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South America: 6 things to know

Travel South America

Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls are iconic attractions visitors to South America flock to but there’s a lot more to see and do across the vast continent. Contours Travel has released a list of six things to know about South America before you travel there.

South America is huge

The continent comprises 13 countries and covers 17.84 million square kilometres. This means you won’t be able to see it all in one holiday. Instead, focus on exploring one area in more depth and more slowly.

Learn a few words of Spanish before you go

Picking up a Spanish phrase book and learning the basic greetings and phrases will put you in good stead with the locals you encounter. Nine of the continent’s 13 countries have Spanish as their official language and even mastering just a few words of the local lingo will help you have more meaningful interactions with the people you meet.

There are a huge variety of walks on offer

South America is home to deserts, mountains, national parks, rainforests, glaciers and ice caps – all of which can be explored on foot. Whether it’s trekking up the Andes in Argentina, exploring the national parks of Brazil, journeying through the spectacular Atacama Desert or discovering one of the six Inca trails around the Sacred Valley near Machu Picchu, walking is a great way to immerse yourself in your surroundings.

Contours - South America tour

You can stay in haciendas that are over 100 years old

When travelling to South America, you don’t have to stay in cookie-cutter hotels all the time. Instead, opt to stay in character-filled haciendas (farmhouses) which dot the countryside in Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and other South American countries. Contours Travel offers an eight-day hike through the Avenue of Volcanoes in Ecuador, with travelers staying in lovingly restored haciendas along the way.

Colombia is the home of the world’s best coffee

Australians love their coffee and Colombia is known for making the world’s finest brew. The climate, topography and tropical Andean forest all contribute to the production of such high quality beans and Australians visiting the region can see the plantation and production of coffee at work, including the harvest, sun-drying and processing.

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Alana Lowes

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