Altitude needs real planning in South America. A gentle slope can leave you gasping when the air is thin. The national parks and wilderness areas in South America also have steamy rainforest, windy grassland, glaciers that crack like thunder and condors riding the wind overhead.
Some travelers want a guided jungle walk with rubber boots and a headlamp. Others prefer a long trek with a tent, a small stove and a cold wind at night. Wildlife fans might wait on a muddy river bank hoping for a glimpse of a jaguar. Seasons flip across the continent, so dry months in one area can be wet months in another.
The destinations on our list include famous parks with paved paths and well-known viewpoints. Others take a night bus, a dirt road and a river boat to reach. Those are tiring trips but they are often the ones with the fewest people.
