Real travelers love South America. It's as though the continent was built for travel; a place that excites, thrills, challenges and infuriates.
Sweat yourself dizzy on an Amazon canoe ride before ending the day caiman-watching on a black-water lagoon. Brave a white-knuckle bus ride down Peruvian slopes and be astounded by endless Andean vistas. Endure Patagonia's wind-driven rain while chasing life-affirming sunsets or simply lose yourself (and possibly your belongings) in the break-neck chaos of Buenos Aires or Salvador.
The real reward, however, is the South American spirit. It seems like the entire continent approaches life with the enthusiasm of an old-fashioned road trip: the windows down and the stereo blaring. There is as much music as there are adventures to be had. Samba spices up the sandy streets of Brazilian beach towns, panpipes liven Andean markets, Argentine folklórica (folk music) trickles out of truck radios in the pampas, and the jolting rhythm of cumbia makes those Andean bus rides even more absurd. South America is a continent that engulfs you and changes you - your state of mind, your outlook on life. As soon as you step foot on South American soil, the transformation begins.
Climate
South America Climate is predominantly wet and hot. However the large size of the continent makes the
climate of South America varied with each region having its own characteristic weather conditions. The other factors influencing the
climate of South America are the geographical location, ocean currents and winds.
South America Climate differs from one region to another. The Amazon river basin has the typical hot wet climate suitable for the growth of rain forests. The
temperatures in the Amazon basin 70 to 90 degrees F. The Andes Mountains, on the other hand, remain cold throughout the year. The
temperatures of the mountains is always very low.
The desert regions of Chile is the
driest part of South America. The westerly winds carrying moisture shed their moisture on the western parts of the Andes, thus the eastern portions of the mountains receive very little
rainfall. The cold Peru Current is responsible for the dry coastal parts of Peru as well as northern Chile. The cold current is unable to hold much moisture.
The
highest temperatures of South America have been recorded in
Gran Chaco in Argentina, with
temperatures going up to 110 degrees F. The
wettest place is Quibdo in Columbia. It receives an annual rainfall of 350 inches(890 centimeters).
The four parts of South America which experience
heavy rainfall are the Amazon River Basin, coastal parts of French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname, the southwestern parts of Chile and Columbia and Ecuador coasts.
