Come with me on a virtual tour of South America. We'll take in some of the most popular tourist destinations spots and maybe a few that only SAV-vy travelers know. At each stop you'll listen to music you'd hear if you were really there. (You can turn the music off if you prefer with the switch in the small box at the left hand top of the page.)

We'll start the tour with Angel Falls, Venezuela. From there you'll go to the Amazon river then on to Rio de Janeiro where you can bask in the sun on one of Rio's fabulous praias (beaches.)

Get your woolies on because next step is Argentine Patagonia. Glaciers and cool weather plus wonderful natural sights await you in Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi National Park. From there we'll take a cruise through the Straits of Magellan to get to Southern Chile and a trek through Torres del Paine National Park. We'll cruise through fjords to Chile's Lake District and enjoy the spectacular lakes and volcanos.

Take off your rain gear for a trek through one of the driest deserts on earth. The Atacama in northern Chile extends from the central valleys to the Peruvian border and is divided into Norte Chico and Norte Grande. Don't forget your sunglasses!

Getting used to the altitude in Chile will prepare you for our next stop. The Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru holds some of Peru's treasures. I don't mean just the fabled gold found there by the Spanish conquistadores but Cuzco the Inca capital and Machu Picchu the fabled "Lost City."

Board ship for a cruise to the Galapagos Islands, named for the huge Galapagos turtle. You'll see nature as Charles Darwin saw it. Though he rode a huge turtle you'll be asked to refrain from touching the wildlife flora and fauna. Some species are tame enough to come up to you and perhaps even touch you but you must not touch them. Be sure to bring lots of film and walking shoes because the island terrain is rough.

You may choose to return here at any time. You may also join it at any of the stops:

• Angel Falls
• Amazon
• Rio de Janeiro
• Buenos Aires
• Patagonia
• Southern Chile
• Northern Chile
• Inca Empire
• Galapagos Islands