Explore Latin America by theme

Wines of Argentina

Andean altitude, desert light and wine regions with distinct identities

Argentina’s wine country follows the eastern side of the Andes through dry valleys where meltwater, intense sun and cold nights make cultivation possible. Mendoza is the great hub, but the differences between Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley are substantial enough to justify several days. Farther north, vines grow at exceptional altitudes around Cafayate and the Calchaquí Valleys, while Río Negro, Neuquén and Chubut show a cooler southern expression. Malbec is the obvious entry point, not the whole story. Torrontés, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and old vines of several varieties reveal a country that has moved from volume production towards an increasingly detailed understanding of place. Vineyard lunches, small family producers and ambitious architecture also make the visit itself as important as the bottle. A good wine journey does not try to cover the whole country. It chooses regions that genuinely differ and gives each area time for vineyards, meals and landscape.

Music of Brazil

Samba, choro, frevo and musical traditions that still shape everyday life

Brazil has no single national musical style. Its music has developed through encounters between African rhythms, European instruments, Indigenous traditions, migration, religion and modern urban life. Samba, choro and bossa nova are closely associated with Rio de Janeiro, but their histories also lead to Bahia and other regions. Recife and Olinda bring frevo and maracatu, the interior has forró, baião and xote, while in Salvador candomblé, blocos afro and trios elétricos have reshaped both Carnival and popular music. Music is best experienced in context. A roda de samba is different from a stage show, a samba-school rehearsal from the parade itself and a small choro evening from bossa nova in a hotel bar. The right neighbourhood, day of the week and local guide matter more than a list of famous genres. A music journey does not need to be a specialist trip. A few well-chosen evenings can give an entire itinerary a depth that no museum or recording can replace.

Nature in Brazil

Rainforest, wetlands, highlands and ocean in a country of continental scale

Brazil contains most of the Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest tropical wetland, a long Atlantic mountain system, savannas, dry forest, desert-like dunes and a marine realm extending far into the Atlantic. Nature is not a single green backdrop but a series of very different systems with their own seasons, wildlife and ways of travelling. The Pantanal gives the clearest encounters with large mammals because the landscape is open and wildlife concentrates around water. The Amazon is biologically richer but more difficult to read, with rivers, flooded forest and life high in the canopy. Iguaçu reveals the Atlantic Forest through immense water and forest trails, while Lençóis Maranhenses changes dramatically when rain fills the lagoons between the dunes. A good nature journey in Brazil therefore does not begin by asking which place is most beautiful. It begins with which ecosystem, season and type of experience best suits the trip.

Beaches of Brazil

City beaches, rainforest islands, reef coast and open Atlantic landscapes

Brazil’s coastline stretches for more than seven thousand kilometres and changes from city and granite mountains to mangroves, reefs, dunes, cliffs and southern surf beaches. Rio’s beaches are part of the city, Búzios combines many different beaches with restaurants and small-town life, Ilha Grande requires boats or good walking shoes, and Bahia mixes beach time with village life and Afro-Brazilian culture. Farther north, the reef coast of Pernambuco and Alagoas is governed by the tide, wind shapes the journey in Ceará, and on Fernando de Noronha the sea is the main attraction. The right coast is therefore chosen not by the prettiest photograph, but by season, travel time and how you actually want to spend your days.

Brazil’s World Heritage

Colonial cities, modernism and natural landscapes that help explain how Brazil became Brazil

Brazil’s World Heritage ranges from Ouro Preto’s gold-mining city and Salvador’s colonial port to Brasília, Rio’s urban landscape and Roberto Burle Marx’s modern garden design. Natural sites include the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Pantanal, Iguaçu, Fernando de Noronha, Lençóis Maranhenses and the vast canyon and cave system of Peruaçu. Paraty and Ilha Grande combine culture and biodiversity in the country’s only mixed World Heritage property. The list is not a collection of attractive postcards. It tells stories of slavery, missionisation, mining, Indigenous peoples, modernisation, conservation and conflict over who gets to define national memory. Valongo Wharf and Serra da Capivara reshape the story just as much as the famous churches and palaces do. A journey through World Heritage works best when places are connected by a clear idea rather than by collecting the greatest number of names. History, architecture and nature require different pacing, guides and seasons.

Wildlife in Latin America

Wetlands, rainforest, islands and oceans where different species require very different journeys

Latin America contains some of the planet’s richest ecosystems, but biodiversity and good viewing conditions are not the same thing. The Pantanal’s open rivers offer far better opportunities to see large mammals than dense rainforest, even though the Amazon contains more species. Galápagos provides unusual proximity to endemic animals, while Costa Rica and Panama make tropical wildlife accessible through shorter distances and well-developed nature guiding. Farther south, the journey changes again. Península Valdés and the Patagonian coast are about whales, penguins, elephant seals and sea lions. The Andean highlands bring condors, vicuñas and flamingos in open landscapes. Coiba, Fernando de Noronha and other marine areas require boats, diving or snorkelling rather than safari vehicles. The best wildlife journey starts with species and habitat but is built around season, guiding, physical demands and realistic expectations.

Birdwatching in Latin America

From hummingbirds in cloud forest to condors, macaws and seabirds of the open ocean

Latin America contains more bird species and more endemic environments than any other part of the world. The extraordinary variety comes not only from the continent’s size but from the elevational zones of the Andes, the river systems of the Amazon, Central America’s narrow land bridge, open wetlands and isolated islands. A good birding journey is therefore built around habitat and elevation rather than a list of countries.

Football in Brazil

Clubs, rivalries and matchdays in the country where football became a shared language

Brazilian football is a network of clubs, neighbourhoods, states and competitions that runs through almost the entire year. A match at Maracanã or in São Paulo gains its real meaning when the opposition, tournament and histories of the clubs are understood. For travellers, the experience is therefore as much about context and logistics as the ninety minutes on the pitch.

Rio Carnival

Samba schools, street blocos and months of work behind Rio’s biggest celebration

At the Sambadrome, Rio's samba schools compete with music, costumes and spectacular floats. Across the city, street blocos celebrate Carnival in their own way. Explore the history, parade nights, ticket categories and how to plan a visit.

Wild cats of Latin America

Jaguars in the Pantanal, pumas in Patagonia and small cats that still surprise science

Latin America has an extraordinary variety of wild cats. Jaguars belong to tropical forest and wetland, pumas range from desert and high mountains to the Patagonian steppe, and smaller species such as ocelot, margay, jaguarundi and Andean cat occupy very different niches. The northern Pantanal and southern Patagonia are two of the strongest regions for travellers who want the larger cats to form a central part of the journey. At the same time, research continues to reshape our understanding of the smaller species. In September 2026, the Bolivian tilcayo, Leopardus tilcayo, was described as a distinct species, while Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo was described as a new Peruvian subspecies.

National parks in Latin America

Glaciers, rainforest, volcanoes and island worlds where every park demands its own pace

Latin America’s national parks protect everything from Patagonian glaciers and Andean highlands to rainforest, wetlands, coral reefs and volcanic islands. They cannot all be judged by the same measure. Some can carry an entire trekking journey, others offer strong wildlife experiences from lodge or boat, and some are concentrated natural highlights that fit within a larger itinerary.

Skiing in South America

High altitude, winter in July and ski journeys from Santiago to Patagonia

Skiing in South America means winter during the Northern Hemisphere summer, but the journey differs in many more ways than the calendar suggests. The central Andes above Santiago offer high altitude, dry mountains and resorts reached relatively quickly from an international capital. Farther south, lakes, forest and Patagonia’s more changeable weather take over. Chile works particularly well for a concentrated ski journey. Valle Nevado, La Parva and El Colorado lie within the same mountain area above Santiago, while Portillo offers an integrated hotel-and-ski environment beside Laguna del Inca. Argentina creates more opportunities to make skiing part of a wider journey, from Bariloche’s town and lake landscape to Las Leñas, San Martín de los Andes and Ushuaia. The snow season depends on each year’s precipitation and has no guaranteed opening dates. Altitude, mountain roads, wind and large distances make planning important. The right base, however, produces a ski journey with a geographical and cultural character very different from a European ski week.

Surfing in Central America

Warm water, two oceans and coastlines suited to very different levels

Central America concentrates an unusual number of surf coasts within relatively short distances. The Pacific receives southern swell through much of the year, while Caribbean surf follows different winds and more concentrated windows. The water is warm, but waves range from gentler beach breaks to powerful reefs and point breaks. Costa Rica offers the greatest breadth and the easiest combination of surf, nature and comfortable logistics. Panama contrasts Santa Catalina’s focused Pacific setting, Playa Venao’s more accessible bay and the boat-based Caribbean surf around Bocas del Toro. Nicaragua and El Salvador work especially well when wave type and surf quality are allowed to shape the whole journey. The choice should be made according to level, bottom, tide, season and travelling companions. A famous wave is not automatically suitable for lessons, and a beginner-friendly beach does not work every day. The right base and a knowledgeable local surf school matter more than collecting many countries.

Surfing in South America

Brazilian beach culture, Peru’s long left-hand waves and Chile’s cold-water power

South America’s surf coasts range from tropical beaches to cold upwelling water and some of the world’s most discussed point breaks. Brazil offers the greatest variety of towns and a beach culture that works even for groups where surfing is not the only interest. Peru and Chile more often suit travellers willing to let the wave shape the route. Florianópolis, Saquarema, Itacaré and Pipa show different sides of Brazil. Peru combines urban surfing in Lima with Punta Hermosa and the long left-hand waves of the northern coast. Chile offers colder water, greater exposure and the dramatic cliffs of Punta de Lobos. Ecuador adds warmer water and a compact mainland coast with Montañita as its best-known base. The right wave depends on level, season, wind, current and bottom. A surf journey across the whole continent is rarely better than one carefully chosen coast with several usable breaks. Trip length, spare equipment and the flexibility to move sessions according to the forecast are central parts of planning.

Maps of Argentina

Provinces, landscapes, ecoregions and distances in a country stretching 3,694 kilometres from north to south

Argentina stretches 3,694 kilometres between its northernmost and southernmost points on the American continent. This page brings together the maps that make the country easier to understand: 23 provinces and the city of Buenos Aires, the major travel regions, the Andes, 18 ecoregions and the practical distances between Iguazú, the Northwest, Mendoza, Buenos Aires and Patagonia.

Maps of Bolivia

Nine departments, the Altiplano, the Andes, the Amazon basin and distances that change the rhythm of a journey

Bolivia cannot be understood from a single map. Its nine departments form the administrative framework, but for travellers the differences in elevation between the Altiplano, Andean valleys and lowlands are just as important. Here we bring together the geography behind La Paz, Lake Titicaca, Salar de Uyuni, Sucre, Potosí, Santa Cruz and the Amazon lowlands.

The flag of Brazil

27 stars, nine constellations and a republican idea from 1889

Brazil’s flag is much more than green, yellow and blue. Its 27 stars correspond to the country’s 26 states and the Federal District, and their arrangement is based on an idealised representation of the sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889. The design combines the birth of the republic, the positivist motto Ordem e Progresso and an unusually elaborate astronomical construction.

Maps of Brazil

Regions, states, biomes and the geography that actually shapes a journey

Brazil is so large that a single political map says surprisingly little about how the country works as a travel destination. Here we bring together the maps that matter most: the five major regions, the 26 states and Federal District, the six continental biomes, and the practical travel geography connecting the Amazon, Pantanal, Iguaçu, Rio, the Northeast and southern Brazil.

Maps of Chile

An exceptionally long country where latitude, mountains and transport networks matter more than straight lines on a map

Chile is one of the world's most elongated countries. Its 16 regions provide the administrative framework, but a journey is better understood through latitude, the Andes, the Pacific and the major geographic zones from Atacama via Santiago and the wine valleys to the Lake District, Aysén, Magallanes and Rapa Nui.

Maps of Colombia

32 departments, Bogotá D.C., three Andean cordilleras and six geographic regions

Colombia has 32 departments and Bogotá Distrito Capital, but the physical map is just as important. DANE and IGAC describe six geographic regions: Caribe, Insular, Pacífica, Andina, Orinoquía and Amazonía. For travellers, they help explain why Bogotá, Medellín, the Coffee Region, Cartagena and the Amazon work as distinct geographic blocks.

Maps of Costa Rica

Seven provinces, two coasts and a mountain spine that controls weather, roads and travel times

Costa Rica is small on the map, but its topography makes travel more complex than the distances suggest. The country has seven provinces and 84 cantons, two coastlines and a central mountain axis that shapes climate, road choices and travel times between La Fortuna, Monteverde, Guanacaste, the Caribbean and the southern Pacific coast.

Maps of Ecuador

24 provinces and four natural regions from the Pacific coast across the Andes to the Amazon and Galápagos

Ecuador is compact but geographically dramatic. Its 24 provinces are crossed by the Andes and are commonly understood through four broad natural regions: Costa, Sierra, Amazonía and Insular with Galápagos. On a journey, elevation, mountain passes and flight connections are decisive between Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil, the Amazon and the islands.

Maps of Panama

A narrow isthmus between two oceans where mountains, canal, islands and road corridors shape the journey

Panama is narrow but geographically varied. The official map includes 10 provinces and Indigenous comarcas, while the travel map follows the central mountain spine, the Panama Canal watershed, the Caribbean, the Pacific and the routes between Panama City, Chiriquí, Bocas del Toro, Azuero and Darién.

Maps of Peru

Coastal desert, Andes and Amazon – three map layers that explain almost every journey through Peru

Peru's administrative map comprises 24 departments and the Constitutional Province of Callao. For travellers, the classic geographic division into Costa, Sierra and Selva is just as important. It explains the journey from Lima and the Pacific coast across the Andes to Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon lowlands.

Maps of Uruguay

19 departments, gentle inland ridges and a coast that changes from the Río de la Plata to the Atlantic

Uruguay has 19 departments and unusually straightforward travel geography. To the west lies the Uruguay River and the border with Argentina, to the south the Río de la Plata and farther east the Atlantic coast. Montevideo, Colonia, the wine areas around Canelones, Punta del Este and the coast of Rocha can therefore be linked in clear overland routes.

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