South America Travel Guides

Points of interest

Iguaçu Falls

The stupendous roar of 275 different waterfalls crashing 80m (262ft) into the Rio Iguaçu means that even on the sleepiest, hottest afternoon, nature's relentless churning power will stir your heart here. The falls are actually divided between Brazil and Argentina. The best time to visit is between August and November.

To see the falls properly, you must visit both sides - Brazil gives the grand overview and Argentina the closer look. The Brazilian side has far fewer attractions than the Argentine side; and the costs are higher here if you want to arrange an under-the-falls boat trip. There are, however, some adventures unique to this side, including combination kayaking-hiking trips and rafting trips.

Five minutes' walk from the waterfalls' entrance is the worthwhile Parque das Aves, a five-hectare park where you can see some 800 different bird species. Pay in US dollars to avoid bad exchange rates.

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Parque Estadual do Caracol

The major attraction of Parque Estadual do Caracol is the spectacular Cascata do Caracol, a 130m (427ft) free-falling waterfall. It's particularly stunning in the morning sun - the water sparkles as it cascades over the granite lip. If you're feeling fit, you can walk to the base of the waterfall down (and back up) the 927 stairs.

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Parque Nacional Sete Cidades

Sete Cidades is a small national park (62 sq km/24sq mi) with bizarre rock formations that some have claimed are sete cidades (seven cities) left behind by a mysterious long-departed, possibly alien, culture. But the place doesn't need such fantasies to make it worth visiting. The rock formations are indeed fantastic - some look like giant turtle shells, others resemble a castle, an elephant, a map of Brazil or the head of Emperor Dom Pedro II.

There are also superb vistas over a landscape which combines caatinga and cerrado vegetation, some 1500 intriguing rock paintings between 3000 and 5000 years old, wildlife that includes marmosets, small rodents called mocós that like to pose for photos, tarantulas and (we're told) rattlesnakes, and two delectable natural bathing pools.

Start your day early and bring snacks, water and protection from the unrelenting sun. Follow your tour with a swim in a pond or stunning waterfall (Dec-Jul only).

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Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável

A remote floodplain forest, halfway between Manaus and the Peruvian frontier, is protected by the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. This 1.24 million hectare (3 million acre) reserve is part of the second-largest (57,000 sq km/22,008 sq mi) continuous block of protected tropical rainforest in the world.

Mamirauá combines nature conservation and scientific research with improved opportunities for the communities within the reserve.

Their excellent ecotourism program affords access to a pristine piece of towering primary rainforest, rivers and lakes absolutely teeming with life. The silence there will be the loudest you've ever heard, and wildlife-viewing is among the best in Amazonia.

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Encontro das Águas

Encontro das Águas (Meeting of the Waters) is where the dark violet Rio Negro meets the cafe-au-lait Rio Solimões, a few kilometers downstream from Manaus. The two flow side by side without mingling for several kilometers (owing to differences in speed, density and temperature), before finally combining to create the Amazon River. It's easily visible from a boat - dip your hand in to feel the difference in temperature.

The phenomenon (which occurs in several places along the river) was the inspiration for the wavy black-and-white tilework in front of the Teatro Amazonas (Opera House); the design here pre-dates the more famous but nearly identical work on Rio de Janeiro's beachfront.

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Rio de Janeiro

Be warned: Rio's powers of seduction can leave you with a bad case of saudade (indescribable longing) when you leave. Planted between lush, forest-covered mountains and breathtaking beaches, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City) has many charms, most notably the Cariocas, its exuberant residents.

The international tourist crowd takes advantage of Rio's ritzy side - there are innumerable opportunities to be decadent. But Rio also has much to offer the budget traveller: there are cheap hotels and restaurants aplenty, and the beach is a free entertainment zone.

Like any city of its size, Rio has its problems, which are unfortunately given much play in the world media. All the same, the city has lost none of its luster. New projects are growing at an exponential rate - plans are in the works to build a Guggenheim Museum and the city hosted one of the globally synchronized Live Earth concerts. The city's coffers are full, the beaches are as beautiful as ever and the cultural renaissance is in full swing. More than ever Rio de Janeiro is on the verge of something big. Are you going to be there to see it?

The Amazon

For those with a love of mind-boggling numbers: the Amazon basin contains 6 million sq km of river and jungle and spans eight countries. Just over half is in Brazil. There are 80,000 kilometres of navigable rivers, and ocean-going vessels can sail 3500km inland up the mainstream to Iquitos, Peru.

Travellers enter the Amazon by bus, boat and air. Within the Amazon, boats are definitely the transport of choice, but flying can save a lot of time, is sometimes quite affordable, and most larger Amazon cities have airports.

So, does the Amazon live up to expectations? Well the river and the rain forest are massive, unrelenting and incredible. Wildlife is hard to see, but that much more special when you do; the flora is everywhere and awesome. Indigenous tribes are extremely reclusive, but the Caboclo (mixed Indian and European) communities that populate the riverbanks are vital and compelling. Give it some time, forget your expectations, and the Amazon cannot fail to impress.

Brasília

Brasília, the world's most ambitious planned city, is Brazil's capital. Unfortunately, its design favours cars and air-con to people, so you'll sweat your way around some hot, treeless expanses. Though it probably looked good on paper and still looks good in photos, in the flesh it's another story.

This World Heritage site was designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, urban planner Lucio Costa and landscape architect Burle Marx, the city was built in an incredible three years (1957-60) by millions of dirt-poor peasants working around the clock.

Although bureaucrats and politicians are lured to Brasília by 100% salary hikes and big apartments, as soon as the weekend comes they jet to Rio or São Paulo - anywhere less sterile. The poor, who work in the construction and service industries, pass their nights in favelas up to 30km (19mi) outside the city, called 'anti-Brasílias'. If you find yourself in Brasília's stark environs, the popular Parque Nacional de Brasília ecological reserve on the north side of town has natural swimming pools and is a good place to escape from the blazing sun.

Events

Although there are many festivals taking place all year round in Brazil, the country's most famous event is Carnaval, which lasts for five days from the Friday to the Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. It is celebrated all over Brazil and though there are more authentic versions than the glitzy tourist drawcard held in Rio (notably Olinda and Salvador), Rio's is unforgettable nonetheless. Colorful, outrageous, hedonistic - words do little justice to the bacchanalian spectacle that lends it so much notoriety. Cariocas (Rio residents) celebrate Carnaval in every form and fashion. Nightclubs and bars throw special costumed events, while formal balls draw an elegantly dressed (or costumed) crowd. Parks and plazas (Largo do Machado, Arcos da Lapa, Praça General Osório) often host free live concerts on Carnaval weekend. The common denominators among them all are music, dancing and celebration.

The parade through the Sambódromo is the culmination of Carnaval, on the Sunday and Monday nights. It's a spectacle that features thousands of costumed dancers, elaborate floats and exuberant fans cheering on their favorite schools.