{"id":3927,"date":"2018-10-19T11:26:25","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T00:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.com.au\/blog\/?p=3927"},"modified":"2021-06-03T15:49:21","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T05:49:21","slug":"first-timers-guide-to-south-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.nz\/blog\/first-timers-guide-to-south-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Wendy Wu’s First Timers Guide to South America"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Note From Wendy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

South America. The very idea of the continent conjures up images of lost empires, mysterious civilisations and natural landscapes beyond compare. For many years, my returning guests have asked me \u201cWendy, I love Asia, but I have already seen it all with you!  Where else can you take me?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, it has long been a dream of mine to share the richness of this area with my returning guests. I have just returned from seven weeks exploring her wilds, her cities and her cultures. So I am delighted to share with you, my guide to your first time visiting South America. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! Fingers crossed it whets your appetite for the adventures that await you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lots of Cheers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wendy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Machu Picchu, Peru<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The South America that you\u2019ve always dreamed of, and certainly the most famous of all the sites in South America. For first timers you must visit the famously preserved Incan citadel of Machu Picchu. The city ruins are steeped in mystery and sit 2,430m above sea level, and a marvellous UNESCO World Heritage site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is believed to have been built as grounds for Emperor Pacachuti in 15th-century. It was quickly abandoned upon the arrival of the Spanish. Machu Picchu\u2019s speedy desertion, paired with the fact that it was never found by colonisers, have been key to the preservation of its structures and terraces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Locals have always known about Machu Picchu, but it only entered mainstream consciousness thanks to the research of Historian, Hiram Bingham. In 1911, Bingham was searching for \u201clost city of the Incas\u201d, when a local farmer alerted him to the site. Comprised of a series of crumbling buildings, and over 3000 steps across approx. 8km, the site remains firmly at the top of travellers bucket lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEE IT ON… Panoramic Peru<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n