The South American continent is fast becoming the most popular tourist destination on the planet and there are many reasons for that. In this article, take a look at two of the major tourist attractions, namely the Amazon River and the Atacama Desert.

Amazon River

The Amazon River is the largest and longest freshwater river in the world, covering an incredible 7,500km of the Amazon Basin, which covers more than 7 million sq km. Check out the best 2023 Amazon Forest tour package from a leading tour operator that focuses on South America. There are Amazon River cruises that take in the best destinations, allowing you to gain an insight into the region and those who live there. Choosing the best time of year is essential, as the Amazon Basin floods annually; check the tour operator’s website for more details about seasons.

Amazon Cruise

The tour begins in Lima, Peru, then you travel by plane to Cusco in the Sacred Valley, which is a tour with a driver and guide, allowing you the freedom to explore, with the camelid centre where you can see llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos. Machu Picchu is the next port of call, where you will find ancient ruins that are next to the town and your English-speaking guide informs you of the long history of Machu Picchu.

Atacama Desert

The highest desert location on the planet, the Atacama Desert stretches for 1,600km, encompassing Chile and Argentina. Thanks to unusual geographical conditions, there is virtually no rainfall in the Atacama Desert, which is recognised as the driest place on Earth.

Sandwiched Between Two Mountain Ranges

The reason the Atacama Desert has a unique climate is due to its location between the Andes and the Chilean Coast range. If you would like to learn more about a holiday in the Atacama Desert, search the web for a leading online for a leading tour operator and browse the many great tours on offer. There are a few coastal towns, but otherwise, this desert is uninhabited, due to the extreme conditions and the absence of rainfall. Both mountain ranges are high enough to prevent precipitation within the central region, where the Atacama Desert is located.

Astronomical Observatories

Because of the high elevation, lack of clouds, dry air and lack of pollution, the Atacama Desert is a perfect location for astronomical observatories.

Telescopes have been installed at the following locations:

• La Silla Observatory
• Paranal Observatory
• Llano De Chagnantor Observatory
• Cerro Armazones Observatory – Home to the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)

It is possible to visit some of these observatories, although it very much depends on availability, as the telescopes are very busy.

The Many Benefits Of Guided Tours Of South America

When travelling to remote parts of South America, you are advised to book one of the guided tours offered by a leading tour operator.

The following countries are covered:

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Panama
• Peru
• Chile
• Mexico
• Honduras
• Costa Rica

Talk to one of the staff on the tour operator’s website, where they have a real-time chat feature so that all your questions will be answered.

Preparation

The tour operator is very helpful and can give you the URLs of the various embassies where you need to obtain visas. Once a booking is made, you receive a presentation pack that is full of the information you need to prepare correctly for what will be the journey of a lifetime.