The best locations in the Americas

Set in the South Pacific, over 3500 km west of the Americas, Easter Island is a truly remote and remarkable place, best known for its 900 massive moai statues, but with a far greater story to tell. There are regular flights from Santiago in Chile and a handful of decent places to stay. Particularly strong for hiking.

mysterious megalithics

Set on the equator, 1000 km (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, Galapagos is a remarkable group of young volcanic islands, renowned for their unique flora and fauna, as well as being the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s discovery of evolution.

Darwin’s evolutionary islands

Set in the north of Chile, the Atacama Desert is one of the driest locations on Earth. It‘s also one of the most spectacular, with martian landscapes, geyser fields, multi-coloured soda lakes and remote archaeological sites. The remote oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama is the main hub for visitors and contains some excellent lodges.

high altitude desert

Set in the southwest of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni is a vast salt pan, one of the most truly extraordinary places on the continent. Featuring in almost every trip to this part of the world, there are some really interesting accommodation options, including hotels built of salt and lodges of geodesic domes.

vast and incredible salt pan

Set in the far northwest corner of Argentina, the Salta region is a relatively little-visited part of the country, with an incredible range of landscapes, including sub-tropical cloud forests, Mediterranean-style winelands and outrageous volcanic scenery in the high Andes. Best visited by means of a private guided overland safari for at least a week.

fabulous Andean expeditions

Set high in the Andes Mountains to the west of the Valle Sagrado and Cusco, Machu Picchu is an iconic Inca citadel and arguably the most important archaeological site in the Americas. Of course it can get very busy during high season but there are still a few smart ways to visit.

historic mountain sanctuary

Tambopata is the section of the Amazon Basin which lies in the southeast of Peru and is most commonly combined with areas like Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lago Titicaca. It forms the heart of the largest uninhabited unhunted section of rainforest in the world and offers some remarkable wildlife viewing.

jungle wildlife

Set in the remote northeast of Peru, Iquitos is the gateway to the Amazon River and the Pacaya Samiria Reserve, an area which is largely explored on small, high quality live-aboard cruise boats. Certainly a much easier experience than the Tambopata area further south, but with a lesser focus on major wildlife sightings.

jungle cruises

Yasuni is the section of the Amazon Basin which lies in the east of Ecuador and is most commonly combined with other parts of the same country and Galapagos. It’s a vast conservation area of rivers and rainforests, offering some wonderful wildlife and cultural experiences.

jungle explorations

Set in the heart of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Manaus is a major city and the main hub for riverboat explorations of the world’s largest rainforest. Highlights include lost cities, pink dolphins, endemic primates, superb bird-watching and authentic indigenous culture.

heart of the jungle

Set in the far southeast of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Alta Floresta comprises a patchwork of reserves, which provide some interesting wildlife experiences, notably including some unusual primate and bird species. Easier to combine in trips with Pantanal than the central Manaus Amazon area.

comfortable jungle

Set on the Atlantic Coast in the southeast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is one of the most iconic cities in the Americas. The vast majority of visitors to the country spend around 3-4 nights here, taking in the highlights, whilst staying in an hotel along the famous beaches of Ipanema or Copacabana.

beaches and vibes