Top 10 South America Travel Destinations

Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Juergen Ritterbach / Getty Images

 

South America's largest lake is home to several indigenous communities that make the area both agriculturally strong, and full of cultural significance.

 

Copacabana is largest and most well-known town on the shoreline. Due to its rich history, Copacabana’s religious festivities, often celebrating Pachamama (Mother Earth), are frequent and popular with visitors.

 

Your experience doesn't have to end at the shore, however. Many boats leave for Isla del Sol (Sun Island), which is a sacred Incan island. Here travelers can bask in the beauty of blue skies and clear fresh water while gazing at the snowcapped mountains of the Cordillera Real.

Easter Island, Chile

Anne Dirkse / Getty Images

 

Easter Island, also known as Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui by the Spanish and Polynesian, is one of the most alluring sacred sites on Earth.

Famous for its enigmatic giant stone figures, the Moai were built centuries ago, but continue to be a mystery. They remain our only link to ancient Polynesian culture.

Easter Island's white sand beaches make it the idyllic location that combines ancient history with a healthy dose of tropical fun in the sun. After viewing the Moai many visitors choose to participate in a number of water sports including bodysurfing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and more.

The Pantanal, Brazil

Chris VR / TripSavvy

 

This region of Brazil is fairly unknown by most travelers, but with the greatest density of animal life in all South America, it is not to be missed.

 

Created by seasonal flooding of the river Paraguai, the area's wetlands are considered to be one of the world's largest and most diverse freshwater wetland ecosystems.

 

Photographic safari tours are popular with visitors and offer views of majestic jaguars, blink-and-you'll-miss-them hummingbirds,  colorful macaws, and several other species that inhabit the area.