1. Colca Canyon in Peru
Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru, located about 160 km northwest of Arequipa. It is one of Peru's most popular tourist destinations, attracting about 120,000 visitors each year. Standing in one of the world's most spectacular canyons, you can see Andean condors, especially around the Cruz del Condor hotspot.
The habitat of the Andean Condor consists mainly of grasslands and mountains up to about 5,000 meters above sea level. It prefers relatively open areas such as páramos or rocky, mountainous areas in general. Its range is the lowlands of eastern Bolivia and southwestern Brazil, down to lowland desert areas in Chile and Peru.
2. Bolivia's Madidi National Park
Established in 1995, Madidi National Park in the upper Amazon basin in Bolivia is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. It is home to many rare wildlife such as jaguars, sloths, wolves, polar bears, pink river dolphins, titi monkeys...
The park also boasts more than 1,100 bird species, representing about 11% of all species worldwide, including various scarlet and green macaws. Visitors can take a cruise along the Tuichi River to explore the park, spotting many animals from the jungle drinking and feeding along the shore.
3. Brazil's Pantanal Reserve
The Pantanal is a wildlife lover’s paradise, a panorama of rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, jungle savannas and teeming with wildlife. From otters and giant ants to caimans, you’ll see them in high concentrations.
The Pantanal Reserve is also one of the best places in South America to see the continent's top predator: the jaguar. Travel to the Cuiabá River for a chance to see this magnificent wild cat.
4. Valdes Peninsula in Argentina
Peninsula Valdes is a Patagonian nature reserve on the Argentine coast, famous for its rich marine wildlife. It is recognized as one of the best places in the world for whale watching.
Explore this unspoiled peninsula and you’ll see penguins, elephant seals, dolphins and southern right whales. Visit in mid-May and you might even spot sea lions and seals.
5. Shell Beach in Guyana
Shell Beach in Guyana is the perfect nesting ground for sea turtles that return here each year to lay their eggs. Whether you come to watch the mothers come up the beach to lay their eggs or witness the hatchlings, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.
Getting to Shell Beach is not easy, you have to take a boat across the Essequibo River, a 48km journey along the coastal road to the town of Charity. Then it is a rather strenuous boat trip through a series of rivers and mangrove swamps. This is a real adventure for the adventurous traveler.
6. Amazon River in Brazil
The Amazon River is home to everything from giant otters to piranhas and catfish. However, the most famous and elusive is the legendary Amazon river dolphin.
Considered the rarest and most endangered in the world, they are famous for their distinctive pink colour, thanks to the presence of capillaries close to the surface of their skin. This also means that dolphins become pinker when they are excited or surprised, much like humans blush when embarrassed.
One of the best places to see Amazonian dolphins is Novo Airão, 200km northwest of Manaus. Many restaurants in the area throw scraps into the river to attract dolphins, but this is illegal and detrimental to the health of these rare wildlife. Tourists can take boat tours on the river, but must be environmentally conscious.
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