Brazil

Brazil is a continent-sized adventure playground. From the thundering Iguazu Falls to the endless biodiversity of the Amazon, from the golden beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the otherworldly tabletop mountains of the Chapada Diamantina, this vast country offers unmatched diversity for the active traveller.

The Amazon basin covers more than half of Brazil and is home to the greatest concentration of wildlife on Earth. Spend days exploring by canoe, spotting pink river dolphins, howler monkeys and toucans from a luxury jungle lodge. On the southern border, Iguazu Falls — a network of 275 cascades stretching nearly 3km — is one of the most awe-inspiring natural spectacles anywhere.

Rio de Janeiro needs little introduction. Hike to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, walk the trails through the Tijuca Forest (the world’s largest urban rainforest), and soak up the energy of Copacabana and Ipanema. Beyond the cities, the Pantanal wetlands offer the best jaguar-spotting odds on the planet, and the Lencois Maranhenses dunes create a surreal landscape of white sand and turquoise lagoons.

Brazil is a year-round destination, though the Amazon is driest from June to November and Iguazu Falls are most dramatic from November to March. British passport holders do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. The currency is the Brazilian real.