Top 10 Wonders
of South America

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top 10 rankings

South America
Wonders

Galapagos Islands
Machu Picchu
Iguazu Falls
Amazon Rain Forest
Easter Island
Rio Panoramic Views
Carnival in Rio
Angel Falls
Nazca Animal Figures
Torres del Paine

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Brief
descriptions

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Galapagos Islands

These are the remote Pacific Islands that helped Charles Darwin develop his now famous evolution theory in the early 1800s. The unique Galapagos Islands wildlife species that he observed are still there, waiting for vacationers on small cruise yachts to rediscover.

Pacific off Ecuador.

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Machu Picchu

The ruins sit picturesquely on an isolated mountain saddle (see photo in left column). Machu Picchu, a pre-Columbian stronghold, was abandoned and forgotten for centuries until 1911 when it was discovered buried under dense greenery.

Peru.

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Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls plummets over a 3 kilometer (nearly 2 mile) rim into a deep gorge. The Devil's Throat section is particularly breathtaking.

Argentina & Brazil.

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Amazon Rain Forest

The Amazon Rain Forest is a vast jungle networked by mighty rivers and small tributaries - and the home of exotic vegetation and wildlife.

Mainly Brazil & Peru.

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Easter Island

Easter Island is famous for it numerous head statues chiseled from volcanic rock. Why the ancient islanders of this remote location carved them is an enigma.

Pacific off Chile.

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Rio Panoramic Views

The Rio de Janeiro city and bay collectively provide two of the world's most splendid vistas, one from Corcovado Mountain and the other from the Sugar Loaf pinnacle.

Brazil.

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Carnival in Rio

A million tourists and cariocas (Rio de Janeiro citizens) participate in the merrymaking in lively street parades and masquerade balls at carnival time.

Brazil.

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Angel Falls

It is by far the world's highest waterfall. The isolated location of Angel Falls helped keep this wonder a secret from the outside world until the 1930s.

Venezuela.

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Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are geometric shapes and animal figures etched into a huge expanse of a desert floor by an ancient civilization. These artworks are so large that they can be recognized from the air, but not on ground level.

Peru.

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Torres del Paine

The Torres del Paine National Park near the southern tip of South America is blessed with wondrous mountains, among other natural beauties.

Chile.

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About my Top 10
South America wonder rankings

The first eight South American selections are on my Top 100 Wonders of the World list, which means they are Gold Medal winners. The ninth and tenth selections are Silver Wonder winners.

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