Destinations Categories: South America

Paraguay is a land of mystery—and, for the adventurous traveler, unrivalled opportunity. Long closed off to the world by a string of absolute dictators, Paraguay was for centuries South America’s biggest question mark. Now its marvels are open to those curious about its folkways, which are surely among the most offbeat in Latin America.

Nature in its original form - Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana are South America undiscovered. The northwest corner of South America is the continent’s least-explored territory. The good news for the adventurous and curious traveler is that the “Wild Coast” is actually hiding – in plain sight – a treasure trove of cultural gems and vast tracts of unspoiled nature, all of which are readily accessible with a minimum of risk or hassle.

Patagonia—the windswept, sparsely populated tract of wilderness shared by Argentina and Chile—is an outdoorsperson’s dream. Its stark outback encompasses grassy steppes, expanding glaciers, Andean peaks, and some of the wildest lake country on the planet. But Patagonia is a place of beauty as well as ruggedness.

Brazil isn’t just huge territorially, bordering on every South American nation except two. It’s also astonishingly big on personality and heart. You’ll see it when you go: everything in this Portuguese-speaking paradise seems super-sized. That means the beaches, the gargantuan tracts of Amazon rainforest, and most of all, the soccer-stoked passion of the amazingly warm and friendly locals.

In Colombia, you’ll experience firsthand the life-affirming exuberance of a culture rated the world’s happiest in a Gallup International survey—a place where the magic realism of Gabriel García Márquez comes to life.

“The Switzerland of South America”. Charming Uruguay fully lives up to its nickname. Socially progressive and politically stable, this tiny nation has long drawn sun-worshippers with its spectacular riviera. But Uruguay offers much more than sparkling sands and trendy nightlife.