Footprint Expeditions in South America

Machupicchu.-

Recently added to the list of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Machupicchu is considered Peru’s main attraction and is considered one of the top ten places of the world to visit. The Inca people took nearly 100 years to construct Machupicchu between the years of 1432 and 1532. Now known as the Lost City of the Incas, it was abandoned and forgotten in time and quickly covered by vegetation. There it remained lost until the year 1911 when American historian Hiram Bingham re-discovered this archeological phenomenon. This marvel is placed northeast of Cuzco, the capital city of the Inca Empire, at 110 kilometers by railway. It is an inspiring location and is considered the most spectacular archeological site throughout the continent.

Inca Trail to Machupicchu.-

The most famous and spectacular hike in South America, this four-day trek is walked by hundreds of people each year. The trail crosses three high passes, the most well-known being the Dead Woman pass located at 4200 meters above sea level. This unforgettable experience leads the hikers through snow capped mountains, cloud forests, cliff-hugging ruins, valleys, and other amazing landscapes, finally arriving to the Sun Gate for a majestic view of the sunrise over the ruins of Machupicchu.

Galapagos Islands.-

These islands provide an unforgettable wildlife experience. The most famous visitor to these islands is Charles Darwin whose observations of the wildlife on the islands are what led him to create his theory of evolution. Visiting the islands is a lesson in natural history; experience swimming with sea lions, stand next to a blue-footed booby, see a giant tortoise, and observe the iguanas feeding between algae-covered rocks.

The islands make up a national park located 1000km west of Ecuador and the chain consists of 13 major islands and multiple smaller ones. The best way to experience this magnificent locale is by taking a cruise around the islands as to properly view all of their many wonders.

Cartagena.-

Perhaps the most amazing colonial city in Colombia, the beauty and history of Cartagena is legendary. This city was founded by the Spaniards in 1533 and became the main port to the West on the Caribbean coast. Many treasures were stored here until the galleons could ship them off to Spain, making this spot tempting for pirates and corsairs. Famous sieges were lead by the infamous pirates against explorers such as Sir Francis Drake in 1586 and Edward Vernon in 1741. The Spanish built a fort encircling the town which saved Cartagena from more raids. The town is a living museum of the 16th century Spanish architecture with palaces, narrow streets, churches, plazas, and beautiful and colorful overhanging balconies.

Uyuni Salt Lakes.-

The largest salt flat of the world, this region was formed approximately 40,000 years ago, originally part of Lake Minchin, a giant prehistoric lake. As the lake dried, it left behind two modern lakes, Poopó and Uru Uru, and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Uyuni. The weather and climate conditions here can be rough with a mix of sunny and cold days, consistently chilly nights, and high altitude conditions.

The salt flat itself is 10,582 km² (4,085 square miles) and it is roughly 25 times the size of the Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States. Today it is one of the main salt mine centers in the world with an exportation of approximately 25000 tons per year.

The spectacular salt lake, with endless sky blue horizons, colorful lagoons, snow capped mountains, geysers, hot springs, and volcanoes await you. Amazingly, the salt flats have fauna and flora, three species of flamingos, vizcachas, and many species of cacti.

This is one of the most spectacular places for pictures because of the flatness of the region and endless horizons in the distance.

Lake District.-

This area of natural splendor is shared between Chile and Argentina. It is considered a paradise for outdoor sports such as hiking, climbing, kayaking, camping, skiing, etc. The scenery is breathtaking and few places in the world surpass the beauty of this area full of crystal lakes, emerald lagoons, cone shaped mountains, green valleys, and verdant farmlands. The main cities around the Lake District are Pucon, Puerto Varas, and Puerto Montt in Chile and Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes in Argentina. This is a paradise for adventurous and intrepid travelers. At the same time, it is a place to just relax while marveling the landscape or soaking in hot springs. It has great local cuisine, the specialty of which is sea food. Also, due to its German immigrants you will find cream-laden (kuchen) on each menu. There is also great night life in this area with plenty of places to go out and enjoy the local atmosphere.

Rio de Janeiro.-

The most famous and exciting city in Latin America is Rio de Janeiro. Its main landmarks and attractions are the statue of Christ the Redeemer on top of the Corcovado Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, the Sambadrome and Carnival, football matches, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and the infamous favelas (slums). The landscape is made up of beautiful mountains, green forests, clean sandy beaches, and blue oceans, combined with friendly Cariocas, great weather, and delicious caipirinhas make this city extraordinary.

Christ the Redeemer, standing at a height of 38 meters, had its cornerstone established in 1922 and opened to the public on October 12, 1931. It could not be placed in a better location; from its position on top of the 710 meters high Corcovado Mountain, this statue represents the Carioca's faith, and just celebrated 77 years of existence in 2008.

Iguazzu Falls.-

Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, these breathtaking waterfalls consist of 275 falls along 2.7 kilometers (1.67 miles) of the Iguassu River and extend up to a height of 82 meters (269 ft). The Iguassu Falls are higher than Niagara Falls and wider than Victoria Falls, with the added advantage that at one point a person can stand and be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls. These falls were declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Lake Titicaca.-

This lake is considered to be the place of origin of the Inca civilization and is considered to be the highest navigable lake in the world at 3800 meter above sea level. It is also 160 km length and 60 km wide. There are several islands where Andean communities have lived for centuries preserving their ancestral traditions, customs, and beliefs. The Uros floating reed islands are the most famous and are made entirely with layers of reeds. The ethnic group living here is the Aymaras. They have lived on the artificial islands for centuries and the lake provides them with food, beverage, and a home. The Island of the Sun (Isla del Sol) is the legendary birthplace of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, pioneers of the Inca Empire. Hike around the island to find great views of the lake and Inca ruins.

Angel Falls.-

The highest water fall on the planet and Venezuela’s main landmark, the total height of this incredible natural structure is 979 meters, 16 times higher than Niagara Falls. It also has one uninterrupted drop of 807 meters. The waterfall is located in the middle of the wilderness at least 50 km from Canaima and one can get there only by flying in small aircrafts from Ciudad Bolivar. Angel Falls are located in Canaima National Park, considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Buenos Aires.-

The second largest city in South America, Buenos Aires is located on the shore of Rio de la Plata (Silver River). With a population of 13 million, the city was first established as Ciudad de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre (literally "City of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Fair Winds") on 3 February 1536, during a Spanish expedition led by Pedro de Mendoza. By the 1920s, the city was the favorite destination for immigrants from Europe, particularly those from Spain and Italy. Considered to be a cosmopolitan city, it has plenty of European architecture and gives the illusion of a European city. Buenos Aires has some very distinctive neighborhoods such as the vivid and colorful La Boca, which is situated on an old port. Walk along its main attraction, el Caminito, a street that inspired a famous tango song and where local artists show their brightly colored paintings. The area is home to the most popular football team in the country: Boca Juniors. Also, you can explore the relaxed and bohemian La Recoleta district and visit the cemetery where many of Argentina's elite are buried, including the well known Evita Perón. In addition, be sure not to miss the antique fair and tango shows in San Telmo. While in Buenos Aires you will have the best opportunity to try a delicious parrilla, with juicy and tender local beef.

Salvador de Bahia.-

Most known as Bahia, this is the brightest cultural gem of Brazil and the most African influenced area as well, successfully transforming their ancient culture into thriving musical traditions, martial arts, dance, culinary attributes, and religion. Bahia is on the mouth of the peninsula the Baia de todos os Santos. The most important area is called Pelourinho where there are many beautiful plazas, churches, museums, and narrow cobble stone streets. The city is vibrant with an incredible nightlife year-round. This is the land of the capoeira (a form of martial arts practiced by slaves for centuries), candomble (African-Brazilian religion), and Olodum (strong African drum corps).

Patagonia.-

The Andean edge of Patagonia has some of the most fantastic mountain landscapes in the world with awe-inspiring glaciers such as the Moreno Glacier, one of the most active ice fields located in the Parque Nacional de los Glaciares. It also has areas such as Peninsula Valdes, which is considered a wildlife wonderland with elephant seals, orcas, Magellanic penguins, gray foxes, guanacos, armadillos, sea lions, and whale-watching possibilities. At the same time, it is a great place to practice outdoor sports during the summer such as trekking, mountain climbing, and kayaking, with skiing offered in the winter. Ushuaia, located in this region, is the most southern city of the world and is the gate to explore Antarctica.

Pantanal.-

The largest wetland in the world, Pantanal is an enormous, gently-sloped basin that receives runoff from the upland areas and slowly releases the water through the Paraguay River. It constitutes a large internal river delta in which several rivers flowing from the surrounding plateau merge and deposit sediment which causes it to be a large depression area of the Pantanal. It is also the home of endangered species such as the Marsh Deer, Caiman Yacare, Capibara, Giant Otter, red howler monkeys, anacondas, turtles, macaws, etc. This area holds more 650 species of birds, 80 species of mammals, 260 of fish, 93 of reptiles, 1132 species of butterflies, and 1700 species of plants. Because of this, Pantanal is considered an important region for biodiversity conservation and preservation and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.