Travel Inspiration: South America
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest is 5.5 million kilometres squared, and is spread across numerous South American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. There are thousands of rivers running through the rainforest too including the Amazon, which is the largest river in the world, measuring 6400 kilometres. The Amazon Rainforest has a tropical climate meaning warm temperatures and high humidity leaves, resulting in it being one of the most biodiverse areas of natural land in the world.
As well as being hugely beneficial to our environment thanks to the amount of Carbon Dioxide it consumes, and oxygen that it gives out (20% of the world’s oxygen to be precise), this rainforest is also home to many natural sources of medicine which are used in many modern medications, as well as 10 million species of animals including gorillas, jaguars, sloths, and anacondas.
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail is a hiking trail in Peru that leads you through the Andes mountain range to eventually end up at Machu Picchu. The route takes you through various different environments such as cloud forest and alpine tundra. Due to concern about significant tourist footfall causing erosion, the number of visitors allowed is limited and only certain companies such as Quito based voyagers travel are allowed to offer guides.
Machu Picchu is one of the oldest settlements with ruins that still exist, in the world. It is thought to have originated in the 15th century and remained undiscovered until 1911. It is a valuable example of 15th century Inca society and was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1983, as well as being one of the most visually stunning settlements you’ll ever see.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are a small group of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean close to Ecuador. It has its own isolated environment and is known to be one of the most interesting destinations when it comes to seeing wildlife. The wildlife here contains many endemic species, or species which are specific to a certain geographical location thanks to the islands’ isolation. For this reason, Charles Darwin travelled to the islands to study them, which lead to his creation of the natural selection theory of evolution. This theory is still the most widely accepted to date.
As you can see, South America is home to a number of fascinating attractions thanks to its climate and terrain, such as the Amazon Rainforest, Machu Picchu, and the Galapagos Islands. It’s a must see if you love animals, wildlife, and places of cultural and historical significance. If you’re looking for more travel inspiration, take a look at everymomspage.com.
