WALKING HOLIDAYS IN SOUTH AMERICA
A playground for adventures big and small, walking holidays in South America set the bar high. It’s an enormous continent that stretches from the icy peaks of Patagonia in the south, to the steamy jungles of the Amazon basin that hug the humid equatorial regions. And in between, you’ll find wildlife-rich national parks, colossal waterfalls, plus the incredible Andean Mountains.
Where history and nature combine
South America is some of Mother Nature’s finest work. And few places on the planet turn heads like Patagonia does. Straddling a huge space that covers both Chile and Argentina, this raw and untamed desert is a vast stretch of barren wilderness where silence reigns supreme. On the Chilean side, the towering pinnacles of Torres del Paine overlook turquoise lakes and grasslands. Meanwhile, over in Argentina, the immense Perito Moreno Glacier creaks and groans as huge chunks of ice calve into the icy waters below. Then, of course, there's the Andes, the longest mountain range in the world that forms the very backbone of South America.
Ecuador and Chile
Tucked away in the continent’s northwest corner, Ecuador is a compact country that’s big on biodiversity. Not least that of the Galápagos Islands. Expect playful sealions, swimming iguanas, and giant tortoises on this otherworldly chain of volcanic isles that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
The island adventures don’t end there, either. Chile’s Easter Island is home to the moai – huge rock-carved statues of bizarrely-shaped human heads whose purpose have been lost in the mists of time. Experts are still baffled by them today.
Peru
In Peru, it’s all about the Incas. And the biggest Inca calling card of them all is Macchu Pichu. Trek a section of the classic Inca Trail and pass through the Sun Gate to gaze down upon the awe-inspiring landscapes of this ancient city in the sky. It’s the highlight of any walking holiday in Peru.
