Dear Travel Partner,

the beauty of Brazil was in the message. The Olympic Games opening ceremony focused on Brazil’s history and people, on integration and cohesion. It rose to a party, where everyone got along. The message was that tolerance is the answer. Rio thought bigger, beyond Brazil. The world famous city created beauty that night and held its head up high throughout the Games. This is Brazil, isn’t it? A place of wonderful people who always make the best of whatever life brings. A country of natural wonders beyond imaginations. A country that stands for optimism, cultural diversity and social cohesion. Be part of it and check out our beautiful Brazil journeys! ‘Bem-vindo’; welcome to Brazil!

Below you will find our August news for Brazil and all South America, latest travel suggestions and product updates.

Check out our website or Facebook page for further news and regular updates.

Enjoy reading and have a great week!

All the best,
Your SAT Team

It is with great pleasure that we are introducing our new Director of Sales North America, Mrs. Ana Cristina Valdiviezo de Kranen, replacing Mrs. Linda Patterson who decided to take on a new endeavor. She will also join this year's Latin America Travel Mart at the Iguassu Falls, Brazil, and the USTOA in Arizona! We are very happy to have Cristina on board! Contact her here!

The world’s oldest fossil in form of a sea turtle can now be visited in Villa de Leyva, Colombia. After years of conducting research and various tests, specialists assured the importance of this magnificent fossil which now is entirely protected. The marine reptile has been discovered 2007 inside a rock. It displays the first time in history to have seen a marine turtle with a size of more than two metres and thus, the discovery represents a unique species. Currently, the ancient fossil can be marvelled along with 500 other astonishing exemplars in the Paleontological Centre of Villa de Leyva in Boyacá. If archaeological funds raise your interest or simply the land of Colombia, look no further! SAT provides you with the best tours in Colombia which can be customised to your personal wishes and preferences - just contact us.

In recent years, Uruguay’s capital Montevideo transformed into one of the world’s most gay-friendly urban hubs while being number one in South America. The success is based on innovative promotion and communication through Montevideo’s Tourism board, e.g. with promotional videos on international airports. It has been decided to further promote and strengthen this image on a global as well as national basis in order to benefit from its advantages and being known as the country’s first and the gay sector’s most eligible holiday destination. Do you wish to experience this tolerant, open-minded metropolis first-hand? SAT provides you with simply the best Uruguayan tours for your next holiday. Just contact us!

The first sighting of the southern right whales in Uruguay this year was already in June, right off the coast of La Paloma in the department of Rocha, Uruguay’s most easterly province, and just a three hour drive from Montevideo. What makes Whale Watching in Uruguay so special? Well, you don’t need to hire a boat or go on an expensive trip to sight them! Between June and November you can watch them close-up right from the beach, about 60-100 foot away. Enjoy this unique wildlife adventure with SAT and contact our team in Montevideo!

Ica is situated 246 km South of Peru’s capital Lima and the best wine and pisco growing area found in the country. This tradition started with the arrival of Spanish colonials long ago and is still implemented on a daily basis. Along the so-called Pisco-Route, many ancient bodegas, charming hotels and exclusive restaurants can be found which represent a unique visitor attraction. In order to experience Peru’s national drink the best, SAT recommends travelling between February and March. Besides its delicate wines and pisco drinks, Ica has a lot more to offer such as the Ballestas Islands, active tours in desert and dunes as well as relaxing time on the many beautiful waterfront resorts. If culinary tours are your guilty pleasure, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to provide you with the best offers for travelling Peru!

The cable car project aiming to connect Tingo Nuevo in the Amazonas region with the pre-Incan fortress Kúelap, which started in August last year, is slowly coming to an end! The purpose of this connection represents sustainable long-term development of tourism in the region apart from growing visitor numbers to the yet rather infamous fortress. Furthermore, the project enables travel times of 20 minutes for the 4km route and generates hundreds of jobs. This site might become the second Machu Picchu in no time! Besides, the journey itself is already promising: the passengers can enjoy fantastic views over the landscape and the archaeological centre of Malcapampa. A new LAN flight is bringing passengers in no time from Lima to Jaén - from there it's a 2 hours drive to Chachapoya, starting point for your Kúelap adventure. Interested? Contact us for further information!

The Pousada Rio Mutum in the Northern Pantanal has just launched their newest product: The river cruise boat Mutum Expeditions will anchor in a region that is famous for the high probability to spot Jaguars in the wild. Two fixed departures per week are available during the Pantanal's dry season (between July and November): 3 OV from Sun to Wed & 4 OV from Wed to Sun. The  boat can host up to 16 pax. A stay aboard the hotel boat allows for unforgettable wildlife moments. Please contact us for more details on this exciting new product!

In regard to the hosted conference Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador, SAT offers special dedicated tours which can be joined right after the event. You can choose between a full-day tour to the hydro-electrical power plant Coca Codo Sinclair which can be extended with an overnight stay in beautiful Hotel Termas de Papallacta, or a 2-day tour to Yachay, the City of Knowledge, with a stop on Otavalo Market and the Ethnographic Center Mindalae. Both tours follow fixed departure dates and work on a seat-in-coach basis. There are also other options of visiting constructions projects such as the Metro or Guayasamin Bridge. Interested in experiencing Ecuador in a totally different light? Then look no further – please contact our SAT team for travel itineraries or further information!

That the Galapagos Archipelago represents true natural beauty is well-known, yet have you heard of the Galapagos Marine Reserve? This speciose, protected conservation project can be found in 40.000 square kilometres around the small Darwin and Wolf Islands. Ecuador thus sends a message, making people aware of the significance of nature conservation. Besides, the Galapagos Islands represent one of the best tourism nature destinations on earth, a must-do for every nature lover. So what are you waiting for? Book your individual Ecuador trip with us or go for one of our SAT Island Hopping Cruise programmes. You can find more information here!

As the first South American city, Bogotá recently has been selected as hosting the One Young World Summit in 2017 and 2018 besides Paris, The Hague and Belgrade. This non-for-profit organisation with its official seat in Great Britain meets annually with leaders between the age of 18 and 30 from 194 countries in order to present, discuss and share problems as well as solutions concerning the world’s major problems. Many young people also present persuasive innovative projects regarding different sectors such as education, human rights, peace or sustainability. Jamie Oliver for instance displays one of these leaders. Whether young or old, Bogotá offers something for everyone – find out your personal favourite by checking our travel itineraries for Colombia here.

If you are in Buenos Aires for the weekend and aren’t sure what to do, here is an insider tip for the cultural explorer among us: visit Buenos Aires Market! This delightful event organised by the city itself takes place almost every weekend in changing locations across Buenos Aires. The market displays the ideal opportunity for tourists to get in touch with the local people by purchasing or trying local food and cuisines, interact with people or having a casual lunch at one of the several food trucks and stands. If the weather allows, this can be the best activity to spend your day with! Do you want more travel tips for Argentina or South America? Just contact us and we will provide you with the best tips and tours there are for the beautiful continent!

A great dinner option is now available in Puerto Natales, Chile! Ancestros is an artistic show that takes you through ethnic dance and a powerful performance to a magical and mystical world. The show recreates the myths and ceremonies of the Selknam culture, the native people who inhabited Tierra del Fuego a long time ago. The concept includes a menu of authentic flavours, based on the history of the region and 3 different gastronomic periods. For more information or bookings, please contact us!

During a language course in Germany, Naylan discovered her passion for travelling and decided to study Public Relations with the focus on tourism in Ecuador’s capital Quito. Since 2013, Naylan is part of our SAT Ecuador Team and now leads the operation department. She loves learning about new products and developing touristic projects, especially involving the indigenous communities. In her opinion, getting in touch with the locals and learning about cultural traditions is a very important part of a tour. Her favourite place in Ecuador is the stunning Quilotoa Lagoon. If you need further travel suggestions for beautiful Ecuador, please contact Naylan!

With magnificent views over Lake Titicaca, the new Amantica Lodge situated on the Amantani Island close to Puno, Peru, offers two different guest rooms with the categories suite and family suite. Focusing on sustainability, the Boutique Lodge shares its own natural winery and the perfect location for an exclusive and calm holiday experience.

The 5* Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Peru, was nominated at the 2016 Wellness Travel Awards (in the ‘Best for Outdoor Adventure & Activities’ category). The property is established amid the world’s largest native orchid collection. The hotel's renowned Unu Spa combines classic nurturing with a mystical Andean approach.

Puerto Natales, Chile, now has its own national airport - a great alternative for passengers travelling to Patagonia and the Torres del Paine National Park. The main airport of the region until now was Punta Arenas (PUQ), which is located about 3 hours from Puerto Natales. Sky Airlines and LATAM are flying twice a week from Santiago to Puerto Natales.

Avianca increases its frequencies for flights from Madrid to Bogota, Cali and Medellin, beginning on November 18, thus operating 35 weekly flights between the two countries. Including these new frequencies, the airline will offer 18 weekly flights from Madrid to Bogota, one daily flight to Cali and 3 weekly flights to Medellin, al direct and non-stop. 7 weekly flights between Barcelona and Bogota will also be added to this offer.

The International Airport of Mendoza (MDZ), Argentina, will be closed from September 7 to December 7, 2016 due to runway maintenance works. Aerolineas Argentinas will offer a complimentary shuttle service between the Mendoza bust station and the nearest airports: San Juan (UAQ), San Luis (LUQ) and San Rafael (AFA).

SKY Airline is offering a new flight connection between Montevideo, Uruguay, and Santiago de Chile! The route will be served by an Airbus 320, with capacity for 150 pax. Services start on the 12th of September 2016.