RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – You will hardly find a travel photographer who doesn’t dream of going on a long tour of Latin America. Paradise islands and azure glaciers, mysterious ruins of ancient civilizations and colorful modern towns, inaccessible rocky mountains and stormy waterfalls — the Latin American region includes 46 countries, and each of them offers you a breathtaking visual experience.
If you need a source of inspiration today, check out this collection of travel photos from Depositphotos contributors featuring picture-perfect wonders of Latin America. Each of the images below is filled with vibes of this lush and contrasting region.
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Let’s start our trip to Latin America with Bolivia. Sol de Mañana (which means Morning Sun in Spanish), is a geothermal area located over 4,800 meters above sea level. It’s part of the Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex with numerous mud lakes and steam pools.
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The populations of Latin American countries are carriers of a wide variety of genes. Here, the heirs of Aztecs and Incas mixed with European colonists, as well as Africans. Similar processes took place in culture. Therefore, national carnivals, clothing, and dances are key attractions in countries like Colombia, Bolivia, and Brazil.
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If you choose to hike the Andes Mountains, alpacas and llamas will cross your path more often than local residents. The Peruvians domesticated these animals more than 6,000 years ago, and today, they’re actively bred in the highlands of South America, including regions in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Bolivia. Europeans called llamas the camels of the New World.
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Torres del Paine is a vast national park in the Chilean highlands where tourists can experience the spirit of Patagonia. The climate here is temperate; that’s why, even in the summer, the temperature rarely rises above 11 °C. The traditional hiking trail in Torres del Paine takes 5 to 10 days to complete and passes through numerous rocky mountains, spectacular glaciers, fjords, and blue lakes.
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These images were also taken at Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile. You can see the details of the magnificent cliffs of Cuernos del Paine, which are dominant in the outlook of the local landscape. The national park (Torres del Paine means Blue Towers) is named after these cliffs. The mountains are up to 3,000 m high.
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Until recently, the Atacama Desert (Desierto de Atacama) In northern Chile and southern Peru was the driest place on the planet, as it had not received heavy rainfall for over four centuries. In the last decade, climate change has led to more than 200 plant species blooming in this desert. The Mano del Desierto is a famous artwork created next to the highway that runs through the Atacama Desert.
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In 2017, tourists may have been surprised to notice two abandoned passenger planes among the palm trees of the town of Loma Grande in the central part of Paraguay. Today, both airplanes are part of the local hotel’s entertainment infrastructure: visitors can take a room with a view of the aircraft, swim in the pool right in front of it, and even dine inside.
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Iguazú Falls are located on the Iguazú River and include 275 waterfalls. This amazing natural site marks the border between Brazil and Argentina. The waterfalls are separated by several islands, which can be accessed through small bridges (together, they are over 2 km long). The highest waterfall is about 82 meters high, but the local rocks are up to 260 meters high, so that you can enjoy the scenery from above.
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In Rio de Janeiro, you will find numerous things worthy of being photographed, but we recommend that you begin exploring the city with the Sugarloaf Cable Car. It’s hard to believe that this cable car system was opened more than a century ago and was the third engineering structure of its kind in the world. From the car, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city, islands, and the ocean.
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La Boca is a well-known residential area in Buenos Aires with a rich history. For example, it was here that Pedro de Mendoza founded the capital of Argentina. The first port of Buenos Aires was also built here (although it was later relocated). The last part of La Boca history is associated with Italian immigrants who settled here. They have the tradition of painting houses in different colors. Most locals used to be poor, so they didn’t have enough paint of the same color and used different ones.
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Laguna Colorada is an alpine lake in Bolivia that has a delicate pink color due to its minerals. This lake is located in the territory of a national park and is adored by tourists not only for its unusual shade but also for its inhabitants. This is where the famous pink James’s flamingos, and Andean and Chilean flamingos live. If you’re lucky, you might enjoy the view of their mating dances.
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Machu Picchu is one of the most mysterious ancient cities in Latin America. Scientists believe that it was built by the Incas at the beginning of the 15th century, but after a short time, it was completely abandoned. The citadel remained forgotten for four centuries until Professor Hiram Bingham discovered it in the early 20th century. Besides the citadel itself, the ancient Incan road also survives to this day.
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Casa Terracota is a modern edification built in the village of Villa de Leyva, in Colombia, by the local architect Octavio Mendoza. This architect used unique technology: his house (as well as all furniture, without exception) is made of clay. He calls his creation “the largest piece of pottery in the world.”
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While in the city of Sucre, it is difficult to believe that you are in the capital of Bolivia. This is a cozy colonial city that looks elegant and peaceful during any season. Sucre is located in a green mountain valley and surrounded by picturesque mountains. The climate here is mild, and the streets are narrow and quiet in a European way. At sunset, the orange tiled roofs look even more impressive than during the day.
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La Guajira can be called the paradise region of Colombia. It’s one of the most important kite surfer training spots in the world, and it’s also where the northernmost point of the South American continent (Punta Gallinas) lies. Tourists come here for a relaxing break in the lagoons lined with palm trees.
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Traveling through South America will delight those who are fond of wildlife photography. This continent is home to many unique animals, including birds. Toco toucan, king penguin, hyacinth macaw, and waved albatross are the continent’s most popular birds. And Ecuador is a top destination for birdwatching in South America, as 27 species of endemic birds live here.
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The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in Argentina and belongs to the Patagonia region. It’s the third-largest freshwater reserve in the world. If you’re lucky, you can catch an interesting phenomenon on your visit here. Approximately every five years, the glacier descends to the foot of the Lago Argentino lake and creates a dam. The water level in the lake can rise by 30 meters and then breaks through the ice dam.
South America’s treasure trove is enormous, but we’ve tried to show you at least a few of them.
