Lying 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are renowned for their scientific significance and fearless wildlife, brought about by a lack of natural predators. But no amount of hype can prepare you for such close encounters with snoozing iguanas, frolicking sea lions, giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies and red-throated frigate birds.

Landlocked and far less visited than many of its neighbours, Bolivia is the dark horse of Latin America – warm, welcoming and spectacularly beautiful.