The Amazon crowns the top of most world travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. The colossal river and its surrounding jungle are home to a thriving wonderland of plants and animals, not to mention a rainforest that serves as the oxygen-producing lifeblood of our planet. While the Amazon will always be a must-see, there are four less-traveled destinations in this region of South America that teem with their own unique natural wonders.
These rare sights from South America and beyond take some effort to visit, but you’ll be wholly rewarded when you arrive. Here are five wonders to be discovered—if you’re willing to go the distance.
Early in the morning, National Geographic Venture slowly entered the north entrance of Wrangell Narrows on our approach to Petersburg, Alaska. This small town of around 3,200 residents has a very strong Norwegian connection and is called “The Town that Fish Built!” It is a true Alaskan fishing village with a great heritage. Throughout the day, different activities were offered, including hikes, biking, Zodiac dock tours, and exploring this lovely town on foot.
This morning, National Geographic Sea Lion anchored at Cascade Creek, a stunning destination for hikes in the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska. From the smallest of lichens and mosses to the tallest western hemlock trees and Sitka spruces, our guests learned from our naturalists as they hiked along Cascade Creek. In the afternoon, we explored Scenery Cove on Zodiacs, getting familiar with the rocky coast. In the evening, we spent time looking for marine mammals from the bow of the ship. It was another amazing day in Southeast Alaska.
Dawes Glacier, located at the head of Endicott Arm in Southeast Alaska, is an active tidewater glacier in the remote Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness Area. Reaching the glacier requires a 30-mile journey through a narrow fjord lined with sheer rock walls rising over 3,000 feet. These cliffs are veined with waterfalls and often blanketed in mist. Throughout the fjord, remnants of the glacier float in the form of icebergs. The glacier feeds cold, silty meltwater into the fjord, giving the water a distinctive milky-green hue and supporting a rich marine food web. Harbor seals were hauled out on ice floes near the glacier. Gulls and Arctic terns were actively feeding, likely drawn by the small fish and plankton concentrated by the glacial outflow. The glacier calved several times, hurling large chunks of ice across the water’s surface, sending the birds fleeing. The sound of the ice hitting the water echoed off the steep rock walls that rise thousands of feet on either side.
Today we got to experience some of the rich history and culture of Iceland with a visit to Siglufjordur, the herring capital of Iceland. Here in Siglufjordur, there’s a living museum depicting the days of the herring fisheries, complete with a performance by the Herring Girls who demonstrated the fine art of cutting and salting herring. After the demonstration, we visited three buildings, each displaying what life was like in the early 1900’s when herring ruled.
A spectacular day aboard National Geographic Resolution brought us high above the fjord via the scenic sky lift, offering sweeping views of mountains, glaciers, and deep-blue waters below. We explored the lush forest on foot, surrounded by mossy trails and birdsong, before reaching open viewpoints of distant icefields. Later, we crossed the serene glacial lake by boat, its surface reflecting the towering peaks above. It was a day filled with a perfect blend of adventure and awe in this majestic landscape.
