Tag: South America

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South America

Guyana

Guyana is a hidden gem in South America, full of natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. The country boasts pristine rainforests, stunning waterfalls, and a diverse mix of indigenous, African, and East Indian cultures.

One of the must-visit destinations in Guyana is the Kaieteur Falls, which is five times higher than Niagara Falls and one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world. The journey to the falls is an adventure in itself, with a small plane ride and a trek through the rainforest. But the awe-inspiring views of the falls and the surrounding landscape are worth it.

Another highlight of Guyana is its wildlife. The country is home to jaguars, giant river otters, caimans, and a variety of exotic birds. A visit to the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve offers a chance to spot some of these incredible creatures.

The capital city of Georgetown is also worth exploring, with its colonial architecture and lively markets. The St. George’s Cathedral and the Parliament Building are some of the notable landmarks to see.

Finally, the food in Guyana is a unique blend of African, East Indian, and Creole influences. Don’t miss the opportunity to try dishes like pepperpot, curry, and roti.

How to move around?

You can enter from Brazil by taking a shared cab from Boa Vista to the border of Guyana, price will depend on the ammount of passangers, currently (beginning of 2023 it’s around 10USD).

Travelling between Lethem and Georgetown is easy but not very comfortable due to the road conditions. The price at the moment is around 70USD, the journey takes around 15 hours, depending on the road condition and the schedule of the boat in the middle of the journey. Also it’s possible to fly various times throughout the day, price is around (150-200USD) and it takes around 1h.

To and from Suriname. This process is very easy, but it costs around 50USD. Road condition is much better and it takes just a few hours. It’s possible to go from Georgetown to the border of Suriname or already book it for Paramaribo(50USD). Border crossing is with ferry (extra 15USD). In order to book the transport, consult your hotel usually people are very helpful with that.

Kaieteur falls

Very easy to visit, but expensive. Best price I found was 280USD. Not hard to find since it’s the main tourist attraction in the country and most agencies offer daily tours. Whole journey one-way takes around one hour, once you’re there it takes around 2 hours to explore the area, the hike is extremely short and easy.

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Brazil South America

Sao Paulo

The 4th most populous city in the world and the most populated in the Western and Southern hemispheres. It’s a home to the largest Arab, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese diasporas, also it’s native inhabitants are representing over 200 different nationalities.

Sao Paulo is one of the most unequal cities i have seen. Vila Nova Conceição for example is the neighborhood with the highest real estate prices above 3000 EUR per m². At the same time there is an area commonly called ”Cracolândia”, where one can see the summary of the major humanity’s issues.

How to move around?

Metro is probably the best option in case it’s located close from your destination, however, rush hours can be insane since it’s one of the most densely populated places on planet.

Ridesharing companies are widely used and are great solution if mobile internet is available. They are also good in terms of safety and especially at night.

Safety!

As you may know largest cities in Brazil are infamous when it comes to safety. My main advise is, don’t generalize locations too much! It depends big time in which part of the city you are located, before booking hotel or doing other activities, would highly suggest to do research about neighborhoods. Don’t enter Favelas (slums or shanty towns) on your own, it’s usually easy to distinguish due to the orange bricks and concrete mixture, which gives an impression about unfinished building.

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Argentina South America

Ushuaia

As it’s commonly know the Southern most city also called end of the world. The reason I went to Ushuaia was to visit Antarctica, however even with no intentions to do so it’s worth visiting. Best time to visit is during summer December-February, in winter it gets quite cold and snowy, with that being said there are also ski resorts, so it depends on the purpose of the trip. There are plenty of hiking trails around Tierra Del Fuego national park, where it’s possible to reach the ”end of the world”, place were the world’s longest route – Pan-American highway ends. And on the east side of the city there are many more hiking trails with amazing lakes. Organised vans, which can be booked next to the port in the center will take you there.