7 Famous Landmarks in South America to Visit
From ancient Mayan ruins to iconic beaches, Andean peaks, Amazon rainforest, and Patagonian glacier, South America set the world ablaze with its incredible adventure. Whether you are a history buff, looking for the ruins of Machu Picchu, or want to get assimilated with wilderness, South America is a gem to be discovered. Look for cheap flights to South America, and discover the natural and artificial landmarks in the Southern Hemisphere.
The spectacular Iguazu Falls against a backdrop of dense rainforest, is one of the most iconic destinations in South America. The falls is straddling between Brazil and Argentina, offering the most awe-inspiring sight. This 269-foot tall waterfall is made up of at least 275 thundering cascades.
The legend has it that a God wanted to marry a native girl against her wishes. The girl, however, eloped with her lover to River Iguazu, and out of agony, the God separated the rivers, so the couple would condemn to fall eternally.
Interestingly, the National Park near the falls boasts rich flora and fauna, and makes for a great escape from the urban hustle. You will be astounded by the sheer scale of this thunderous waterfall, which is three times the size of Niagara Falls.
Bolivia’s evocative site, Salar De Uyuni, is the world’s largest salt flat, which measures around 4,674 sq miles. Due to its crystal clear surface, it is considered the earth’s mirror, as on a dry day, it turns into a striking reflective canvas.
This largest salt flat was left behind by prehistoric lakes, which evaporated long ago. Today, this otherworldly terrain serves as a lucrative attraction. Despite its remote location, tourists come here to admire the mesmerizing views of the salt flat.
Furthermore, driving across the surface is a surreal experience, but it is not that easy to drive on the surface. However, now it has become a salt extraction center, which extracts and processes approx 20,000 tons of salt.
Machu Picchu, set in the Andean mountains, is surrounded by lush vegetation and steep cliffs, and is the most spectacular archeological site in Peru. This 15th-century incan city is undoubtedly one of the most interesting places to visit in South America.
However, reaching this Incan city is not that easy, and you need to follow the Inca trail for four days. There are 150 buildings and 100 staircases, most of them are carved from a single slab of stone. The buildings were built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. However, nobody knows how those giant rocks were taken up to the mountain.
In addition, this remains of an ancient pre-Columbian town makes for a beautiful sight, and has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. Unfortunately, there’s no written record of the site, and no Europeans visited it until the 19th century.
Nazca Lines in Pampa Colorada is spread across 500 km of rock-strewn, red plain. It is one of the world’s greatest archeological mysteries, as nobody knows why and how these intricate lines were created 2000 years ago. These geoglyphs in the Nazca desert were created between 500 BCE to 500 CE.
By the end of 2020, 80-100 new such lined figures had been found with the help of drones. Interestingly, the figures of these lines were created in a way that one can identify them from space, though they are also visible from the nearby hills. Endless questions remain behind the creation of these figurative lines.
Some of the designs discovered in the area are similar to hummingbird, condor, spider, heron, monkey, dog, lizard, cat, human, tree, and flowers. Although it is a debatable topic, a German mathematician Maria Reiche believes that the lines are related to astronomy and agriculture. But the evidence was not enough to convince the scholars. Today, this beautiful site makes for a great tourist attraction, and one can reach the city only by bus.
Christ The Redeemer, Brazil
Christ The Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro, is one of the best places to visit in South America. The statue of Jesus Christ guarding the Brazilian city since 1931, is one of the most iconic landmarks in South America. This 125-feet high and 92-foot wide art-deco sculpture welcomes more than two million tourists from all over the globe each year.
In order to reach the statue, which is situated atop Corcovado mountain, 2,300-ft above, one can hike up the mountain. But all your exhaustion will perish in a minute, once you see this majestic statue of Jesus Christ, and the surrounding landscapes of Rio de Janeiro.
It was constructed between 1926 and 1931, and since then it has become a popular tourist spot in Brazil. Being situated on the top of a large mountain, the statue is prone to lightning strikes, and gets hit several times in a year. In 2008, the statue was damaged by an enormous thunderstorm.
La Mano Punta Del Este, Uruguay
These giant, monster-sized fingers, protruding from the sands and soaring towards the sky, is one of the best South America beach vacation spots. It was constructed by Chilean artist Mario Irarrazabal in 1982, and since then it has become a symbol and most recognizable landmark in Uruguay.
The five finger-sculpture represents the relationship between nature and human beings. This one-hand sculpture in the sandy beach, makes for a great place to click some insta-worthy pics. Visitors come here to enjoy a beach day and
Moai, Easter Island, Chile
If you are visiting Easter Island in Chile, you probably want to see the monolithic figures carved by the Rapa Nui people between 1250 and 1500. The giant-head moais were cut from the hard tuffs, which were created by the ashes of Rano Raraku volcano. Almost all moais found in the area have overly large heads, and were considered the living faces of deified ancestors.
It is one of the worthwhile South America famous places that needs no introduction. Tourists visiting the sculptures feel like stepping back in time as they pass through the giant-head sculptures. It gives them the opportunity to know about the region’s historical and cultural scenario of the period.
South America is undoubtedly a treasure trove full of impressive beauty and mystery. With incredible landscapes, diverse culture, rich heritage, and beautiful people, South America indeed makes for a great place to be discovered. Plan your next vacation and discover the offbeat trails of this beautiful region.
