Top 10 Travel Wonders of South America

Top 10 Travel Wonders of South America

[Click on the heading / image of each wonder to read the full article]

1. Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

Galapagos Islands are an isolated cluster of 19 volcanic islands of varying sizes in the Pacific Ocean located around the equator. It is a territory of Ecuador and located about 600 miles off from it. Galapagos Archipelago (a scattered group of islands cut off from mainland) is well known for its bio diversity and Charles Darwin; the renowned scientist stayed there to do his researches on biological evolution.

2. Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

Machu Picchu (means old peak in the local language) is the most amazing remnants of the Inca Empire and great civilization that engulfed the whole of South America. It is located in the Eastern Slope of the Andes Mountain overlooking the Urubamba River-Valley about 70 kilometer north-west of the Peruvian town Cusco.

3. Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

These torrential falls about 275 of them within a distance of 2.7 km some of them about 82 meters in height, the deafening sounds of all combined, all closely accessible has such an impact that anyone who has a heart gets overwhelmed. ‘Iguazu has a daily beauty in it which makes Niagara ugly!’ it made Eleanor Roosevelt who remarked with a sigh “poor Niagara” comparing Iguazu with Niagara of her native land.

4. Amazon River

Amazon River: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

By the total volume of water delivered per second Amazon is the god of all rivers; it is the life-blood of Brazil as Nile is to Africa. The Nile of Egypt is historically accepted as longer than Amazon. Recent study conducted by scientists taking Nevado Mismi as the source proved that Amazon is 6259 to 6800 km long; that means that Amazon must be about 110 km longer than Nile.

5. Easter Island Statues

Easter Island statues: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

Easter Island is not just fascinating but it is undoubtedly the most intriguing place in the World. This little island dotted with gigantic and weird looking human statues; is in the Oceania (the groups of islands around Australia) in the South Pacific Ocean. The Easter Island is the most isolated place with human inhabitation as the nearest inhabited places are (Tahiti or Chile) at least two thousand miles away!

6. Harbour of Rio De Janeiro

Harbor of Rio de Janeiro: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

When the Harbor of Rio de Janeiro itself is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, The Statue of Christ the Redeemer, the 38 meter giant of a statue that stands upon the Corcovado Mountain - which it self is 710 meters high- also is one of the Seven Manmade Wonders of the World! A World Wonder itself is rare but one such overseeing another World Wonder is rarer still.

7. Carnival in Rio

Carnival in Rio: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

There are many carnivals observed in Brazil as well as all over the world; of which the most noted one is undoubtedly that held in Rio de Janeiro; the Capital of Brazil; Rio Carnival is also acclaimed as the greatest cultural event in the world. Though commercialized to the extreme; it still retains much of the spontaneity of the care-free people who live around Rio.

8. Angel Falls

Angel Falls: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

If the height and ferocity of a waterfall is taken as its greatness, undoubtedly Angel Falls of Venezuela is the greatest waterfall in the world. For a viewer who looks from the front; the falls may seem as it is poured directly from the heaven! Massive quantity of water plunging from a height of 979 meters (3212) feet is not a common sight that we can see elsewhere in the world!

9. Nazca Animal Figures

Nazca animal figures: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

These Nazca Lines are very large sketches made on earth’s surface by carving out the upper layer there by exposing the inner surface; they include humanoids, monkeys, birds, insects and even aliens! Straight lines, angles, triangles and rectangles, and all sorts of geometrical shapes. Potteries recovered from the area contains the prototypes of these figures hence it is presumed that the creators had observed these figures from the sky!

10. Torres del Paine

Torres del paine National park: one of the top ten travel wonders of south america

Torres Del Paine National park is a UNESCO certified ‘World Biosphere Reserve’; which is also undoubtedly the most renowned, un-spoilt and remote places in the world. It is located 2500 km from Santiago; just 112 km northwest of Natales Chile. Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas remain as the nearest towns and act as stop-over spots for tourists to this national park.