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A suggested South America travel itinerary would include highlights from Brazil, Argentina and Peru. Brazil has so much to offer it is difficult to narrow down a couple specific destinations, however there is never enough time for everything so to narrow it down it is recommended that the traveler visit Rio de Janeiro, the beautiful and historically significant coastal city and Iguazu Falls, the most extraordinary falls on the planet. From Argentina it is also possible and worth it to visit the other side of Iguazu Falls. Also, it is not recommended that you travel to Argentina without visiting the vibrant capital city of Buenos Aires on the eastern coast. Finally, what is a trip to South America without a visit to Machu Picchu, a world wonder and the highlight of a Peru vacation? This itinerary guarantees that you will visit some of the best South America has to offer.
This South America vacation begins in Rio de Janeiro. The large majority of flights and all international flights flying in and out of Rio from Aeroporto Galeao, also known as Aeroporto Antonio Carolos Jobim. The airport is just 10 miles from the Rio city center. Some domestic flights, especially a Sao Paulo flight fly from Aeroporto Santos Dumont which is in the center of Rio. If you are traveling overland, Rio is served by bus from every major city in Brazil. The bus station, however is located in a sketch area however, so you should defiantly plan on taking a taxi to your hotel from the bus station.
To travel to Iguazu Falls from Rio de Janeiro it is recommended that you fly. Iguazu is right on a cruz between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay so it can be accessed from cities in all three countries: Puerto Iguazu in Argenitina, Foz de Iguazzu in Brazil, and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. All three cities have airports so depending on where you are choosing to lodge would be a good deciding factor on which city you fly into.
From Iguazu you can take another flight to Buenos Aires. There are buses but a flight is much quicker and more comfortable and you don’t want to lose a lot of time since Buenos Aires has so much to offer its visitors. It is recommended that you spend ample time in this exciting capital before your flight to Cusco, Peru.
Flying to Cusco will take a day since you will have to connect in Lima most likely. Give yourself a couple days to see Cusco and the Sacred Valley as Machu Picchu is by no means the only thing to see in that area of Peru. When you are ready to see the ancient Inca citadel, take the train directly from Cusco or Ollantaytambo. It is a beautiful ride along the Urubamba River with the peaks of the Andes all around you.
The train will take you to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu Mountain. From Aguas Calientes there are buses every half hour or so up the mountain to the entrance of the famous Machu Picchu. There is plenty of accommodation in Aguas Calientes so it is recommended that you spend the night there or in the Sanctuary Lodge right outside the ruins. If you wish to return to Cusco there are afternoon trains as well.
This guide to South America wonders and Argentina vacations was written by a Argentina travel expert at Argentina For Less, specialists in high value, fully customizable tours and packages.
Humans have been trying to map the world since the beginning of our existence. Ancients all around the world have tried mapping out the area(s) surrounding them. Even though we’re living in a time where the entire world is mapped out and recreated as a globe, it’s still interesting to look at the world as our ancestors saw it.
No matter where your ancestors are from, looking at historic maps is a great way to see the world through their eyes. There are antique world maps that are centuries old. European maps, Asian maps, Australian maps, North and South American maps, and African maps can date back hundreds of years. There are even historical maps dating back thousands of years to ancient empires! Whenever ancient emperors successfully conquered another part of the world, the maps would be updated. Studying the ancient Roman Empire maps, for instance, can be very intriguing.
These maps have either been handed down over the centuries, or discovered through archaeological searches. There are companies that specialize in recreating ancient maps, straight down to the last detail. Have you ever wondered what America looked like during the Civil War? What did Europe look like under Roman rule? What names did your ancestors give to their lands? Would you like to see how the United States evolved through historical maps? How have the sea levels changed over the last several centuries? What if you found out that your ancestors had their own personal maps of the land(s) they owned?
Thanks to the Internet, it’s possible to browse through historic maps. You can even order replicas of antique world maps as well as genealogy maps. Whether you’re a history buff, a genealogy buff, or simply curious, looking at ancient maps can be a very interesting experience.
If you want to visit some of few of the ever expanding list of world wonders, you should try this suggested itinerary of South America’s best.
You will start your trip in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, home to Christ the Redeemer, of the New Seven Wonders of the World according to the New 7 Wonders Foundation. It is also home to the Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, one of the listed Seven Natural Wonders of the World as compiled by CNN. It is recommended you stay a few days to enjoy the beaches, mountains, music, food and life of Rio. Be sure to explore the Sugarloaf Mountain and Barra de Tijuca as well as Corcovado to visit the famous Statue of Christ the Redeemer. The spectacular views and phenomenal night life will surely suck you in if the food does not hook you!
You will then hop on a flight to the incredible Iguazu Falls where you will have the opportunity to wander the National Park’s trails that wind past hundreds of waterfalls. As a finale, you can take the ecological train ride to have a chance to visit the famous main attraction of Devil’s Throat. This 55,500 hectare reserve will leave you inspired by nature’s beauty and Mother Nature’s awesome power. Spend a few days here and take an organized tour as well as wander on your own.
Next, it is recommended that you head down to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s European and sophisticated capital city. Start by taking a city tour to get your bearings and catch the highlights that you can visit. It is also suggested you do a dinner that is complemented by a Tango show. As cliché as it might be, this is the capital of Tango dancing and you will be blown away by the passion and beauty of this sensual dance as well as the pride the locals take in this national activity.
After you have absorbed the very European lifestyles of Buenos Aires, jump on the airplane to visit Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire. A sharp contrast from the bustling commercial European city, Cusco is a humble city and a treasure of the Andes. The city is built on ruins and is authentically Spanish colonial with its terracotta roofs and colonial era architecture. With ruins in and around the city you can spend a few days enjoying this historic and cultural location while acclimatizing to the altitude. Tour the Sacred Valley and then get ready for the cherry on top, Machu Picchu.
Either trek or take the train to the famous site of Machu Picchu. What is said to have been a highly exclusive religious site for the Inca, this World Wonder is hidden at the top of the mountain with the town of Aguas Calientes at its feet. Take a guided tour and wander the rest of the day. You can also head down to the town and visit the hot springs and check into one of the awesome hotels. From here, the rest of South America is left to visit! If you want to add on another World Wonder listed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, add a day or two to visit Itaipu Dam on the Parana River between Brazil and Paraguay. If you don’t have much more time, head home and start planning your next South America vacation!
This guide to South America’s World Wonders and Peru vacations was written by a Peru travel expert at Peru For Less, specialists in high value, fully customizable tours and packages.
South Africa is not exactly one of those places where people plan a vacation and, therefore, with the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament to take place in South Africa, a great deal is being done to help prepare for an onslaught of visitors to the area. World Cut Soccer is, on many levels, something like the Olympics and baseball’s World Series rolled into one; teams from around the world are already counting down and competing with their eyes on the World Cup in 2010 and fans are already looking into learning more about places to stay and even driving rules in South Africa.
All of this – fans looking into lodging and travel, teams playing for a shot at making the tournament – is already taking place. Even with almost two years to go before the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa, the official web site is documenting the way that teams are playing and that features a countdown to the event (with well over 600 days to go). So far, there are two hundred teams that have entered into the competition; two hundred teams that are aiming to be one of the thirty-one teams that will compete.
Teams from Spain, England, France, Germany and Italy are all competing as representatives of European nations. Africa has a total of fifty-three teams that are working their way through the preliminaries, with Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Zambia, Swaziland, Togo and other nations participating. Asian nations that hope to be in thirty one teams who will compete for the 2010 World Cup Soccer title in South Africa include Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia. New Zealand and Fiji are both vying for a position from Oceania.
On the other side of the globe, teams from North and Central America as well as the nations of the Caribbean are competing and preparing for a spot in the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa. So far, teams from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras are leading the way. From South America, thus far, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay have taken the lead.
While it is far too soon to tell which nations will ultimately be among the thirty one spots in the 2010 World Cup tournament finals in South Africa, one thing is sure: each of the preliminary matches is grabbing the interest of soccer fans worldwide – all of whom are hoping that their nation or their favorite team will ultimately be represented. Photos of matches are available online, match details have been made available and these are just the first steps: the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will also offer live streaming coverage of the matches that are played; likewise, some preliminary matches will be aired live online.
The road to the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa is still long and winding, however that does nothing to slow down the ways in which players and fans have planned to travel it to reach their destination.
Payton Brooks is a senior sports writer at Sportsview. Read and rate more free articles like this one, create your own sports and challenge others at Sportsview, the biggest sports social network.
The 2010 World Cup runs for a month and will feature footballing nations from all over the globe competing for the mantle of World Champions. A total of 64 matches will be played at 9 venues throughout the country. The following teams have officially qualified for the most prestigious tournament in the football world, which kicks off on June 11th 2010:
European Qualifiers
Italy (2006 World Champions), Germany, Spain, Denmark, England, Serbia, Switzerland, Slovakia.
African Qualifiers
South Africa (Host Nation), Ivory Coast, Ghana.
South America Qualifiers
Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile
Central America/North America Qualifiers
USA, Mexico, Honduras
Asia/Oceania Qualifiers
Japan, Australia, North Korea, South Korea
There are 9 more places in the tournament up for grabs, and to this end there will be a number of play off matches in the European zone on the 14th and 18th November so as to ascertain the final four European qualifiers. The matches were decided by a draw at FIFA headquarters on the 19th October and are as follows:
France v Republic of Ireland
Russia v Slovenia
Portugal v Bosnia Herzegovina
Ukraine v Greece
Matches to be played on a home and away basis, with aggregate scores to determine the winners.
Three more teams from the African zone have still to qualify, and the final round of qualifying matches will be played in November 2009.
The final place for the Asia/Oceania region will be decided by the play off match between Bahrain and New Zealand.
The final qualifying place at South Africa 2010 will be decided by the match between the 5th place team in the South America zone and the 4th place team in the Central/North American zone. Uruguay will face Costa Rica in a play off match on a home and away basis.
December 4th 2009 sees the World Cup Qualifying draw taking place at the Cape Town Confederation Centre.
Hope you enjoyed our update on the qualifying nations for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Obviously if you are travelling to South Africa to support your country, you may as well see some of the sights of this wonderful country. You will need a car to get around, so for the very best deals in car hire, check out our Car Rentals Cape Town page.
John writes for Novacarhire.com – an independent car hire reservation website where you can book low cost car hire at over 5,000 locations worldwide.
In this article we look at the origins of coffee from the South American continent.
Brazilian Coffee – Brazil produces roughly a third of the worlds’ coffee, but the bulk of it is of the Robusta variety and is not considered to be of high quality. It is mainly used for blending, and the Brazilians have always had the priority of low price over quality.
However there are some excellent Arabica coffees grown around the Sao Paulo region, where the well know Santos or Bourbon Santos bean are produced. Another popular variety is the Rio, a dry-processed bean with a characteristic medicinal-like flavour. Considered a defect by most westerners it is however much loved in the Balkans and Middle-Eastern countries.
Coffee From Colombia – Colombia produces a large amount of excellent and consistent quality – predominately Arabica – beans each year. It is now the biggest producer of Arabica coffees on the planet.
The standard Colombian coffee is wet-processed, and is grown by small farmers or smallholders – mostly in the three main mountain ranges (called cordilleras) – and collected, processed, milled and exported by the Colombian Coffee Federation. It is all well balanced, has excellent consistency and can range from a superb, high-grown, mildly fruity flavour, to a rather ordinary, yet still fruity coffee.
The coffee industry in Colombia is known the world over for its high quality production.
Peruvian Coffees – Despite domestic political problems, Peru still manages to figure among the top ten coffee producers in the world.
The best Peruvian coffees are high grown arabicas, which are flavourful, aromatic, gentle, and mildly acidy, and they are highly valued for their blending properties.
Ecuadorian Coffees – In 2007 Ecuador produced nearly a million bags of both arabica and robusta coffees. These coffees are medium-bodied and fairly acidy, with a straightforward flavour typical of most Central and South American coffee.
Whilst the country has everything to produce top quality coffees, in fact most of the coffee exported is aimed at low price rather than high quality. Much of the coffee is consumed within the country itself.
Venezuelan Coffees – Venezuela used to produce large quantities of coffee comparable to that of Colombia but since the discovery of oil it’s past glories have waned substantially so that today Venezuela only produces around 7% of Colombia’s production. Most of this is drunk by the Venezuelans themselves.
Unsurprisingly the best arabica Venezuelan coffee comes from the far western corner of the country – the part that borders Colombia.
Coffees from this area usually are called Maracaibos, after the port through which they are shipped. The best-known Maracaibo coffees are Caracus, C?a, M?da, Trujillo, and T?ira. Regardless of market name, the highest grade of Venezuela coffee is Lavado Fino, (fine washed)
Look out for my other articles in this series of coffees from around the globe.
Imagine waking up one day and noticing that your 5 senses more alive than ever. You are discovering a new world of sensations and just when you think everything is a dream, you realize that you have landed in South America – your dream is reality! Travel throughout South America is discovering a world of sensations that has no limit. Roughly speaking, there are 4 areas that have been formed by history, geography and cultural expressions.
The tropical Andes were the home of the Inca Empire which settled in the territory of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. A visit Machu Picchu, the most recognized settlement of the Incas, located in the southern Peruvian Andes in a unique and mystical setting is a must. Touring this holy place is to witness an archaeological site with architectonic and engineering innovations which have survived the ages. There are no words to describe the magnificence of such a scene which has become one of the most highly sought destinations in Peru.
In ancient times, the Spanish conquerors made their way on horseback through the Andes, leaving in each small town strong colonial spurs such as a churches and monasteries worthy of a visit. The conquerors didnât however remove all the indigenous structures, and today you can find communities that have been resistant to the Westâs influence, and still practice their own languages and other cultural aspects, maintaining the local ethnic identity.
The Amazon Rainforest, the worldâs lung, covers territory from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. The Amazon River is the longest in the world at around 6800 km, with the Amazon basin stretching to an area over 7,050,000 km2. The Amazon rain forest is a green worldâ¦wet, wild and enigmatic. The most common way to explore the rain forest is to stay in an Amazon lodge or doing a river cruise on the Amazon. Cruising the Amazon River is a unique life experience: from the observation deck it is possible to scan the magnificent tangle of vegetation at the waterâs edge. The banks are covered by dense rainforest and the absence of human voices is filled by a chorus of birds and frogs. Observing pink river dolphins and a large collection of exotic birds is on the menu every day. Hearing and seeing howler monkeys along with a morning serenade of toucans sends shivers down oneâs spine. Nearly all cruises make a stop for a rain forest walk where you can get a good start on understanding Amazon ecology.
Brazil has it’s own highlights: Wildlife in the wetlands of the Pantanal, which it shares with Paraguay, the beaches along the Atlantic ocean, the Black Cultural Heritage of Salvador da Bahia, Colonial Art and History in Minas Gerais, magnificent Rio de Janeiro, the South American powerhouse São Paulo, and the Atlantic Rainforest mountains. This big nation occupies 47% of the territory of South America and is so diverse that is hard to believe one single country can house so many different options. Nowadays Brazil is experiencing an important economic growth due to innovative state programs so now is a great opportunity to see how this country is driving its way to prosperity, significantly raising the standard of living for many Brazilians. Â
The Southern Cone is very European. Spanish and Italians began arriving in the area during the 1880s bringing its way of life to South America. Then a second wave of European immigrants arrived before and after the WWII as refugees. The similar terrains of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay became the place where many immigrants began to build up their lives again after difficult times in their own countries. With this background, Buenos Aires has become an exquisite mixture of cultural influences with the melancholy of Tango as a soundtrack. Exquisite wine and the excellent cuisine have evolved into a welcome greeting for the most demanding gourmet traveler. European influence can be felt in many aspects of culture: body language, architecture, ways of living and viewing life, differing significantly from the intensity that exists in most tropical areas.
SouthAmerica.Travel is this and much more: living it, breathing it and discovering it is a unique opportunity in life!
Kumar writes about South America Travel which provides customized individual & group Tours, travel and Vacation packages to Peru, Machu Picchu, Amazon Rainforest, Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Chile and many other destinations with special discount flights to South America from anywhere.
South America is a land of varied cultures and once-in-a-lifetime sights and sounds. More specifically, the continent is home to many of the world’s finest volunteer and study abroad programs located anywhere on the globe. The continent’s favorable exchange rate, temperate climate and host of health and educated-related volunteer opportunities make it the perfect destination for recent high school graduates, Gap Year students, and professionals taking a career break; who may be looking to enrich their own lives and the lives of others.
Anyone over the age of 18 can volunteer their time in South America to great effect. Why should you consider a volunteer work program in South America? Here are 5 great reasons giving the gift of your time and experience may be one of the most fulfilling things you ever do:
1. Learn a language: While volunteering in South America you will be working with local people while becoming immersed in the local language. One of the fastest ways to learn a new language is by immersion, or the daily hearing and practicing of the new language. Learning a second language is a valuable life skill as well. With the growing number of Spanish immigrants in the United States, learning Spanish is a valuable commodity on the American job market. A number of other languages are spoken in South America, so you are not limited to only learning Spanish. Check with your volunteer coordinator as to what languages are predominately spoken in the area you will be volunteering.
2. Enjoy a new culture: South America has a vibrant, colorful, culture that you will enjoy while volunteering. Getting to know the local people will open your eyes to a new world of thought, food, and cultural entertainment. People that live in an area always know the best kept secrets, such as good restaurants and beautiful sightseeing locations, which you can investigate during your spare time. With its own languages, festivals, music, sports, art, theatre, and holidays, South America has a variety of avenues of interest for you to explore and learn about.
3. Invest in your health: Volunteering is good for the soul. Many people who have volunteered have come out of the experience with a new found look on life. Giving has always made people feel better, and what better way to give than your time? There are many areas in South American, such as Argentina, that are in need of volunteers to help build communities and provide training in life skills. As is the case in most of South America, Argentina volunteer programs are particularly geared to the area of health care and assisting children.
4. Help improve our Global Community: With the advancement of the internet and increased international TV stations, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. We are no longer alone in our corner of the world, but have become part of a Global Community. Volunteering in a foreign country promotes goodwill and understanding, improving our community as a whole. The more we understand and learn about other parts of the world, the more we grow as a world community.
5. Improve your job skills: Some companies find volunteering a valuable asset to have listed on your resume, it shows them that you are a caring and dedicated individual. Other companies even have programs that allow you time off to volunteer. While volunteering in South America you will make new friends and contacts thru the program coordinators, other volunteers, and the local people. Meeting new people opens your eyes to new ideas and concepts that will provide you with a different way of looking at your work environment.
Making a difference in the world can be as simple as one person volunteering his or hers time to benefit the life of another. South America is a great place to see first-hand the incredible benefit of this simple concept in action. Volunteer in South America and make a difference you can be proud up. Summer volunteer work program positions can fill up ahead of time – so if coming between June and August, try to decide on your summer program and sign up as early as possible. What are you waiting for, make a difference today!
Casey Markee is a consultant with volunteer in South America program provider GIC Argentina a leading facilitator of volunteering in South America programs for high school students, Gap year students and private citizens. Contact them today for information on their volunteer work abroad programs in South America.
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