The Americas

Celebrated for its colourful history, fascinating customs, and jaw-dropping landscapes it’s easy to see why Bolivia and travel are a match made in heaven. There are wonderful Incan ruins to be explored, yet the Spanish colonisation can still be strongly felt: the “white city” of Sucre is a UNESCO-listed site. The phenomenal Salt Flats are a photographer’s dream and must-do experience in Bolivia. So too is the monumental Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water at 3,800 metres, its waters reflecting the Andes ranges.

Four countries… similar, but different. Nicaragua is the largest of the Central American countries by land size. Colonised on the Pacific coast by the Spanish and on the Atlantic coast by the British. Add an African-Caribbean influence with the indigenous peoples and you have a melting pot of cultures. The country has a growing tourism industry and now is a good time to visit given tourism is in its infancy and you can experience the genuine culture.

Brazil is the world’s 5th biggest country in both population and size. It has a diverse natural environment, the most famous being the rainforests of the Amazon Basin, which have a plethora of endemic flora (over 3,500 species) and fauna covering the north and west. Brazil’s people and varied cultures primarily make this country a must-visit destination. While human history dates back 25,000 years with cave paintings found in the protected Serra da Capivara National Park, it is the combination of indigenous, African and Portuguese cultures that make it so vibrant today.

Few places on the planet offer a wildlife experience, like the Galapagos Islands. The famous blue and red-footed boobies, the spitting marine and land iguanas, Darwin’s finches, sea turtles, Galapagos giant tortoise, Galapagos penguins, fur seals, pink flamingos hawks and dozens of bird species make it a nature-lovers must-see. Galapagos Islands sit about 1,000 km off the coast of the South American continent and consists of around 20 main islands, most uninhabited. Experience the Galápagos aboard the Lindblad NG Endeavour II, an elegant 96 passenger small ship, well- equipped for up-close exploration.

Mexicans are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet and they are usually eager to share their wealth of history and abundant culture with travellers from other countries. Our tour of Mexico starts in Mexico City. Then it moves southeast taking in the UNESCO heritage sites of Monte Alban, the greatest of the Zapotec cities, Teotihuacan, the most sacred of the Aztec sites and the Mayan sites of Palenque, Uxmal and Chichen Itza. After travelling through the heartland, we will savour some wonderful Mexican food and music and reach the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean coast.