South America

Ranked · where to go & why

The Top 20 in South America

The Andes and the Amazon, Patagonia’s wind and Rio’s rhythm, salt mirrors and lost cities. The continent that travelers fall hardest for. Here is South America, ranked.

1. 1Machu Picchu & CuscoExplore →The lost Inca citadel in the clouds — the bucket-list arrival, reached by the Sacred Valley or the Inca Trail.
2. 2Galápagos IslandsExplore →Darwin’s living laboratory — fearless wildlife you can swim beside, by yacht or island lodge.
3. 3Patagonia — Torres del PaineExplore →Granite towers, glaciers and turquoise lakes — the world’s greatest trekking, at the end of the Andes.
4. 4Rio de JaneiroSugarloaf and Christ above Copacabana — a city of beaches, samba and the world’s greatest party.
5. 5Iguazú FallsThe most spectacular waterfall system on Earth — 275 cascades across the Argentina–Brazil border.
6. 6Buenos AiresSouth America’s most European capital — tango, world-class steak, grand boulevards and late nights.
7. 7Atacama Desert, ChileThe driest place on Earth — geysers, salt lagoons, and the clearest stargazing skies anywhere.
8. 8Salar de Uyuni, BoliviaThe world’s largest salt flat — a mirror to the sky in the wet season, surreal and silent.
9. 9Cartagena, ColombiaA walled Caribbean colonial city of bougainvillea and balconies — and islands a boat-ride away.
10. 10The Amazon (Peru/Brazil/Ecuador)The planet’s greatest rainforest — riverboat lodges, pink dolphins, and biodiversity beyond counting.
11. 11Ushuaia & Tierra del FuegoExplore →The end of the world — Beagle Channel, sub-Antarctic wilds, and the gateway to Antarctica.
12. 12Mendoza, ArgentinaMalbec country under the snow-capped Andes — vineyard lunches with a view of Aconcagua.
13. 13Bariloche & the Lake DistrictAndean lakes, alpine forests and chocolate-box towns — Argentina’s Patagonian Switzerland.
14. 14Easter Island, ChileThe enigmatic moai stand watch over the most remote inhabited island on Earth.
15. 15Medellín, ColombiaThe “City of Eternal Spring” — a remarkable reinvention story with a buzzing café and arts scene.
16. 16The Pantanal, BrazilThe world’s largest wetland — the best place on Earth to see jaguars in the wild.
17. 17Quito & the Andes, EcuadorA jaw-dropping UNESCO colonial capital high in the Andes, ringed by volcanoes.
18. 18Sacred Valley, PeruInca terraces, salt pans and vibrant markets — the soulful lead-up to Machu Picchu.
19. 19Colombia’s Coffee TriangleEmerald hills, coffee fincas and the towering wax palms of the Cocora Valley.
20. 20Punta del Este & Colonia, UruguayChic Atlantic beaches and a dreamy colonial river town — South America’s genteel coast.

Curated by TravelWell, in the spirit of the great travel guides. Linked picks open a full guide + Safety Card; more are being added.