A Journey to Discover South America's Hidden Wonders with Atlas Obscura Founder Dylan Thuras

Follow Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras on a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders. From the Last Incan Bridge and the Machu Picchu of the North to the Everlasting Lightning Storm and a statue of a squid fighting a whale the size of the statue of liberty (yes, you read that right), this is an epic ride through Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru’s weirdest and wildest wonders. The stuff glittering in the shadows that you may never have heard of before, but you’ll be desperate to see after. But it’s more than that too. When we think of wonders of the world we think of The Grand Canyon, the Great Pyramids. These are undeniably awe-inspiring, but they’re obvious. Everyone goes there, and all too often the experience and the destination suffer as result. Atlas Obscura’s mission is to open our eyes to the wonders all around us, the bizarre, hilarious, incredible things that inspire our curiosity and make our jaws drop at the amazing world we share. Wonder is a state of mind, they say, not a place; and the more we look for it, the more it becomes a part of who we are. This is a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders, but we may just discover something hidden in ourselves too.

“The problem of failing to recognise the magic in the world lies not with the world, but with us; and it is our job to turn ourselves into vessels of recognising that magic.” - Dylan Thuras, co-founder Atlas Obscura

Highlights include:

· Visit the Last Incan Bridge, an 120-foot long woven grass suspension bridge, straight out of Indiana Jones, which has been re-built every year for more than five centuries.

· Stand at the base of Gocta Falls, the most incredible waterfall you’ve never heard of – twice the size of the Empire State Building.

· See Venezuela’s Everlasting Lightning Storm, the most electric place on the planet.

· Meet the Colombian village who travel by home-made zip-line across the jungle.

· Find out about the inspiration for Atlas Obscura, how it went from a childhood love of weird Midwestern roadside attractions to a global phenomenon and New York Times bestseller.

· Hear about such crazy historical inventions as the cat piano, the vomiting statue and a language created entirely out of music

· Learn how by changing our mindset we can escape the wonder deficit of the modern world and live more meaningful and extraordinary lives Atlas Obscura tells extraordinary stories about hidden places, incredible history, scientific marvels, and gastronomical wonders ... you can actually book trips with them too, and that's pretty cool. Check it out: www.atlasobscura.com ... or across social media @atlasobscura

Dylan’s book, ‘Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders’, is a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon and in the New York Times: https://www.atlasobscura.com/unique-gifts/atlas-obscura-book

Image Gallery

Some of the strange and amazing things we chat about ...

The Last Incan Bridge, in Peru ... would you cross it?!

(image courtesy Atlas Obscura / Creative Commons)

Cano Cristales, in Colombia, "the most beautiful river in the world" as it known

(image courtesy Atlas Obscura / Creative Commons)

The ultimate commute to school ... zip line villages in Colombia

(Image courtesy of Daily Mail (c) Focus/Otto/Rex Features)

A giant statue of a whale fighting a squid the size of the stature of liberty

(image courtesy Atlas Obscura / Creative Commons)

The Everlasting Lightning Storm, Venezuela

(Image courtesy New York Post)

And, of course, the amazing Gocta Falls - a 2,531ft tall waterfall (twice the height of the Empire State Building) that up until 2005 the outside world had no idea even existed

(image courtesy Atlas Obscura / Creative Commons)

Videos

All videos produced and (c) Atlas Obscura unless otherwise mentioned

(c) Learning World

(c) DB Media - Broshar's Adventures

Book This Trip!

You can book trips inspired by the show - I use my 15 years as an award-winning travel writer for the likes of The Times, Nat Geo to help you plan and book your ultimate adventure. Get in touch - let's make that dream trip happen! aaron@armchair-explorer.com