The Best of Sensuous South America

Your trip will not be complete until you indulge in at least one of the following uniquely South American experiences:

Get high in Bolivia: With the world's highest capital city, highest commercial airport, and highest navigable lake, Bolivia's air is so thin, it will make your head spin. But Bolivia is also home to the infamous coca leaf, a perfectly legal, extremely nutritious source of energy and an antidote to altitude sickness. To learn the complete history of the coca leaf (and for free samples), stop in at the Museo de la Coca in La Paz.

Be the girl (or boy) from Ipanema: Rio may have other beaches, but Ipanema is still the one with the best people-watching. Grab a spot, and food, drink, and eye-candy will come to you.

Feel the beat in Brazil: At night the historic heart of Salvador comes alive with music. Most impressive of all are the Afro blocos, the all-percussion bands that create such an intense rhythm with their drums that it sends shivers down your spine.

Soak in Chilean hot springs: The volatile Andes not only builds volcanoes; it also produces steaming mineralized water that spouts from fissures, many of which have been developed into hot springs, from rock pools to full-scale luxury resorts. Most hot springs seem to have been magically paired by nature with outdoor adventure spots, making for a thankful way to end a day of activity. The Lake District is a noted "hot spot," especially around Pucón.

Moisturize naturally in Ecuador: In the cooler months, a light mist, known as the garúa, falls over the highlands of Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. Walking around the spectacular grounds at the Royal Palm Hotel (tel. 800/528-6069 in the U.S., or 05/5527-409), nestled on 200 lush hectares (500 acres), your face will be gently sprayed with a sweet, tropical mist that is cool, soothing, and the purest moisturizer Mother Nature can offer.

Feel the wind beneath the condor's wings in Peru: Colca Canyon is the best place in South America to see giant Andean condors, majestic birds with wingspans of up to 3.5m (11 ft.). From a stunning lookout point nearly 1,200m (4,000 ft.) above the canyon river, you can watch as the condors appear, slowly circle, and gradually gain altitude with each pass, until they soar silently above your head and head off down the river. A truly spine-tingling spectacle, the flight of the big birds may make you feel quite small.

Stroke a 3.6m (12-ft.) anaconda in Venezuela: There's no guarantee you'll wrangle an anaconda -- many lodges frown on direct contact -- but you can get awfully close. Try a stay at Hato El Cedral (tel. 0212/781-8995; www.hatocedral.com); sightings of the large anaconda here are common, particularly in the dry season. If you're lucky, you'll see a "mating ball," several males and one female entwined in a writhing ball of anaconda lust.