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Stunning national parks and wilderness areas in South America

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Galapagos Islands
The Wildlife Paradise of Ecuador
8.5
Animals on these islands show little fear of people. Sea lions rest on beaches, giant tortoises roam the highlands and marine iguanas dive in the surf. Charles Darwin visited in 1835. Guides are required at most visitor sites. Groups follow marked paths to protect the wildlife.
Highlights:
  • 🦩 Walk among blue-footed boobies on North Seymour Island
  • 🐢 Spot giant tortoises roaming freely in the highlands
  • 🐢 Snorkel with sea lions and turtles at Isla Lobos
Torres del Paine National Park
Epic Landscapes and Untamed Wilderness
8.1
Created as a park in 1959, this area of Chilean Patagonia has granite towers, blue lakes and open steppe. The W trek takes four or five days. The longer O circuit takes about a week and a half. Guanacos graze near the trails. Wind can be strong.
Highlights:
  • ⛰️ Trek the scenic French Valley with mountain views
  • 🛶 Take a boat tour to see stunning Grey Glacier
  • 🥾 Hike to the iconic Mirador Las Torres viewpoint
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Amazon wilderness teeming with life
8.1
Created in 1979 in the Ecuadorian Amazon, this reserve protects black water lagoons and flooded forest. Visitors travel by canoe at slow speed to watch birds, monkeys and pink river dolphins. Indigenous families such as the Siona and Secoya live nearby. Lodges sit on the lagoon shores.
Highlights:
  • 🐬 Spot pink dolphins swimming in the lagoons
  • 🛶 Take a canoe ride on serene waterways
  • 🌳 Explore dense jungle trails with expert guides
Chapada Diamantina National Park
Waterfalls, Caves and Diamond History
7.7
Located in the highlands of interior Bahia, this park has flat topped hills, canyons and caves. Fumaça Falls drops about 340 metres and is reached by a steady hike. The Vale do Pati trail crosses valleys over several days. Poço Azul is a cave with deep blue water.
Highlights:
  • 🕳️ Explore the vast Lapa Doce Cave with guided tours
  • 💧 Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Poço Azul
  • ⛰️ Hike to the top of Morro do Pai Inácio for panoramic views
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
Otherworldly dunes with turquoise lagoons
6.9
Covering about 1,500 square kilometres, this park is a field of white sand dunes. Rainwater fills clear blue lagoons between the dunes. Lagoons are fullest from June to September. Visitors reach the dunes by 4x4 truck from Barreirinhas and can swim in the warm pools.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Watch the sunrise reflect on the mesmerizing lagoons
  • 🚙 Take a thrilling 4x4 ride across the vast dunes
  • 💧 Swim in the turquoise lagoons after a hot dune trek
Los Glaciares National Park
Where glaciers meet towering peaks
8.4
Summer from December to March is the warmest time in this Patagonian park, with highs near 18 degrees Celsius. The Perito Moreno Glacier rises about 74 metres above Lake Argentino. Walkways give close views of ice falling into the water. Fitz Roy has famous hiking trails.
Highlights:
  • 🛥️ Take a boat tour on Lago Argentino to glaciers
  • 🥾 Trek Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre trails
  • 🚶‍♀️ Walk along the Perito Moreno Glacier boardwalks
Manú National Park
Pristine Amazon biodiversity wonderland
7.3
Matsigenka families live by hunting, fishing and farming in parts of this park in southeast Peru. The park drops from Andean cloud forest to lowland rainforest. Macaws gather at clay licks. Males of the Andean cock of the rock display in the cloud forest. Giant otters live in oxbow lakes.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Cruise down the Madre de Dios River at sunrise
  • 🦜 Spot macaws and toucans at a clay lick hide
  • 🌿 Take a guided jungle trek through the Amazon rainforest
Pantanal Matogrossense National Park
World's largest tropical wetland paradise
7.6
Compared with the Amazon, this wetland has open land and water, so wildlife is easier to see. Caimans, capybaras and hundreds of bird species live along the rivers. The Pantanal is also known for jaguars. The dry season from May to October is popular with visitors.
Highlights:
  • 🐎 Experience horseback riding across flooded plains and trails
  • 🛶 Take a boat tour through the Pantanal’s winding waterways
  • 🐆 Join a guided wildlife safari to spot elusive jaguars
Tayrona National Park
Where Jungle Meets Turquoise Caribbean
7.5
Located on the Caribbean coast near Santa Marta, this park joins forested hills to the sea. Trails lead through jungle to beaches such as Cabo San Juan. Strong currents make swimming unsafe at many beaches. The park closes on some days each year, so check dates before travel.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Spot howler monkeys and exotic birds along forest paths
  • 🌴 Swim in crystal-clear Caribbean waters surrounded by palm trees
  • 🏝️ Hike through jungle trails to the stunning Cabo San Juan beach
Kaieteur National Park
World's Most Powerful Single-Drop Waterfall
7.7
Remote and wild, this park in Guyana protects rainforest on the Potaro River. Kaieteur Falls plunges about 226 metres in a single drop. Small planes from Georgetown land beside the falls. Tiny golden frogs live in giant bromeliads. The Guiana cock of the rock nests on nearby cliffs.
Highlights:
  • 🐦 Spot rare Guianan cock-of-the-rock bird nearby
  • 🥾 Hike rainforest trails to panoramic waterfall viewpoints
  • 🌊 Witness the majestic Kaieteur Falls, tallest single-drop
Iguazú National Park and Reserve
Epic Waterfalls and Wild Rainforest
7.9
As the Argentine side of a huge waterfall system, this park shares about 275 falls with Brazil. They spread along nearly three kilometres. Walkways cross the river to the Devil's Throat, a U shaped drop of about 80 metres. Coatis and toucans live in the subtropical forest. Boat rides go close to the falls.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Walk the Upper Circuit trail to view multiple cascading waterfalls
  • 🛶 Take a jungle boat ride through the mist of the falls
  • 🌊 Stand before the breathtaking Iguazú Falls at Devil’s Throat
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