Ultimate Brazil, Patagonia & the Chilean Fjords

Rio de Janeiro is a large Brazilian city situated on the South Atlantic Coast of South America. It is perhaps best known for its carnivals and the largest art deco statue in existence, the giant Christ the Redeemer Statue that is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. While there absorb the magnificent views and you will feel as though you are taking a walk in the clouds. Read more about Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is a large Brazilian city situated on the South Atlantic Coast of South America. It is perhaps best known for its carnivals and the largest art deco statue in existence, the giant Christ the Redeemer Statue that is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. While there absorb the magnificent views and you will feel as though you are taking a walk in the clouds. Read more about Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Buzios in Brazil is situated 169 km NE of Rio de Janeiro, a small and sophisticated paradise that was popularised by legendary movie star Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s, and her statue still graces the main street. Today it is the haunt of the rich and famous of the world who flock to the city to enjoy the more than 20 stunning beaches in the vicinity. The peninsula is a sophisticated beach resort with a very active night life and fine restaurants. Read more about Buzios, Brazil

Ilha Grande - aka Big Island - is located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis. The island is largely undeveloped and noted for its scenic beauty, which includes tropical beaches, luxuriant vegetation and a rugged landscape. Ilha Grande is one of the most pristine remnants of Brazil's Atlantic rainforest, one of the richest ecosystems in the world, and a hotspot for biodiversity and conservation. Read more about Ilha Grande, Brazil

Paraty is a Brazilian coastal town that lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo states. First settled by the Portuguese in 1667 and then neglected for many years, this authentic colonial beach town is effectively an historical museum set in a tropical paradise surrounded by beaches and beautiful islands. Its old churches, and nearby forests, waterfalls, islands and emerald-green sea, attract lots of tourists interested in mixing cultural tourism in a natural setting. Read more about Paraty, Brazil

Ilhabela, meaning Beautiful Island, has always held itself slightly apart from the mainland of Brazil. Discovered in 1502, the island has served as an outpost against foreign navies, pirates, slavery and smugglers. What makes Ilhabela unique is its pristine beaches and untouched rainforest. Read more about Ilhabela, Brazil

São Francisco do Sul, founded as a village by the Portuguese in 1658, is the third oldest city in Brazil. It lies 340 km SE of the port of Santos and of Sao Paulo. It has a beautiful natural harbour situated on the northern end of the island of São Francisco do Sul at the entrance to the Bay of Babitonga. Read more about Sao Francisco do Sul, Brazil

Punta del Este, known as the St.Tropez of Uruguay, is an upscale vacation spot on the southern-most tip of the country, just an hour and a half by car from Montevideo. Today this area is known worldwide as a very scenic resort area with great shopping, a temperate climate, and kilometres of beautiful beaches. These include Mansa - or gentle beach - that faces the bay, and Playa Brava, a beach that faces the Atlantic and is home to the sculpted Dedos fingers - better known as ‘the Hand in the Sand’ - a well known city landmark. Read more about Punta del Este, Uruguay

Montevideo is the largest city, capital, and chief port of Uruguay. Situated on the River Plate (Silver River), it is also home to almost half of the nation's population, and subsequently is a modern metropolis, though with a fascinating historical old town dating back to colonial times. Described as a vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life, it is the hub of commerce. Read more about Montevideo, Uruguay

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Rio de la Plata, on the SE coast of South America. The birthplace of the tango, the city is as bustling with energy as the dance itself. Stroll neighbourhoods with romantic restaurants, past its architecture and parks. Read more about Buenos Aires, Argentina

Montevideo is the largest city, capital, and chief port of Uruguay. Situated on the River Plate (Silver River), it is also home to almost half of the nation's population, and subsequently is a modern metropolis, though with a fascinating historical old town dating back to colonial times. Described as a vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life, it is the hub of commerce. Read more about Montevideo, Uruguay

Punta Arenas, overlooking the Strait of Magellan in southern Patagonia, Chile, bustles with windswept trekkers en route to glacier-filled Torres del Paine National Park or an Antarctic cruise. Before leaving, be sure to take note of the mansion-lined main square, Plaza Muñoz Gamero where local vendors sell homemade crafts, the City Cemetery with its elaborate tombs, the Sara Braun Palace, and Braun Menendez Residence that presents great insight of the city's wealthy pioneer past. The city is also home to the former British Navy base and early Spanish colony of Puerto Hambre, and a popular ski centre that overlooks the Strait of Magellan. Read more about Punta Arenas, Chile

Ainsworth Bay is a coastal inlet in the Tierra del Fuego region of Chile. The bay is on the south side of Almirantazgo Fjord, that cuts deep into the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. Answorth Bay is fed by the meltwater of the Marinelli Glacier, a tidewater glacier located in Alberto de Agostini National Park. Read more about Ainsworth Bay, Chile

The Beagle Channel, named after Charles Darwin’s exploration ship, runs for 240km from Isla Nueva in the east, to the Darwin Sound in the west. At its widest point, the Channel measures 5km across. The strait separates Argentina’s Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, to the north, from remote Chilean islands like Nueva, Picton and Navarino to the south of the channel. Read more about Beagle Channel, Chile

Strikingly rich in natural and historical attractions, the narrow fjords on the west coast of Chile penetrate deeply into the mountains of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, a major part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This is the largest of the protected areas in Chile, and with no large rivers in the area the fjords drain water from outlet glaciers of the ice-capped, storm-swept elevations. It is a large area of uninhabited islands, deep sounds, breathtaking glaciers, and narrow passages. Read more about Chilean Fjords, Chile

Cape Horn, the most southerly of the great capes is located on Isla Hornos in the Hermite Islands group at the southern end of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of South America. It marks the northern edge of the Drake Passage that separates South America and Antarctica. For many years it was a major milestone on the clipper route, by which sailing ships carried trade around the world. Read more about Cape Horn, Chile

Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, is located on the Beagle Channel, where soaring mountains, ice-blue glaciers, and an historic lighthouse create an ideal backdrop. The capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, it was first settled by British missionaries. During the first half of the 20th C the major building of the city was a prison, built by the Argentinian government for repeat offenders and serious criminals, as the subpolar oceanic climate made escape difficult. Read more about Ushuaia, Argentina