Central & South America 2014: National Geographic Top Tours of a Lifetime

Great for: Equestrians. Ride horses and hang out with gauchos in this memorable trip through ChileanPatagonia.

Great for: Hikers. Stark but hauntingly beautiful landscapes lay in store as you journey from the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia to the world’s driest desert in Chile.

Great for: Hikers seeking an adventurous expedition.See Guatemala from a different perspective as you “mindfully” visit Mayan sites and meditate on rooftops.

Great for: Travelers looking for cycling and biking tours. For those in good shape, this mountain biking journey in the highlands around Cusco and the Amazon jungle promises “steep climbs, glorious descents.”

Great for: Travelers who love to hike and be immersed in culture. If making blow guns and joining in shamanic healing ceremonies with two Ecuadoran rainforest tribes gets your travel juices flowing, this journey is for you.

Great for: Travelers seeking to explore Central America. Ash-board down a volcano, kayak through mangroves, release baby turtles: a singular way of seeing Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.

Great for: Travelers seeking to explore the Galapagos. Tour Darwin’s “living laboratory,” the Galapagos, aboard the small ship National Geographic Endeavour or Islander, guided by field scientists.