Tulum of Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

Tulum is the site of a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cobá.
Tulum’s greatest attraction is its location itself as it stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular scenery. Ruins are situated on 12-meter (39 ft) tall cliffs, along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.
The Yucatan Peninsula on Mexico’s southeastern coast is famous for its fabulous beaches, Mayan archeological sites, and the Great Mayan Reef. Many visitors come for the sun and nightlife and spend their time in one of the luxurious hotels along the Cancun strip. There’s more to the Yucatan than Cancun and it’s easy to rent a car or hop on a local bus and see it all.

The Yucatan has 500 species of birds. It’s a great place for snorkeling and diving because the second largest coral reef system in the world runs by it.
Tulum is said as one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayans, it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Now known as one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites, Tulum is today a popular site for tourists.

Tulum has architecture design typical of Maya sites on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. This architecture is then recognized by a step running around the base of the building which sits on a low substructure similar to Chichen Itza. Doorways of this type are usually narrow with columns used as support if the building is big enough.

As the walls flare out there are usually two sets of molding near the top. The most of the room contains one or two small windows with an altar at the back wall, roofed by either a beam-and-rubble ceiling or being vaulted. This type of architecture resembles what can be found in the nearby Chichen Itza, just on a much smaller scale.

The name Tulum is the name given the site following a visit by the explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841, just before the beginning of the Caste War in 1847, long after the city was abandon and fell to ruins.

They ordered trees cleared and Catherwood made illustrations of temples, later to be published in their famous book “Incidents of Travel in Yucatan”. Juan José Gálvez is actually credited with Tulum’s rediscovery in 1840.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park in the south west of Santa Cruz province, Argentina. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentine Patagonia.

The glacier was named after the Argentinian explorer Francisco Moreno, who was born in 1852. Moreno discovered and explored numerous lakes and rivers in Patagonia and, inspired by America's Yellowstone Park, was instrumental in creating South America's first national park, the Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Perito Moreno Glacier was declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1981.It is also considered the eighth wonder of the world because of the spectacular view it offers.It stands 80 meters (262 ft) tall and is 5 kilometers (3 miles) long.

The Perito Moreno Glaciers in the province of Santa Cruz is without a doubt one of the biggest natural spectacles of the world. Every 3-4 years when the ice breaks, it creates a fantastic natural performance not to be missed..
It is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system Argerntina shares with Chile. It is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water. Photographers and film crews come from all over the world to Patagonia in southern Argentina to capture the event.

The calving of the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the most impressive natural phenomena in the world. You can enjoy the thrill of seeing massive chunks of ice plunge forcefully into the water.

Pantanal

 The Pantanal (swamp or marsh in Portuguese) is a region in South America lying mostly in Western Brazil but extending into Bolivia as well. It is considered one of the world's largest and most diverse freshwater wetland ecosystems. The Pantanal is also one of Brazil's major tourist draws, for its wildlife. Some of the large cattle farms offer accommodations and organized tours.

Millions of waterfowl breed along the Pantanal National Park rivers and lagoons of. Dense populations of jaguars, capybara, hyacinth macaws, roseatte spoonbills, jabiru storks, kingfishers, rheas, magnificent Tababeuia trees and others thrive in its forest and grasslands. The Pantanal attracts dense populations of animals that feed and breed along its waterways, including giant river otters, river dophins, marsh deer and tapirs.

The wetland also provides habitat for more than 650 bird species, including cormorants, egrets, herons, ibis, jabiru storks and roseate spoonbills. Less than 2 per cent of the Pantanal is under federal protection. The strategic location of Pantanal makes it more vulnerable to the advance of large scale agriculture, cattle ranching, water pollution, dams and transport navigation, thereby increasing the pressure on the local habitats. Funds go directly to manage, monitor and restore this vast 400,000-acre watershed, critical habitat for migrating animals during the rainy season.
CLIMATE: Usually warm to very hot and dry throughout, but occasionally winter cold fronts push up from the south bringing cooler weather and some rain.
DIFFICULTY: Mostly easy and flat. There is one steeper and more difficult optional hike at Cristalino.