The southern hemisphere summer falls between December and February and
is the hottest season, becoming very hot in Chile and southern Ecuador
and with the onset of winter the coldest countries are furthest south
including Argentina and Chile. A wet season does affect the continent
sometime between February and December depending on which side of the
Andes you are and at what latitude.
Argentina
To
the south and west of Buenos Aires spread the pampas, home of the
gaucho. The lonely Route 40 runs southwards along the Andes past the
lake district of Mendoza to the glaciers, lakes and peaks of Fitzroy
and Paine as well as Patagonia.
Bolivia
Home to the
ancient Tiahuanaco civilisation and the old Spanish capital La Paz on
the altiplano, Bolivia also boasts the amazing salt flats of Uyuni and
the coloured lakes Colorada and Verde.
Ecuador
The
Andes Mountains dominate the landscape, extending from north to south
in two parallel ranges and reaching their highest point in the peak of
Chimborazo (20,577 ft/6,272m). There are numerous active volcanoes, and
earthquakes are frequent, and often disastrous, in this area. East of
the Andes is a region of almost uninhabited tropical jungle, through
which run the tributaries of the Amazon river, while to the west are
the hot, humid lowlands of the Pacific coast.
The Galápagos
Archipelago of 13 large and several smaller islands are of special
interest to naturalists for their large tortoises, land and marine
iguanas, flightless cormorants, and other unusual wildlife. Charles
Darwin, who visited the islands in 1835, gathered evidence there that
supported his theory of natural selection.
Chile
In
this ‘long thin country’ are found the impressive massifs of Torres del
Paine, the San Rafael Glacier a plethora of lakes and volcanoes and
ancient forests.
Peru
Peru has much to offer, from
the deepest canyon in the world (Colca), the majestic condor,
challenging trekking, climbing and white water, and of course the
vestiges of the Incas. The list of Inca and pre-Inca ruins includes
Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa and Kuelap not forgetting the Nasca Lines
in the desert.
Brazil
The rainforest of the Amazon
Basin, great beaches, football and the carnival are all enduring images
of Brazil. The Pantanal wetlands are a haven for wildlife and the
southern wine growing region an outpost of German and Italian migrants.
Central America
The isthmus connecting North and
South America contains a patchwork of small countries and leads from
the land of the Aztecs through the Mayan jungle to the Panama Canal.
The region features huge ruins in the tropical forest, brilliant white
beaches, smoking volcanoes, colourful highland villages and Indian
markets and some of the most beautiful lakes anywhere on earth. The
region is warm throughout the year with the wetter months being June to
September.
Mexico
Bordered by the U.S., the Gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, Belize and Guatemala, and the Pacific
Ocean, the principal cities include Mexico City (the capital),
Guadalajara, and Monterray. The country is predominantly mountainous,
and no more than 15% of the land is considered arable. There is lowland
in the southeast and along the coasts, but the heart of the country is
the extensive Mexican plateau, with elevations generally above 4,000 ft
(1,220 m). Fringed by the ranges of the Sierra Madre, the plateau
(except for the arid north) is a region of broad, shallow lakes where
more than half of the country's population is concentrated. To the
south is a chain of extinct volcanoes, including Popocatepetl and
Orizaba, which at 18,406 ft (5,610 m) is Mexico's highest point. The
official language is Spanish, but many Mexicans still speak only
indigenous tongues. Over 95% of the people are Roman Catholic. The
peninsula of Baja California in north western Mexico separates the Gulf
of California from the Pacific Ocean. It is 1,220 km long and 48 to 241
km wide, and is a mecca for outdoor sports people and wildlife
enthusiasts alike with whale watching at the top of most lists.