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Brazil is like one giant distillation of everything we love about South America – giant metropolises, vibrant, joyous culture and a diverse range of spectacular natural landscapes. Our nine-day Dazzling Brazil trips shines a light on all of the above, starting with an immersive tour of sprawling Sao Paulo. We’ll move on to a rural escape, staying in the gorgeous old town of Paraty. We’ll snorkel in the crystalline waters of Paraty Bay and discover waterfalls in the region’s verdant forests, before heading to our final destination, Rio de Janeiro. South America’s most famous city is a must-visit. We’ll tick off the classics – Christ the Redeeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, volleyball on the beach – but also delve deeper into local culture with a Carneval experience, and discover lesser-known gems like Tijuca Forest and Olympic Boulevard. The best bit? Spring catches the end of Brazil’s best weather, but also avoids the peak-season crowds.
Looking to combine some exhilarating activities with ample time for rest and relaxation in an idyllic, tropical setting? Costa Rica is the place to go, and in spring, the weather is both reliably warm and mostly dry. White-water rafting down the Balsa River, trekking through the jungle of Arena National Park in search of jaguars and capuchin monkeys, and spotting sloths in the Monteverde Cloud Forest are just a few of the incredible experiences that await. You can do all of that on this eight-day trip, as well as swimming in waterfalls in La Fortuna, coffee tasting at the Doka Estate and learning to surf in Tamarindo.
Many travelers to Colombia head straight to the Andes and the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, but the Caribbean coast shouldn’t be overlooked. With rainforests, snow-capped mountains, idyllic islands and vast swathes of golden sand beaches, it’s jam-packed with gorgeous scenery. On this eight-day adventure, you’ll go hiking through the Tayrona National Park, river tubing along the Rio don Diego and snorkel among coral reefs on a day excursion to the Rosario Islands. The vibrant city of Cartagena ensures a taste of history and culture, not to mention pulsating nightlife. March and April are favourable if traveling in spring, as May tends to bring heavier and more frequent rainfall.
Boasting a combination of rugged, volcanic landscapes, thick jungle and vibrant, high-altitude cities, Ecuador offers an enormous catalogue of adventures to enjoy. From hiking around the emerald green Quilotoa crater lake and the Laguna Limpiopungo in Cotopaxi National Park to cycling past gushing waterfalls between Baños and Puyo, it’s one of South America’s prime destinations for outdoor pursuits. This eight-day adventure features all of the above, as well as chocolate tasting and a cooking class in Quito, white-water rafting in the Amazon, and soaking in the Papallacta hot springs. As Ecuador lies on the equator, temperatures are fairly consistent throughout the year; if you want to avoid the crowds of peak season, spring is a good time to visit – if you don’t mind the occasional rain shower, that is.
It’s impossible not to be enthralled by the sheer variety of wildlife and unspoiled nature on the Galápagos Islands – and with spring bringing the warmest temperatures of the year, it’s an ideal time for snorkelling and scuba diving. Galápagos giant tortoises, white-tipped reef sharks, eagle rays, Galápagos penguins and sea turtles are just a few of the extraordinary creatures you’re likely to come across, as well as an abundance of endemic bird species. This five-day trip is a fantastic way to see the best of the archipelago in a relatively short space of time. Go kayaking in the Itabaca Channel, sleep in a luxury safari tent in the Santa Cruz highlands, swim with sea lions at Punta Carola beach and head snorkeling or scuba diving at Kicker Rock – one of the best spots in the Galápagos for encountering marine wildlife.
Discover the best of Peru on our epic nine-day adventure. Start off in Cusco, where you’ll take a Peruvian cooking class, then head to the Sacred Valley to see Inca ruins. Tick a major item off your bucket list when you visit Machu Picchu – this set of ruins, high in the Andes, is one of the seven wonders of the world. Head to Colca Canyon, where you’ll hopefully spot condors circling the skies during your hike, before arriving in Arequipa. Take a tour of the city’s picanterias, local lunchtime restaurants, before this whistle-stop tour finishes.