Top Ten Travel Wonders of South America

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South America holds an extraordinary collection of travel wonders including both natural and cultural experiences. With the world's greatest rain forest, the world's most spectacular waterfall, the world's highest waterfall, the world's greatest river and sophisticated historic cultures, there is something in this great continent for everyone.
It isn't possible to nominate a top ten travel list without omitting a number of key sights. Here is my list. How many have you seen?

1. Machu Picchu and Inca Trail (Peru)
Bordered by thick forest, accessed by a famous trek and perched on a mountain top, the exceptional Incan stonework and the richness of its religious sites makes Machu Picchu a truly cultural experience in the most beautiful of settings..

2. Iguazu Falls (Argentina / Brazil)
The sheer dimension of this natural miracle and its 250+ cascades thundering over an eighty yard cliff ensures that Iguazu Falls are the most mesmerizing waterfalls in the world.

3. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
Darwin's laboratory with the unusual varieties of wildlife including a flightless cormorant, giant tortoises and iguanas that have adapted to this volcanic barren land offers one of greatest wildlife shows on Earth.

4. Amazon River and Rain Forest
Roughly the size of the continental United States, spending time on the river or walking the forest trails of the Amazon basin is one of most treasured experiences in life.

5. Easter Island (Chile)
In testament to an isolated past civilization on this remote Pacific island, the moai (stone statues) stand proudly and majestically in groups around the island.

6. Patagonia / Torres del Paine (Argentina / Chile)
Vivid blue lakes, tumbling cascades and saw-edged mountain peaks provide an uplifting, almost spiritual outdoor experience in the far south of the American continent.

7. Andes
The backbone of the South America continent with its jagged snow-capped mountains are the second highest mountain range in the world and offer some great hiking and climbing.

8. Angel Falls (Venezuela)
These falls tumble over half a mile into remote Venezuela forest. The journey there is as adventurous as sighting the falls themselves.

9. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
The golden beaches, the raucous Carnaval fiesta and the glorious panoramas from the Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugar Loaf mountain makes Rio the most popular city in South America.

10. Nazca Lines (Peru)
Mysterious giant animals (100 to 200 yards across) including a spider, a hummingbird and a condor, along with unusual geometric designs were marked into the dry and dusty Peruvian desert by an ancient culture. They are best explored in a small plane.
South America has a rich selection of travel wonders and experiences from superb natural settings of forests, glaciers and waterfalls to culturally-rich and expressive cities. Travel with an open mind and enjoy this fascinating and diverse continent.

Mark H is the widely-traveled author of the popular travel blog http://www.travel-wonders.com (Travel Wonders of the World) where he reviews and shares his experiences, stories and photos of traveling to many of the world's great locations over twenty years of travel.