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Recommendations

Think Latin America, and you think jungle – the vast coils of the Amazon rainforest harbouring everything from anacondas to lost tribes, illegal loggers to pink river dolphins

Top 10 Latin America experiences

Great treks to lost cities, wildlife that nibbles your shoelaces, the world's biggest raiinforest (by far) and colourfully crumbling colonial splendour – Latin America has something to suit everyone

1. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru – Latin America’s biggest draw is over-visited but still overwhelming. Book early to ensure you get a place on the classic Inca Trail, or consider one of the quieter alternative routes.
2. Explore the Galapagos, Ecuador – Darwin’s wildlife wonderland shows evolution in action, and offers extremely up-close wildlife encounters with frollicking sea lions, scaly iguanas, giant tortoises and a range of curious birds (don't miss the courtship dances of both the albatross and the blue-footed booby).
3. Go jaguar-spotting, Brazil – the Pantanal wetland is simply the cat’s whiskers: it's one of very few places where jaguar are regularly spotted, along with a whole host of other wildlife. August and September are the peak months for big cat sightings.
4. Hike the wilds of Patagonia – a travel word to conjure with, Patagonia is a sweeping land of lakes, rock spires and wilderness, offering fantastic trekking. The Torres del Paine Circuit is a classic, though other options abound. Try northern Patagonia to escape the crowds.
5. Riding the rails, South America – the Devil’s Nose, the Train to the Clouds – the names of the continent's rail routes say it all. The trains here are more scenic spectaculars than a means to get around: there are few services, but those that do exist offer world-class experiences.
6. Whale-watch in Baja California, Mexico – a bounty of marine riches: in winter the Pacific coast of this peninsula is home to pretty much the entire population of grey whales, while the Sea of Cortez, on Baja's east, is a sheltered calving ground for fin, sperm, humpback and even blue whales; the best time for blues is January to March.
7. Follow the Maya Route, Guatemala – a museum in the rainforest: trek into the jungle of Guatemala for an Indiana Jones adventure. Pyramids such as Tikal are well excavated; for a more rugged adventure head for little-visited and rainforest-hidden El Mirador.
8. Experience Carnival, Brazil – Rio gets the headlines, but the February/March street parades in Salvador and Recife get the connoisseurs: expect samba moves, exuberant costumes and a real locals' party.
9. Fall for Cartagena, Colombia – this Unesco-listed, coastal gem of a city has deservedly put Colombia back on the map; wander the pastel-coloured streets and soak up the ambiance. Visit in January for the Hay Literary Festival.
10. Salar de Uyuni salt flats, Bolivia – this high-altitude, incredibly flat and vastly spreading salt pan is one of the world's weirdest places. Stay at a hotel made of salt blocks, meet the resident flamingoes and go on a (long) drive to appreciate the scale.

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