Vamoss Experience

Its Space

South America—made up of 12 countries—is about 1.7 times the size of Europe, which has 46 countries. The Pacific and Atlantic meet at the continent’s ends: in the south through the Beagle Channel and in the north through the human-made Panama Canal. The Andes form a vast backbone between two extremes: the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and the Amazon Rainforest, one of the wettest basins on the planet. Beginning near the borders of Colombia and Venezuela, the Andes extend to the far south and often offer almost no passage below 4,000 meters. Like many powerful places, this mineral-rich land has also become a target for mining companies and is too often damaged by them.

Its History

Before the Western world set foot in South America in 1492, the continent’s history held many mysteries. Until the Spanish arrived, no alphabet was in use here and very little was recorded in writing. Tribes lived separately, moved little, and stayed close to their lands; many are remembered as peaceful, connected to nature, and reflective. Around the 800s, the civilization now called the Inca began to take shape. After Cusco became its capital, Inca power expanded and violence increased, especially during the fifteenth century. The greatest rupture followed the arrival of European power after 1492. Despite immense loss and long years of Spanish rule, the peoples of South America gradually won their independence. Before the Incas, smaller civilizations also flourished here; many shared a peaceful way of living simply and together.

Its Culture

This continent holds powerful cultures shaped deeply by nature. The tropical belt extending from the Bolivia–Argentina border to the Caribbean is one of their strongest influences. Across the continent, people are warm and open; humor, music, dance, and celebration are part of everyday life. Even though large cities can soften the beauty culture brings to daily life, it is easy to feel that you are in a Latin country. In parts of the Amazon, the Andes, and Patagonia, Indigenous communities still live within relatively unchanged cultures and close to the essentials. Latin people—especially in warmer regions—often live with less anxiety about time and are deeply hospitable. We must also acknowledge that violence inflicted on Indigenous peoples still reveals itself today; while traveling or living here, we have an added responsibility not to cause further harm. In the north, the Caribbean Sea meets rainforest, coral, white beaches, and palms. Nearby rises the sacred Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, whose many altitudes hold extraordinary biodiversity and microclimates.

The North

In the north of the continent, the Caribbean Sea feels like a sibling to the rainforest—because here, the green often stretches all the way to where the sand begins. The Caribbean is still a sea where corals live in peace. The beaches are bright white, lined with palm trees.

As you sit on the shore, you’ll see local treasures passing by—people selling things like lobster and fresh coconuts, again and again, like a gentle rhythm of the coast.

And right here, so close to the sea, rises a sacred mountain that is also uniquely high—said to be one of a kind in the world: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. With life zones across many different altitudes, it holds immense biodiversity and a world of microclimates within itself.

The Andes

Near the middle of the continent’s western side, northern Chile holds San Pedro de Atacama, one of the driest places on Earth. Nearly 4,000 km of land is influenced by this desert, with the ocean to the west and the Andes to the east. The region from Atacama to Uyuni is a natural wonder of otherworldly landscapes. Stretching along the whole western edge of South America, the Andes give the continent its shape. Near the Equator they allow life at very high altitudes; towns and villages can be found around 4,500 meters as far south as the Bolivia–Argentina border. Here in the Sacred Valley, the land lies around 2,500–3,000 meters and descends toward Machu Picchu at 2,300 meters, where mountains become rainforest. The Andes also shelter the Amazon from western desert and ocean air, allowing the jungle to live almost like a greenhouse.

Amazonas

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the great natural wonders of this continent—a vast world in which it is not easy to live unless you truly belong to the land. Its vegetation is dense and overflowing, with many plant beings woven into one living body. Wide, powerful rivers flow eastward; as the Amazon’s force meets the Atlantic, it softens into Brazil’s vast coastline and beaches. Within the tropical belt, the Amazon sustains an exceptionally rich plant world: in some places more than 100 plant species can grow within 100 square meters. The forest is shared across Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

Altitude

In the tropical belt, altitude is the main force that shapes the climate.

At 4,000 meters, the daytime can feel mild under the sun, yet in the shade it often sits around 15–20°C—and at night it usually drops to 0–10°C.

At 3,000 meters, daytime under the sun can feel warm; in the shade it’s often 20–25°C, and nights move between 5–15°C.

At 2,000 meters, we enter what many call the high jungle. Here, nights are no longer truly cold, and the air can stay around 25°C through much of the day and night. In these altitudes, strong plants like cacao, coca, and coffee grow more easily.

As we go lower, we step into the Amazon Rainforest—warm and humid through the year. It may ease slightly in July and August, but it still feels like a living greenhouse in every season.

Especially in the mountains, being close to the Equator (by latitude) and closer to the Sun (by altitude) makes sunlight feel very intense. You can be sitting in a t-shirt, sweating under the sun—and then feel chilly the moment you move into the shade. At high altitude, temperatures can also change quickly during the day.

Because we are in the mountains, clouds often move fast above us. When a cloud arrives and covers the sky, the air can cool suddenly—and then, just as quickly, the sky can open again and the warmth returns in one sharp wave.

That’s why it’s wise to always have summer clothing with you—yet also something you can put on when you step into shade or when the weather shifts. And interestingly, too many layers under strong sun can sometimes make you feel colder, because the sun can’t reach your body and warm you directly.

The Climate

In the tropical belt—close to the Equator—there aren’t four seasons. There are two: the Dry Season and the Rainy Season.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the rainy season usually falls between October and March; in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s generally April to September.

During the rainy season, we can meet storms strong enough to shape the rhythm of daily life. And yet, the air is often a little warmer than the rest of the year. Outside of that period, rain may come once or twice a week, usually not for very long.

In the tropics, the yearly temperature difference is small. Day and night lengths also don’t change dramatically across the year. In Cusco, for example, the sun sets around 5:30 pm in winter, and at the latest around 6:30 pm in summer.

Below the tropical belt, the land becomes a four-season zone. As in all four-season regions, the yearly temperature range is much larger. In Buenos Aires and Santiago, snow is rare, and the livable altitudes drop down to around 2,000 meters. And here, you won’t really find the “exotic” tropical flavors anymore.

As we travel further south, we reach the plains of Patagonia, and in Patagonia’s south, the Andes come to an end. Here—where two oceans meet—we encounter a wild wind that seems to blow 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Patagonia, sitting at the “end of the world,” holds a unique nature that deeply moves those who love the wild.

At the very southern tip, a cold climate dominates. To understand how cold, it’s enough to remember this: about 1,000 km beyond the end of the continent, Antarctica begins.

Much of Patagonia—especially the south—stays under snow for large parts of the year. This region offers a different kind of visual beauty, and it can be traveled most comfortably between December and March, before the deeper cold truly takes over.