Lençóis Maranhenses, Maranhão – Brazil
Located on the eastern coast of the state of Maranhão by the banks of the Preguiças River. The National Park is extensive and prepare yourself for a bumpy ride as there are no real official roads. But that only adds to the appeal. Lençóis Maranhenses is composed of large, white dunes and at first appears as a normal desert landscape. However, it’s not. Lying just outside the Amazon basin, the region is subject to a regular rain season during the beginning of the year. The rains cause a peculiar phenomenon: fresh water collects in the valleys between sand dunes, spotting the desert with blue and green lagoons that reach their capacity between July and September. A truly marvellous phenomenon.
Machu Picchu – Peru
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located 2 430 metres above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas”, it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Most of the outlying buildings have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of what the structures originally looked like. Its three primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu.
