If tall mountains are what you are looking for, Rainbow Mountain in Peru, which also tops out at more than 5,000m, is another giant that you can hike up to -- typically on a daytrip from the city of Cusco. From Machu Pichu, you can visit other spectacular Inca sites such as Sacred Valley, where you can see impressive Ollantaytambo and Moray ruins, Maras Salt Mines, and much more.

The stunning Iguazu waterfalls can be visited from Argentina (Puerto Iguazu) or Brazil (Foz do Iguacu), making it perfect for a day trip. Thundering down a mountainside from 980 metres, the Angel Falls are sixteen times the height of Niagara Falls, making it the highest waterfall in the world, and easily one of South Americas most impressive attractions. One of the best places to visit in South America, Angel Falls must be seen to be appreciated, since simple words cannot do them justice.

Buenos Aires is Argentines capital and like most capital cities in South America, you can expect a lot of fun things to do and colourful places to see. With its stunning neoclassical architecture, traditional Porteno neighbourhoods, world-renowned steakhouses, and milongas (tango dance halls), Buenos Aires is one of the most culturally dynamic cities in South America, making it a beautiful place for an Argentina getaway. Last, but certainly not least, Rio de Janeiro is an excellent destination if you are planning to spend any time in Brazil on a South American road trip.

Exploring South America will take you on incredible adventures across an impressive range of landscapes; from the sweaty, wet rainforests of the Amazon, breathing in the rarefied air above Andean mountaintops, to the breath-taking expanses of Patagonian glaciers. With almost seven million miles of rainforest (Amazon), wetlands (Pantanal), mountains (Andes) and waterfalls (Iguazu), you could explore the sparsely populated interior of South America for years without seeing all the incredible sights.

Cajas National Park is one of the first places you visit when making your way down to Chilean Patagonia, and it is a place that makes a helluva great first impression, and rightfully earned a place on this list as one of the best places to visit in South America. The Valley of the Cocora is truly one of Colombia’s finest attractions, and Salento certainly deserves its place in the list of places to visit in South America. Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flats in the world and one of those places in South America that will make your jaw drop as soon as you look at it yourself.

The Galapagos Islands is one of those destinations that you must stay for quite some time, and it is one of the best places to visit in South America, if you have time. There are cactus valleys to explore, a lot of Indigenous cultures, and the Atacama desert is one of the best places to enjoy no light pollution and view the Milky Way. With some of the most stunning barren landscapes on this continent, The Brilliant Atacama Desert is a stunning place to travel to over several days, taking in the wild landscapes and those amazing stars, night skies.

Famous for mining Bolivian silver, Potosi, in the southern part of the country, is one of the highest places on this continent, but you can head deeper underground here to experience the conditions miners are working under and talk with them about their lives. While Lake Titicaca is located on the border of Bolivia and Peru, it is accessible by visiting Peru, where a boat ride from Puno takes you to the stunning floating islands made from reeds, begun by indigenous Uros centuries ago.