Porto Alegre is the town where you get to see probably the most beautiful street in the world. The street of Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho is home to almost one hundred tipuana trees. It was 70 years ago that they were planted there by the German employees of a former brewery site. Stretching approximately 500 meters, the trees give us probably the most beautiful view of a street.

The shadow the splendiferous trees offer is a reward for the people living in Brazil as they have plenty of sun there. Plus, living next to big trees may be just like a vacation to some people. And you get to have a walk in this wondrous forest right in the middle of this large city.

The street of Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, Porto Alegre Brazil

Back in 2005, trees were cut down to make space for a shopping center. Most people living there were very displeased with that and their insistence and arguments determined mayor José Fogaça to sign a decree that made the street “historical, cultural and environmental heritage of the city.”

A walk among these trees enchants your eyes and relaxes your mind giving you the feeling that you’re in vacation. And you’re right in the middle of a quite a crowded city. The pictures say it all! A must-see indeed!

The street of Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, Porto Alegre Brazil

The street of Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, Porto Alegre Brazil

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Amazon River

Of course, the river of the Amazon is awesome to see. As a river it stands behind the Nile in size and claims the title of being the second largest river on earth. It will give you a mixed feeling of calmness yet possible danger of being stalked by an anaconda!

Amazon River

Amazon Rainforest

You cannot visit Amazon without visiting the rainforest. This rainforest which is popularly regarded as the “green inferno” is the largest rainforest in the world. Greenery of various trees, presence of thousands of bird species, two thousand species of fish and of course a lot of mammals have made this forest special and lovable.

Amazon Rainforest

Manaus

Want to have a taste of greenery, architecture, ecological parks, museums, waterfalls and exquisite cuisine of this natural wonder? You must have to visit Manaus then. This place is also recognized as the “Paris of the Jungle” for its natural beauty and man-made comfort!

Anavilhanas and Rio Negro

This is the world’s greatest archipelago of fresh water which you should not miss! Rio Negro or the “river of black water” is also a tourist treat!

Rio Negro

Jungle Hikes

If you are a bit more daredevil than the average folks, you might want to take a jungle hike but for that make sure you hire the professional people of a renowned company to accompany you!

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Yet there is a place in the world that defies any theory connected to the rise of global temperature and this place is called Patagonia, to be more specific the Perito Moreno glaciar.

Year after year, instead of behaving like any other glaciar in the world, Perito Moreno not only does it not melt but it also increases its volume. This fact intrigued scientists all over the world for a long time, and recently they found an explanation.

The scientists that studied the reverse effect of the global warming in Patagonia state that the Perito Moreno glaciar won’t be affected by the rising temperatures since it is helped by the environment.

Patagonia glacier

Due to the mountain landscape, the warm currents above the glaciar don’t circulate that low as to affect the ice, on the contrary, they remain higher than usual and they also produce frequent rainfall. This is the cause why the warmth doesn’t affect the ice and the cold temperature on the ground, and at the same time produces rain that turns into snow as soon as it reaches the glaciar.

Patagonia glacier

Patagonia glacier

Patagonia glacier

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Each year, the Amazon floods a forest area the size of England. This water rise on such an extended area affects all the living organisms in that region.

Along its 6.400 Km course, from the Andes to the Atlantic, the Amazon gathers 1100 tributaries, most of which are rivers. All together they wash off 40% of the continent. In this water world there are 3 thousand species of fish. And where there’s fish there are predators.

The giant otters are truly big. They are almost 2 meter long. The locals call them “lobos del rio”, the river wolves. They feed almost entirely on fish, although they can kill caimans and anacondas. They are among the best predators in the Amazon, the aquatic equivalent of the jaguar. Most otters are solitary, but very sociable. They live in big familial groups of up to six members: a couple and their former cubs.

The otters unite two worlds. Although its food comes from the river, it sleeps and breeds its cubs on the ground. So its life depends directly on the river’s water level, which comes from the West, from the distant peaks of the Andes.

Amazon

After the rapid part in the mountains, the river becomes calm and wide. In the further 5.500 Km it lowers with approximately 5 cm per Km. It slowly drags itself through the plain, and its course changes constantly, creating new canals and lakes. It is more than a river. It’s an entire system.

The Amazon reaches its lowest level in October, during the middle of the draught season and reveals its bottom. For a few weeks per year, the sand banks see the surface, offering a unique chance to the most remarkable animal of the Amazon, the river turtle. It is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It has over one meter in length and weights 40 Kg. They return to the same place every year, to lay their eggs. But it is a race against time, since the banks will be cover again by water. For two weeks, the females with eggs lie in the sun. The heat speeds the development of the eggs inside their body. When they are ready, each female digs a hole almost one meter deep, where it lays 100 eggs. But all this activity doesn’t pass unnoticed.

Good sand banks are rare and apart from each other and it often happens for a nest to be uncovered which is an unique opportunity for the vultures. In 45 days, cubs will hatch out of those eggs. The process happens faster than it happens to other turtles. In only two weeks the banks will be flooded again. If the river rises early, all the eggs are lost.

In the middle of the draught season, the sand banks separate the river banks from the main course. The fish are caught in these lagoons, which means easy pray for predators.

Amazon rainforest

The caimans and egrets love this part of the year. The fish hide through the reed, but they are still easy pray in such shallow waters. The egrets attack from the side and from above so the pray won’t notice them till it’s too late. Sometimes, the caimans seem to work together to draw fish to shallow waters. Fish banks are bigger. The shallow water is mostly fish, literally. And since they can pick, they don’t need to isolate the pray. A random jump is just as good. And when one caiman jumps, the fish get scared and jump into another’s mouth. But this period doesn’t last long. The caiman must take advantage of this while it lasts. Such a feast can last them for many months.

For most of the fish, the draught season is not a good period. They become everyone’s favourite food, and their food is so scarce, that most of them don’t eat anything for a few months. Some birds also experience difficulties. Tui parrots eat seeds and munguba seeds are rare.

Munguba uses the wind to spread its seeds. Each of them has a fluff parachute, but if they reach the river they can’t germinate. Brycon, the South American trout, are so hungry that they jump to catch these seeds. They can jump a distance four times longer than their body length.

Even with lower waters, big rivers are navigable. On Amazon’s main canal, the ships that go to the sea can reach to Iquitos, 3000 Km from the ocean. The rivers are the main access. The locals depend on then all year round. The river communities feed mostly on fish. For people and for natural predators, the shallow waters are a good fishing period.

Loaded by silt, the waters are very thick. It’s hard to see anything in the water, even during the day. At night it gets worse. For the locals the worst fish in the Amazon is the electric eel. It’s body of nearly 2 meters is one giant battery. It can send a 600 V electric impulse. Such an impulse can kill a child and is more that enough to paralyze the pray.

Amazon rainforest

Once the river lowers, some canals are cut off from the stream. Here, the predators and the pray gather in one place. The caiman males gave up on guarding the territory and enjoy the food abundance. But in such an enclosed space, disputes are inevitable. In spite of the big number, there is plenty of food for everybody.

For predator fish these periods are very good, although they too have problems. Maybe a caiman might seem solid but its shield has weaknesses. Although they only have their heads above the water, they are targets for gadflies.

The changing of the season brings the first rains and the promise for better periods for fish which are now at the mercy of caimans and egrets. And for cormorants, the abundance season will end. Released from their prisons the fish will separate and will become hard to catch.

The first rain can make the situation worse. The cold rain water goes directly to the bottom, moving the hot water with less oxygen to the surface. The rotting vegetation and bubbles of hydrogen sulfide rise. This deadly cocktail lowers the water’s oxygen level and the fish suffocate. The surface water has the most oxygen and the fish rise to the surface not to suffocate. Most of the fish are affected by this phenomenon and the birds have their last chance to get the fish. Scared fish are an easy pray for cormorants and egrets.

The isolated rains  turn  into one heavy fall. The Amazon basin gets 3 meters of rain per year, in just a few months. The rainy season varies from one region to the other, but the result is the same everywhere. A slow but sure water rise.

The new season affects all living organisms. Due to the heavy rain the rivers begin to flood. But there’s more. In the Andes, the annual water level can reach 6 meters. If we take into account the melted snow on the mountains, the results are dramatic. Days or weeks might pass until these torrents reach the plain, hundreds of Km away. But the animals already began to leave. The rain that fell flooded the ground and rose the level of humidity. This is the start of a huge migration.

Small animals go up into the trees. Soon, their world will change. But on top of the trees predators await them. For many of the small animals, this move is deadly. But why do they move? Months can pass by till the effects of the rains and the torrents from Andes get here. Rivers are flooding the forest due to the heavy rains. The reason of this migration is obvious. In some places, the water in the forest will be 10 meters deep. The flood changes the life of all the living organisms here. Even the giant otters leave. Their draught season dens are flooded, therefore they must move their cubs some place else.

In the middle of the flood  season,  Amazonia is fully transformed. A new habitat has been created, a water world which goes 16 Km into the forest around the main course. During the flood season, the river takes up 147.000 square Km more. An area the size of England. The trees stay under water for more than six months, but the flood is annual so many take advantage of it. The branches that once sheltered birds now shelter fish. Freed from the draught season traps, the fish spread into the forest. Now it’s their turn to take advantage. The predators follow the fish into the forest but it’s harder for them to hunt. Their pray is scattered and can hide. Among the hunters, one of Amazon’s most remarkable creature is the Boto dolphin. This dolphin is almost blind, but the water here is very dirty so a good sight won’t come in handy. He gets by through the branches with the help of its sonar. Despite his marine relatives, the river dolphin has a flexible neck. By moving its head to the side, he “ sees” the waters ahead and catches the fish.

Amazon river

The animals in the trees require special talents to survive in the flooded forest. Talents such as swimming. The sloth and the spider are not very good swimmers, but their unique style helps them get from one tree to another. If you don’t know how to swim, crawl or fly, you can’t stay here, therefore this water world doesn’t shelter any forest animals such as deer or peccaries.

Some fish haven’t eaten in months. Now it’s their feast. The wind and rain bring them a considerable amount of insects from the trees. Even if it’s not in the water the insect is still not safe. Many species of fish take advantage of the things that fall off trees.

The water rise affects almost every specie here. Now, the trees cast their fruit on the flooded soil. Most trees depend on the floods to spread their seeds. Till these seeds germinate, the water carries them away from the tree. Yet they don’t get by only on water. In this odd world, trees use fish. The fish eat the fruit but eliminate the seeds.

For fish this is a good period. They eat all the fruit that fall in the water. And where there’s fish there are fishermen. Most of the pray birds have left but not the green heron. Most of the fish that consume fruit have a bond with the trees. They spread the seeds in exchange for the fruit. Yet some fish don’t respect the rules. They chew the seeds destroying them instead of spreading them.

The flood season doesn’t leave anything unharmed. Everything that lives here must adapt or leave. Oddly enough, humans live here all year round. Their houses are built on stilts or rafts, to be safe from the floods. So are the barns. Watering the plants is easy yet the vegetables can only grow in floating gardens. It’s a difficult period.

Most of the people depend on fishing, but the fish banks from the draught season have spread into the forest and are harder to catch. Most of the predators have a difficult time. Even the feared ones, such as piranha, end up feeding on scraps. Among all the fish in the Amazon, they are the most known. They can eat a chicken in a few seconds should it fall in the water.

Living on the water has its advantages, especially for children, but most people don’t want piranha in their pools. Yet their reputation is not entirely true. Only during the draught season, when they are caught in the water lagoons, they are truly dangerous.

During the months to come the water will slowly leave the forest. The rivers will return to their banks, and the otters will come back to their dens from the draught season. The giant otters show how healthy the river is. They can only survive in waters with plenty of fish.

Many things threaten this last wild place of the world, but its safety lies in the size of the Amazon. It is far too powerful to be controlled, or modified. The massive floods make it a hostile environment for most people which means it won’t be populated too soon.

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In Amazonia lies the most powerful river and the biggest  rain forest in the world. The driest desert, Atacama, lies close to one of the richest seas of the world.

In south America there is a wide variety of animals. No other continent has such a wide variety of mammals that live in such different areas. Anywhere you go you encounter many forms of life. But how did these micro systems come to life?

To understand South America’s natural history we must go back in time to the Dinosaur era.

South America was part of Gondwana, a  huge continent which also included Africa, Australia, India and Antarctica. It was a world ruled by reptiles. Some of these prehistoric creature predecessors are still alive today. And the forests in the South of Chile are home to plants which dinosaurs would have known. The Ferns and the bizarre baobab. Then new animals occurred. The first mammals were small. Most were marsupials such as the pygmy opossum. It lives in the cool and wet forests in the South of Chile and feeds on insects and warms. The pygmy opossum shares the forest with another pygmy marsupial. Locals call it “ el monito del monte”, meaning the mountain monkey. It is so small that it fits in one palm. It also feeds on insects but it also likes fruits.

When we think about marsupials, Australia automatically comes to mind. But in South America there are over 80 species of marsupials, a reminiscent of the times when the two continents were united.

Amazonia

One hundred million years ago, Gondwana broke into pieces. South America became a huge island separated from the rest of the world.

The next chapter in the history of South America was long and violent. It changed the continent forever. Around 80 million years ago, the island has a serie of major volcanic eruptions which continue even today. Due to the movement of the tectonic plates, a mountain chain appeared along the continent, the Andes. With a length of over 8.000 Km, it is the longest mountain chain in the world. The North valleys are covered in rain forests, but the peaks are so tall, that even if it is at the Equator, they are always covered with snow and ice.

In the central Andes there is a tall desert but very dry, Antiplano. As we get closer to the South, the mountains become smaller, but are closer to Antarctica.

In the Southern extreme, the ice in Patagonia creates the biggest ice surface outside the polar regions. They cover over 18.000 Km, the glaciers in these regions reach the sea. Even here, with the glaciers animals survive. Animals here have to survive despite the powerful winds and snows. Only the strongest of them can survive here, such as the huanaco, South American relative of the camel, and the foxes but even for them winter is a struggle.

The climate in Patagonia is difficult, but not the most difficult in the Andes. The hardest of all is found on a plateau without Oxigen, at more than 4.000 meters altitude. Here in Altiplano, the melted water from the nearest peaks evaporates in huge salt lakes. Icy at nights and almost boiling during the day they make for the most hostile environment on Earth.

Patagonia

Here in the Bolivian Andes lies Salar Uyni. With a surface of 11.600 square Km, it is  the world’s largest salt deposit. Incredible, the islands in these salt seas have life on them: Viscacia. They are some rodents of the size of a rabbit, they live with thin air, the strong cold and almost total lack of water. They hydrate through their food. Their thick fur keeps them warm and a high blood cells rate makes them absorb enough Oxigen.

The thin air is a problem for hummingbirds. To save some energy when they feed they climb up instead of flying.

Although Altiplano is hostile some animals prefer it. Flamingo birds come here to lay their eggs, because in these salty waters lives their favorite food. Flamingos are remarkable for their wedding dance.

The rise of the Andes diversified the environment but also had long term effects. The big barrier modified South America’s climate. It also changed the geography of the whole continent changing the courses of the main rivers.

The Iguazu waterfall is one of the world’s wonders. Four times bigger than the Niagara Falls it transports 60.000 tons of water per second.

Iguazu waterfall

Part of Amazonia was once a huge swamp, connected to the Pacific and Caribbean. The rise of the Andes broke off these connections forcing the rivers to flow to the East.

40% of the South American rivers flow towards the Amazon. This is the biggest river in the world. It crosses 6.400 Km from the Andes to the ocean, transporting one fifth of all the river water in the world. With 1.600 Km before reaching the ocean it’s main flow has 16 Km in width. Each year, the Amazon waters rise flooding a part of the forest the size of England. Sometimes, trees end up standing in 10 meter deep waters. Waters bring along with them the river lifeforms such as the river dolphin. It’s origin is a mystery. Could it be a relic from the times Amazonia was connected to the ocean? These river dolphins are nearly blind. This isn’t a handicap since these waters are very dirty. They are guided by echolocation. Compared to the ocean dolphins these have a flexible neck. Moving their head to the left they can see the road. Their sonar is so precise that they can swim through thick branches searching for fish. The hairs on their lips help them catch the prey.

Maybe its origin is a mystery, but it is sure that some amazon fish have marine ancestors such as the rays. Their closest relatives are in the Caribbean.

Atacama desert

The Amazon has over three thousand fish species, Pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish in the world or piranha, the most famous in the world. Their variety is spectacular and where there is food there are predators.

In this water world, the caimans are on top of the food chain. The water equivalent of the jaguar, the red belly Piranha are also predators, but for a caiman they are only a single bite.

The Amazon and its tributaries cross the largest rain forest on Earth. Stretching from the Andes to the Atlantic , the Amazon Jungle is home of many lifeforms, many more than any other forest in the world. In only 5 square Km of forest, scientists have discovered 3 thousand species of plants, 530 bird species and 11 monkey species. Here these are countless reptile, amphibians and insects species. 650 bugs species and 80 ant species were discovered in a single tree.

Atacama desert

Scientists don’t have only one explanation for this diversity, but among each animal group there is a big number of species. Since there are so many species, most of them are specialized.

Blood dwarf is the smallest monkey in the world. They feed with the sap of several species of trees, whose bark they pierce using specialized teeth. And is only one out of the 30 species of blood dwarves and tamarins from the Amazon, monkeys which can be found in the lower forests of South America.

Blood dwarves with mutated ears live in packs. The female lives with one or many males and many cubs. Females usually have 2 cubs and like any other monkey, the father takes care of the babies. Mutated ears blood dwarves are opportunists. Besides sap they eat insects, fruit, bird eggs small snakes and lizards. Almost anything they ca n get their hands on. The cubs must develop fast if they want to survive this dangerous world of the tropical forest.

Amazonia is at the East from the Andes and these torrential rains water the jungle fecundity. But the mountains stop the winds that bring the wet air so the West side barely has any rain. Here lies the world’s driest desert, Atacama.

In Atacama it doesn’t rain for years. It’s hard to imagine something living here, yet there is…the Huanaco. These South American camels can resist to extreme temperatures. For a camel the desert is more pleasant than the deserts of Patagonia yet Atacama gives them a lot of trouble. By day the temperature can rise up to +40 degrees. Their only solace is a bath with dust. But what do they eat? If there is no water, how do plants grow? The key to surviving in Atacama is the Pacific ocean.

The desert is a strip between the mountains and the sea. The wet air above the water is cooled by a cold drought. Every day mist comes from the Pacific. The mist is the only water source in the desert. The fog condenses on cactus spines enough to develop lichens. Each morning the lichens are covered with precious drops of water.

This water saves the lives of the few inhabitants of Atacama such as the finch lead. The Huanaco hydrates eating lichens, which it delicately extract of cactus spines with their soft and sensitive lips. They also eat the flower of a parasite flower which grows on cactuses, these flowers are sweet and full of nectar.

Flamingo birds in Atacama desert

Huanaco along other desert animals live on the edge. Without the fog life would be impossible in Atacama.

As we go South, the main climate comes from the other side so all the East part of the continent is dry. Here. Not the lack of water is the main problem, but the wind. This is the land of powerful winds which hit the Patagonian steppes. Every life form here must be used to endless storms.

The Maras, Patagonian hares are large rodents, unique to the South America. Adult hares live and birth their cubs on the field but hide them in underground layers, safe from the powerful winds and foxes. The Patagonian hares territories overlap which is why you can find many pares in one layer. These are like nurseries for the community. Parents leave their children to go and eat but there is always someone to take care of them. A nursery can have 20 to 30 babies. Some hungry cubs want to get milk from the sitter. She tries to pull them away but that is how they drink 10% of their milk.

In Patagonia a hole is very precious and is like a magnet to intruders. Here even the birds nest underground. The minute the hares turned their back, the layer owl wants to steal their home.

In Patagonia, the burrow owls are not the only birds that have nests underground. Because they don’t have trees to  make their nests in, the Patagonian parrots carve holes in the hone. They form colonies of over 50.000 birds. This is one of the few places on Earth where parrots nest near the sea.

The Species diversity in South America doesn’t end on the coast. The seas that surround the continent are among the richest of the world. The cool and rich waters gather huge fish banks which in turn represent food for birds and sea mammals. The number of fish species here is amazing. An ansoa bank can have hundreds of thousands of fish.

Machu Picchu

This dense amount of fish inevitably attracts predators. The dolphins migrate with the ansoa banks. For the ansoa the first form of protection is the bank. When they are attacked, the gather the rows forming a ball of fins and scales. Dolphins find it hard to attack fish in such a dense mass that’s why they try to break the bank by swimming through it. Once it is divided, the dolphins threaten the fish and isolate them through air bubbles and high pitch sounds which paralyse the small fish.

Paralysed the fish go to the surface where they are also hunted by birds. This racket attracts even more predators such as the sea lions. Attacked from all directions the fish are disoriented. Caught in the middle of the madness they stand no chance. Magellan’s penguins gather the last remaining survivors. In the end all that’s left of then are some scales on the surface of the water.

For almost 100 million years, South America was an island. Its animals evolved separated , isolated from the rest of the world and the seas. But three million years ago, the same tectonic movements which formed the Andes, lifted a bridge which united North America with South America. The animals could easily cross from one continent to another. The impact in South America was profound.

Among the first mammals to get here were the coats. The North American raccoon relatives, are active, agile, adaptable and intelligent. The quickly colonized these lands. Today you can also find them in Argentina. These invaders made the South American forests their own.

Fort other animals such as the sloth it was never the same. These new-comers were very agile. The Sloths are lethargic by nature. They have a low temperature and metabolism. The sloths resisted all this time because of their special power: eating leaves.

The coats made it because they are opportunists. They are fast and always search for food. Sloths are left behind at the start line. Coats are social animals. They live in groups of 20 and the females with cubs are omnivores. They eat fruit, insects, spiders, snails, fish, snakes, birds and mammals. Anything they can find. The flexible nose and a high developed sense of smell helps them find food fast.

These colonists were followed by others bigger and more dangerous such as the jaguar. South America has tall and big carnivores. Marsupials similar to cats and dogs. But many died before the new comers. At the beginning it was easy for the Coats. But once with the arrival of big predators, their life became harder. Basically, the invaders were successful. Some overcame their competition through their competence. Others ate their competition. But many of these species occupied empty areas. Today almost half of the South American families have origin in North American. Then the new species went all over the continent.

As invaders adapted to the new environment some evolved. A dog transformed into the mane wolf. Like a fox on stilts, this long-legged predator gathers its food on the planes of South Brazil. It feeds on small animals and look for them.

The Andes

The great planes are among the oldest landscapes in South America. Throughout history they remained mostly unchanged. Today, they are home to a weird blend of animals, new and old. The deer are among the new immigrants from North America. They live along side animals which have been here for ten million years, among which the Nandu the equivalent of the North-American ostrich.

If the mane wolf is one of the recent animals around, among the oldest species is the giant anteater. Is one of the most specialized insect eating animals and its weird snout is his secret weapon. The snout has a long and sticky tongue, ideal for termite mounds. But first it  must get in. Termite mounds can be as tough as concrete, that;s why you need a pair of strong claws.

The giant anteater is among the few survivors of a specie which lives in south America for over 50 million years. Another one would be the armadillo. The armadillo and the anteater survived the invasion because they specialized on the food that the invaders can’t get. They eat ants and termites. The mane wolf is not a rival since it prefers mice. But mice are not easy to get.

Today, the animals in South America are a mere shadow of what existed there. 2 tons armadillos, meat eating birds 3 meters tall, giant ground sloths the size of an elephant. The ground sloth went extinct less than 10.000 years ago. What made these giants disappear?

Long after the two Americas united, another invasion took place, one far more powerful, the humans. Nobody knows exactly when humans have arrived or how. By ship along the coast or by foot from North America. But we do know for sure that they have been here for 12.000 years. And they spread all over the continent, from the sea coast to the tall peaks of Andes. Maybe the first hunters rushed the extinction of big animals  but they has little impact on the landscapes. Yet the development of agriculture changed the way South America looked. Civilizations flourished even up in the mountains. Their last monuments can still be seen today in the Andes, in the ruins of the Inca city of Machu Picchu. People have changes the animals too.

Seven thousand years ago they have domesticated the huanoco and made them into Llama and Alpaca for their wool. Being burden animals and providing wool and meat, they were the key to the survival in the Andes. Domesticated animals are important even today for the people in Antiplano and are an integrated part of their culture. Through the cross-breading with their wild relatives, the people in the mountains obtain many species according to their needs.

Llama is the most social of all and has the best meat, but the Alpaca has a ticker fur. The fares and the llama racing are important moments in the local calendars and a pretext for parties. The animals carry burdens so a race challenges their abilities their strength especially at this altitude.

Traditional cultures survived in these places since they are isolated from the exterior world. But the wild life also survives since a large part of the continent remains isolated.

Maybe people changed for good parts of South America, but this vast continent has many regions very difficult for humans. It still has large virgin territories. From this point of views it has no rivals. The landscapes of South America and its wildlife are due to the unique history of the continent. They are the most spectacular chapter of a history that is being written for 100 million years.

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Aboard the plane were six people, among whom the Italian fashion designer Vittorio Missoni and his concubine.

The plane took off from Los Roques and was heading for Caracas and disappeared off the radar during the night.

The owner of a hotel in the archipelago stated that he saw the plane going into the clouds and then it disappeared. Moreover, airline authorities in Venezuela said that the last contact with the aircraft was recorded when it was 18 Km South from Los Roques.

According to the source, starting with the mid 90′s and till now, at least 15 cases were reported.

In 2008, 14 people died after the plane they were on crashed in this area. After the accident, neither the bodies nor remains of the aircraft were found.

Los Roques

On the other hand, the Los Roques archipelago is not the only place which was labled as mysterious area. So was the Formosa Triangle ( Devil’s Sea) and Sargasso Sea ( Atlantic Ocean) where unexplained events occurred.

Nevertheless, Nick wall, editor for the Pilot magazine showed that pilots are quite pragmatic about these cases and see things more rational.

“There are always explanations for these things – even if it takes many years to figure out the answer”, stated Wall. “ Pilots prefer to focus on things that truly help them such as fuel gauges, weather reports and technical inspections”, he concluded.

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Andes Mountains, Patagonia, Chile Wallpaper

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If you visit Lake Titicaca, you’ll see that the lake’s length is about 122 miles long and its width is 35 miles. To visit this lake which is one of the most magnificent lakes in the world you have to go to Puno, one of the most interesting cities in Peru and the capital of Saltiplano – a folklore city. Both the city and the lake are very important according to the mythology of the Inca.

Lake Titicaca

But if you want to see the Bolivian side of the lake you have to go to the stunning city of Challapampa. This city is also very famous for the great labyrinth Chinkana. You can enjoy the beauty of the Island of the Sun or the Isla Del Sol if you go to the Bolivian part of this lake. However, you’ll be a little disappointed when you won’t find any road on the island, yet the relics of Incan times can make your visit to Lake Titicaca.

Lake Titicaca

You won’t find any better place to enjoy a party in the whole South American territory than in Lake Titicaca. The festival called Candelaria is a religious festival which includes devil dance and other interesting stuffs takes place in Puno. The glittering islands look like a blue gem from far. The shores are famous for its fertile soil where different types of crops grow. The lake is about 3800 meters above the sea level and you can watch the stunning sights of Bolivian mountains from there. The cathedrals and checkerboard valleys make it more earnest to visit.

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca Village

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The Islands of Chile

Uh, downsides? Never mind. We’re going to go shipwreck ourselves somewhere. Remote. Gorgeous. Right off the coast of Chile, in fact. Here’s something Robinson Crusoe never really mentioned: islands are paradise. Especially the Chilean Islands—approximately 4,000 perfect sea-ringed ecosystems, still pristine, mostly uninhabited, and all offering the kind of adventure and beauty you simply can’t get if you stick to the mainland.

Since shipwreck is unlikely (and also means) you can’t take your scuba gear, you’re best plan is to choose from among the thousands of islands and take the ferry or the short flight from the Chilean mainland to start your adventure. The (arguably) most famous of the islands—Isla de Pascua, or Easter Island—is an excellent place to begin.

Islands of Chile

Isla de Pascua: Easter Island

Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island on the planet. A thousand miles from Chile, this island retains a deep sense of mystery. You can get there via a five-hour flight from Santiago, and once there the things to explore and discover are endless.

Hanga Roa is the heart of the island; there you can find lodging (maybe try the Hanga Roa Eco Village and Spa) and restaurants serving delicious preparations of the local tuna, wine, and local crafts. Hanga Roa also hosts a number of diving schools; the scuba diving is excellent: warm, great visibility, rainbows of native fish, and a labyrinth of underwater caves that seduced Jacques Cousteau himself. Only one Easter Island beach is officially approved for swimming—the white sands and turquoise waters of Anakena—but the diving and surfing are premium everywhere.

Trekking is a good way to get a sense of the island’s rich history and magnificent stone idols—the famous moai, the huge carved heads that watch over the island. One excellent trek takes you through the crater of the Rano Kau volcano to the ceremonial village of Orongo, where you can immerse yourself in the petroglyphs, sculptures, and icons of the ancient Rapa Nui (the welcoming Rapa Nui still flourish and are delighted to share their culture).

Because the island is small, a horseback excursion allows you to see almost all of it; if you opt not to trek the volcano you can take a ride through the grasslands and moai statues right up to the sides of Rano Kau. What you can’t see on horseback is the honeycomb of caves under Easter Island. Researchers have mapped out more than 7,000 meters of volcanic caverns, and with a guide and a good flashlight you can have a whole different sort of island trip underground.

Easter Island

The Juan Fernandez Archipelago

Made up of three islands—Santa Clara, Robinson Crusoe, and Alejandro Selkirk, this archipelago lies in the South Pacific 400 miles from the Chilean mainland. Robinson Crusoe takes its name from the famous castaway in Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel. You can try living in a cave and making a goatskin umbrella if you like, but this island—unlike the other two—is inhabited and welcomes visitors. Take a beautiful trail to the Alejandro Selkirk lookout (Selkirk is said to have been the “real” Robinson Crusoe) and see the native flora and fauna that won this island distinction as a World Biosphere Reserve. The diving and snorkeling are fantastic, and as for food—well, the main economy is lobster fishing. Enough said.

Juan Fernandez Archipelago

Chiloe Island

As your island hopping winds down and you consider returning to the mainland, make sure you stop at Chile’s second largest island, Isla de Chiloe, separated from Chile’s coast only by the Chacao Strait and the Gulf of Corcovado. Once there, Chiloe National Park is accessible by a series of trails through the lush forest. Sixteen of the island’s churches have been designated Unesco World Heritage sites. And the local palafitos, colorful houses built on stilts over the water, are definitely worth a visit before your time as a castaway comes to an end.

Chiloe Island

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Where to Visit in Brazil

Apart from the carnivals Brazil is famous for its nightlife, shopping at the markets especially for the gemstones, gorgeous beaches in Rio. However, going to Brazil doesn’t only mean visiting Rio only. The Amazon is one of the main attractions for the tourists. Salvador, Bahia, Pantanal, Iguassu Falls are the places where the tourists should stay for a few days to enjoy the real beauty of Brazil. The beaches of Fortaleza, Recife and Natal should be visited as well. Spending some time on Ipanema Beach will be worthy.

Amazon River Brazil

Brazil Ipanema Beach

Things to Do

Most of the tourists think the carnival time is the best time to visit Brazil. So, why not attend those while the touring this amazing country? The festival starts with Festa de lemanja, Procissao do Senhor Bom Jesus dos Navegantes on January 1. Meu Boi, Lavagem do Bonfim, Dia do Indio, Bumba Cirio de Nazare, Semana Santa etc. are other different festivals occurred during different months throughout the different regions in Brazil. Apart from attending these carnivals, tourists should see Brazil from Corcovado and Pao de Acucar.

Rio De Janeiro Brazil

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