Introduction to South America - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 8

Bolivia is perhaps the continent's most intriguing destination, encompassing
snaggle-toothed peaks, dense jungles and a dynamic indigenous culture, best absorbed
in the capital La Paz , around Lake Titicaca , heartland of the Aymara and especially on
the Isla del Sol , said to be the spiritual centre of the Andean world. The silver-mining
city of Potosí funded the kings of Europe for centuries, while Sucre is one of the most
captivating colonial cities on the continent.
Backpackers continue to flock to Peru , globally renowned for the great Inca ruins
at Cusco , the Sacred Valley and especially Machu Picchu , the jaw-dropping mountain
hideout on which all images of “lost cities” are now based. Many travellers reach the city
on foot via the Inca Trail , a truly magical experience. Yet Peru has a lot more to offer,
from virgin Amazonian jungle protected in parks such as the Pacaya Samiria National
Reserve and a long dry coastline where ceviche became an art form, to the booming
nightlife and innovative culinary scene in Lima .
Ecuador has much in common with Peru and is easily combined with a trip to its
larger southern neighbour. The highland capital, Quito , is crammed with absorbing
museums and colonial architecture, while the rest of the country is littered with
volcanoes, old Spanish towns and beguiling indigenous markets. Naturalists, however,
should head straight for the extraordinary Galápagos Islands , home to some of the
world's most astonishing wildlife.
At the northern end of the continent, Colombia continues to be an up-and-coming
travel destination, much safer after years of drug wars and guerrilla insurgencies.
Immerse yourself in the salsa-soaked nightlife of Bogotá , the coffee-growing
landscapes of the Zona Cafetera and the romantic colonial towns of Cartagena and
Popayán . The mesmerizing scenery around Villa de Leyva is perfect for trekking,
while San Gil is the base for adventure sports, especially white-water rafting. Far to
the north, closer to Nicaragua than South America, the Isla de Providencia is part
of the remote San Andrés chain, home of palm-fringed Caribbean beaches and
a spectacular reef ideal for divers.
Neighbouring Venezuela remains a far more challenging country to visit, but the
rewards for doing so are considerable; experience untouched and incredibly raw national
parks, spectacular Caribbean beaches and the Amazon region of Guayana, which
contains the Angel Falls , the world's tallest waterfall.
he Guianas , comprising the former British and Dutch colonies of Guyana and
Suriname and the French overseas département of French Guiana , are often overlooked.
However, their three vibrant capital cities, Georgetown, Paramaribo and Cayenne
respectively, are home to cool bars and colonial wooden architecture in picturesque
decay, while French Guiana has the added appeal of the Centre Spatial Guyanais ,
Devil's Island (immortalized in Papillon ) and top-notch French cuisine. English-
speaking Guyana offers a taste of West Indian culture - with cricket, rum and rotis,
it's more Barbados than Brazil.