Latin America

Stretching from Mexico to the southern tip of Patagonia, Latin America is one of the most ecologically diverse regions on Earth. Chile spans almost the entire length of South America, from the Atacama Desert in the north to the glaciers of Patagonia in the south. Brazil is a land of giants, home to the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon, and the world’s largest tropical wetland, the Pantanal, where you can encounter jaguars, giant otters, and the world’s largest flying parrots, the hyacinth macaws.

The most extensive waterfall system on Earth, Iguazu Falls, spans the border between Brazil and Argentina. To the south, Argentina stretches into Patagonia where killer whales are famously observed beaching themselves to catch seals.

In Central America, Costa Rica forms part of Latin America’s northern reaches. While representing only 0.03% of the Earth’s surface, Costa Rica contains more than 5% of the planet’s biodiversity, largely thanks to the variety of landscapes packed into a relatively small area. Within these landscapes, you can encounter an exceptional diversity of wildlife, from pumas to hummingbirds.