Protected Areas in South America

El Cajas National Park is located in southern Ecuador and features a tundra vegetation on a spectacular jagged landscape of hills and valleys. Home to a large variety of wildlife, it is part of the Macizo del Cajas Biosphere Reserve.

The El Chaco Biosphere Reserve covers a large area in Paraguay's northern part of the boreal El Chaco system, with ecologically diverse dry forest ecosystems under tremendous pressure to be converted into grazing lands. The reserve has six core areas, all protected areas.

El Impenetrable National Park is located in northern Argentina's Chaco Province which lies within the vast lowland plain known as the Gran Chaco. It is situated in the center of the area known as the "Impenetrable Region" due to its dense woodlands and limited waterways.

El Tuparro National Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve is located in the eastern plains of Colombia, a flat area bounded by four major rivers. The landscape undulates with a series of small valleys and streams. A few areas are permanently flooded during parts of the year.

The Gran Pajatén Biosphere Reserve is nestled between the Andes and Amazon plains and comprises a diversity of natural habitats, notably dry forests and Yungas. It has a rich cultural and historical heritage, linked to 40 archaeological sites dating from the pre-Columbian era.

Grande Sertão Veredas National Park is located along the border between the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia in east-central Brazil. Aimed to preserve the Carinhanha River basin, it is named for its extensive streams that resemble pathways and which can sometimes form oxbow lakes or larger rivers.

Guayabo National Monument, set on the jungle-rich slopes of the Turrialba Volcano, protects one of Costa Rica’s most important archaeological sites, Guayabo de Turrialba. The historic ruins make up the largest pre-Columbian city discovered in Costa Rica.

Hornopirén National Park is located in the Palena Province of Chile's Los Lagos region. As part of the Andes chain, the park contains rugged mountains, lakes, and unspoiled Valdivian temperate rainforests. Glacier-carved mountains and active volcanoes dominate the park.

Situated in the Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán National Park and Biosphere Reserve protects the heart of the world's highest tropical mountain range in the central Peruvian Andes. The deep ravines, glacial lakes and variety of vegetation make it a site of spectacular beauty.