer enormity, climate and customs
vary greatly across Central and South Americ. When booking,
bear in mind that travelling inland, by the coast or at altitude will
alter the climate. During the week before Easter, most of Latin
America celebrates Semana Santa. Hotels and attractions can be
heavily booked and expensive, though the celebrations are spectacular.
