Adventure travel guide to South and Central America

Tropical forests, volcanoes and plunging waterfalls. Central and South America have tons to offer travellers looking for some real adventure!

It's an obvious choice isn't it? Clear blue waters, gorgeous sunshine and all sorts of adventures - that's what awaits you in South and Central America. And it's not just coastal adventures that are up for grabs here. What about a bit of hiking or a rapid river ride? There's a little something for everyone on this exciting continent. So make sure your travel plans include at least a couple of these activities.

Peru

If there's one adventure you don't want to miss it's the Machu Picchu hike. Make no mistake; it's a real challenge. You'll have to contend with a hard trek and high altitudes, so make sure your gym membership is up to date. It's definitely worth it though. Along the way you'll see the remains of the Inca civilisation; an incredible sight that will stay with you until the end of your days. Give yourself three or four days to get there though; else you'll be too tired to enjoy it.

Or if you'd prefer to explore Peru by water, why not hire a kayak and take on the Urumbaba River? It'll take you down into the Sacred Valley, so once again you can combine sight seeing with your adventure activities. Don't expect it to be easy though, the river is pretty wild, so you'll meet plenty of challenges along the way.

Brazil

Fancy a spot of caving? Then you've come to the right place! Terra Ronca offer some fantastic caving opportunities and it just happens to be nestled in the north east corner of Goias. There are over 200 caverns here and many of them are yet to be explored. Perhaps you won't be the first to do it, but you can at least try the most popular one - Gruta Terra Ronca. It stretches over 300 miles, and if you're prepared to put the effort in, you can see the whole length of it! Stunning scenery will await you if you do. Think stalagmites, stalactites and sun-lit chambers. Or why not plan your visit around the 6th August for a very different experience? Every year at this time a religious procession makes it way to one of the underground lakes where they throw tributes into the lake.

Next stop the Iguazu Falls! Needless to say there are plenty of activities available here. You could try a little trekking or maybe a spot of mountain biking. And that's only the beginning! Jet boating trips are all the rage these days and you'll find some of the best one's here. Then there's helicopter rides, jungle safaris and best of all Rappeling - this basically involved you descending down a cliff on the side of the falls with just a rope to hold you steady! Don't worry, it you'll have an expert with you to help you do it.

Costa Rica

You know what's coming don't you? Surfing! This fun-filled activity is at its best on the shores of Costa Rica. So if you're heading this way, make sure you give it a go. You'll find some incredible waves and plenty of surf schools. So even if you've never done it before, you can get all the help you need to start.

Argentina

Argentina is home to the highest mountain on the continent. So if you want adventure, this is the place to find it. Aconcagua stands at a massive 22,864 and it's a real adventure playground. The climbing is moderate to difficult, so if you haven't done it before, this might not be the best place to start. But if you have, you can expect one incredible adventure. For the less experience, there are some great hiking opportunities. So you don't have to miss out just because you haven't conquered a mountain before.

For a completely different Argentinian adventure, get yourself over to the Moreno Glacier! This is a truly awe-inspiring experience. Over the centuries mountains of snow have been compressed into a 300 foot high glacier. Every now and then massive chunks of ice fall from the glacier into the sea - now that's something to see. Now you have two choices - you can hike it or you can watch from a distance on a boat tour. So what's it to be?

Ecuador and Honduras

The best adventure you can have in these two incredible destinations comes in the form of hiking. The scenery is amazing, the jungles are lush and the mountains are magnificent. So what better way to see it than with a little light exercise? OK, so maybe it won't quite be light exercise, but it'll certainly be fun and you'll get right to the heart of these stunning destinations.

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