The last of the skiing opportunities are disappearing from the slopes in Canada, the USA and Europe as summer arrives. There's only one solution; follow the snow south! since the founding of the Argentinian Ski Federation in 1941 things have been, in true Latin American style, developing slowly but steadily. A world away from its counterparts in the Northern Hemisphere, your ski trip can include experiences from partying in the midst of the Argentinian winter getaway of Bariloche to horseback rides and hikes into the middle of nowhere to conquer faraway slopes.

The Amazon is the biggest rain forest in the world, where the appalling diversity of life on Earth is most utterly understood. The Amazon flows approximately for four thousand miles, nourished by nearly 1,100 tributaries, quietly carrying two third of the earth’s flowing water down to its Y-shaped delta. One quarter of the entire world's bird species flutter, flicker, and wade here; just about 2,000 varieties of butterflies brush the air in the midst of the mahogany, balsam and sapucaia trees of the forest canopy. All over the place, there are marmosets, squirrel monkeys, parrots and toucans.

If you want to find out how native Peruvians live and what is important to them, you'll have to look off the beaten track. Here are some suggestions for places and activities for tourists who want to encounter the native or 'indigenous' side of the country on their Peru tour or vacation.

Business is good in Brazil. A booming technology sector, abundant natural resources and a huge population are all keeping the global crisis at bay. The result is one of the strongest annual growths in GDP in the world for Brazil at 5%. Great news for Brazilians, but what does it mean for tourists and visitors?