South America's National Parks: A Visitor's Guide [Paperback]

Bill Leitch (Author), William Leitch (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

There are about 160 national parks in various stages of development in South America, ranging from tourist attractions near cities to vast, remote ecological reserves. Trained as a biologist, Leitch spent several years exploring them; the result is a volume describing 32 parks accessible to the average tourist in seven nations (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname). He urges foreigners to visit these sites as a way of encouraging host governments to support them--the more visitors, the more revenue to protect and operate the parks. He provides excellent summaries of natural phenomena as well as presenting the practical advice travelers need. Recommended as a handy reference work as well as a travel guide.
- Harold M. Otness, Southern Oregon State Coll. Lib., Ashland
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books (September 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898862485
• ISBN-13: 978-0898862485
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,130,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to exotic parklands, January 6, 2004

By 

Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: South America's National Parks: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

South America is home to many of the world's most spectacular natural wonders. These include Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall; Iguassu Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls; the world's largest river, the Amazon; and the Patagonian Icecap, the largest in the world outside Greenland or Antarctica. All of these magnificent features and a host of others are covered in the text of this book. Especially noteworthy as well are the Andean parks, such as Mount Fitzroy, Torres del Paine, both awesome mountain ranges, and Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

This book addresses various national parks in South America's nations, including the parks that encompass the foregoing marvels. Good travel tips are included in each article, including where to stay, what to do, fundamental regional courtesies and idiosyncrasies, expedition tips, etc. Each featured park description also includes a map and black and white photos. The centerpiece of the book is a series of extraordinarily good color photos coviering the more spectacular areas.

The text is easily read and provides excellent, frequently unanticipated advice for the North American or European traveler. For anyone planning a trip to see the natural side of South America, this book would seem absolutely essential. I recommend it highly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good guide to South America's National Parks, January 31, 2007

By 

Andres C. Salama (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: South America's National Parks: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

This guide to some of the most famous of South America's National Parks is very good. It covers such places as Iguazu, Torres del Paine, Peninsula Valdes, Nahuel Huapi, Vicente Perez Rosales and Tierra del Fuego in a very thorough fashion. If there is any criticism to this book is that it is a bit incomplete. Since 1990, when the book was first edited, a number of others national parks have been created in South America, and they are obviously not included here. Also, the book concentrates in the national parks of southern South America (perhaps because they are the best organized and are easier and safer to visit) and it lacks a bit about parks in the northern part of South America. But this is a very good introduction to really fascinating places. All in all, a very worthwhile book.