The Atacama Desert, Chile

The driest desert in the world and the most surreal

star-gazing destination in the southern hemisphere, the Atacama is an ethereal

place to visit, where the salt-encrusted earth crumbles under your feet; where

the sunsets are fiery-red and where the night skies put on a magnificent show.

Desolate and harsh yet incredibly enchanting, the Atacama is

in the northern fringes of Chile, bordering the world-famous Bolivian Salt

Flats. If you have some extra time you could easily discover both in the one

single unforgettable journey.

The Amazon Rainforest, various destinations

The Amazon is one of South America’s most celebrated

highlights and the one destination everyone who visits South America wishes to

explore. Yet once you’re over and not overly keen to rough it out in a tropical

jungle budget-lodge – them pesky insects and soul-sucking humidity and all –

then rest assured you can still head here and experience this resplendent

wilderness. From luxury lodge-based tours to Amazon River cruises aboard

gorgeous river boats (yes, they also come with air-con and window fly-screens,

nowadays!) the options for exploring the

Amazon in comfort and style are plentiful. You can still

enjoy all the on-land excursions you wish, cuddling anacondas and chasing

sloths (or was it the other way around?) visiting remote Amazonian communities

and simply relishing being in the heart of the world’s grandest and most

important rainforest, all the while still getting a great night’s sleep,

feasting on superb cuisine and indulging in a refreshing shower at the end of

the day.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

We certainly wouldn’t begrudge any over-55s from heading to

the Brazilian party-capital to shimmy it up with the best samba dancers at the

annual Rio Carnival, yet let it be known that Rio de Janeiro is actually a

pretty spectacular city to discover at any time of year. Steeped in hundreds of

years of fascinating history – as the birthplace of African-imported slavery

into the continent – Rio is a powerhouse of attractions.

The famed Christ the Redeemer statue will welcome you with

open arms (well, he does that for everyone) and guides you along one of the

most picturesque coastlines of all. With a great array of museums, fun shopping

options, exceptional cuisine and a long list of sightseeing highlights to suit

everyone, Rio will bewitch you for days on end. And come sunset, when you’re

enjoying a sundowner on your private hotel balcony overlooking glitzy

Copacabana beach, you may well think there’s no more exciting place in the

world to be.