John Maier Jr

South America

Andean peaks, Amazonian rainforest, Patagonian glaciers, Incan ruins, white-sand beaches and vertiginous nightlife: the wonders of South America set the stage for incredible adventures.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Kuélap
Kuélap
Travelers have their heads literally in the clouds when visiting the walled jungle fortress Kuélap in the northern highlands of Peru – the gateway to the…
Laguna Parón
Cordillera Blanca
The largest lake in the Cordillera Blanca — a snowcapped range of the Andes in west central Peru — and a gorgeous natural reservoir, Laguna Paron is a…
Chavín de Huántar
Huaraz & the Cordilleras
In most people's minds, Chavín is less a town and more a set of ruins – not any old ruins, but the erstwhile ceremonial center of one of Peru's most…
Caral
North Coast
Before metal or ceramic was invented and well before the Maya and Inca cultures ruled, there was Caral, the oldest civilization in the Americas. Having…
Isla Amantaní
Lake Titicaca
Of the small remote islands dotted around Lake Titicaca, Isla Amantaní is the least visited. Its population is just 4000, is a few kilometers north of the…
Parque Nacional da Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro
The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…
Pão de Açúcar
Rio de Janeiro
Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…
Glaciar Perito Moreno
Inland Patagonia
Among the Earth's most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…