The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La Cordillère des Andes recèle quelques-uns des plus hauts sommets de la planète. Le Huascarán, qui se dresse dans la Cordillera Blanca, impose au paysage sa majestueuse silhouette ; il atteint l'altitude de 6768 mètres. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Vallée du Río Apurimac dans laquelle vivaient des tribus hostiles aux Incas. Paysage caractéristique de la Sierra centrale.

The "Callejón de Huaylas" with the Cordillera Blanca is also called "Peruvian Switzerland". On the left the Huascarán 6780 m, on the right the Nevado Copa, 6188 m. - 1969

Fitz Roy 3405 m), one of the most beautiful Argentinean Andean peaks, rises in the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz province). Because of the harsh weather that prevails in the mountains, it is dangerous to climb. - 1973

Fitz Roy (3375 m), one of the most beautiful Argentinean Andean peaks, rises in the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz province). Because of the harsh weather that prevails in the mountains, it is dangerous to climb. - 1973

Guanacos grazing on the pampas. The Fitz Roy massif in the background. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

The famous Andean train connects Buenos Aires to Santiago de Chile. It passes over high passes and through wilderness areas. Such is the case of Puente del Inca and Las Cuevas (Mendoza province). In winter, snowfalls are frequent and the train is sometimes blocked for several days. The railway runs along a track once used by the Incas. - 1973

The Andes Cordillera is the backbone of the South American continent, forming at certain points an impassable barrier. It establishes the natural border between the eastern, low-lying areas and the Pacific coastline, which extends westwards for thousands of kilometres. The Aconcagua (approx. 7,000 metres), dear to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is the highest peak in the Andes mountain range. It rises majestically between Argentina and Chile. It is usually covered with clouds. Its ascent has tempted many andinists - the name given to mountaineers. However, it presents serious dangers. - 1973

Colombia is the only country in South America that borders two oceans. However, the strategic importance of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts differs greatly. The hard-to-reach Pacific alluvial plain, lined with mangrove forests, contrasts with the rocky Caribbean coast, which is dotted with bays (picture). The major longitudinal valleys that separate Colombia’s Eastern, Central and Western Cordilleras also open out onto this coastline. The Magdalena Valley was one of the main gateways for the Spanish conquerors. To the east, the river delta is bounded by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, whose northern flank—indented by bays, peninsulas and islands—is constantly eroded by the surf. - Book: Picture 13 – Colombia - 1977

Colombia is the only country in South America that borders two oceans. However, the strategic importance of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts differs greatly. The hard-to-reach Pacific alluvial plain, lined with mangrove forests, contrasts with the rocky Caribbean coast, which is dotted with bays (picture). The major longitudinal valleys that separate Colombia’s Eastern, Central and Western Cordilleras also open out onto this coastline. The Magdalena Valley was one of the main gateways for the Spanish conquerors. To the east, the river delta is bounded by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, whose northern flank—indented by bays, peninsulas and islands—is constantly eroded by the surf. - Colombia - 1977

The Magdalena Valley rift lies in the lee of the Colombian Eastern and Central Cordilleras and is therefore relatively dry. Open grassland, interspersed here and there with thorny shrubs and cacti, as seen here in the Neiva area, covers the broad valley floor. - Book: Picture 25 - Colombia - 1977

The Río Patía is the longest river in Colombia’s Pacific region and forms part of one of the most impressive landscapes along the famous Pan-American Highway between Popayán and Pasto. – Colombia – 1977

At the Pasta junction (Nudo), the three Colombian mountain ranges converge to form a high-mountain landscape that is difficult to classify. The rugged, deeply incised mountain flanks contrast with basins filled with volcanic ash and gently sloping foothills, which support the maize fields of the indigenous farmers. - Book: Picture 24 - Colombia - 1977

Separated from the Central Cordillera by the alluvial plains of the Rio Magdalena and the Rio Cauca, the isolated mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta rises in the far north of Colombia. It reaches a height of 5,776 metres at Pico Cristóbal Colón. Dense tropical mountain and cloud forest covers the slopes up to over 3,000 metres; the snow line lies between 4,700 and 5,100 metres. - Book: Picture 14 - Colombia - 1977

The Kogi Indians live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In the picture, the elongated building on the right is the men’s house, where the men live whilst they are in the village. The round houses, which are also thatched, serve as accommodation for the women and children. The Kogi meet only at certain times, about twice a month, for ceremonial celebrations in the villages; the rest of the time they spend – living separately by gender in two huts – in their fields, where they grow maize, cassava, bananas, pumpkins, sugar cane and beans. Whatever they cannot produce themselves, they exchange for chickens, pigs and other produce. - Book: Picture 15 - Colombia - 1977

The floor of the Cauca Rift Valley, situated at an altitude of 800 to 1,100 metres, rises gradually towards the south, reaching an altitude of 1,760 metres at Popayán and continuing through the increasingly narrow Paria Rift Valley as far as the border with Ecuador. The picture shows the rift zone south-west of Popayán. - Book: Picture 34 - Colombia - 1977

Landscape near Cuesta Boba, a well-known, striking stretch of mountain terrain in the Colombian department of Santander. The area is situated in the High Andes within the municipal boundaries of Tona, near the village of Berlín and on the major road between Bucaramanga and Cúcuta. Altitude 3,200 m – 1977

Agricultural area near Pasto, Colombia. - 1977

Landscape near Cuesta Boba, a well-known, striking stretch of mountain terrain in the Colombian department of Santander. The area is situated in the High Andes within the municipal boundaries of Tona, near the village of Berlín and on the major road between Bucaramanga and Cúcuta. Altitude 3,200 m – 1977

The natural regrowth of the slopes of the Eastern Cordillera in northern Colombia, which have been devastated by overexploitation, is hampered by the dry season, which lasts several months each year. The ravaged mountainous region, through which the Río Sube flows into the Río Sogamoso, is largely of no economic value and almost completely uninhabited. - Book: Picture 22 - Colombia - 1977

The impressive ‘Cascada La Candelaria’ is a spectacular waterfall over 150 metres high, which plunges down a steep rock face densely covered in moss and jungle vegetation. It is situated very close to the small village of Santa Leticia in the department of Cauca in Colombia. – 1977

In pre-Columbian times, the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia was densely forested up to altitudes of at least 3,000 metres. Spanish colonists and land-hungry mestizos cleared the forests and cultivated the steep slopes with maize and cassava. Rain washed the fertile humus layer down into the valleys until the bare gneiss was exposed over a wide area. Today, vast masses of scree fill the valleys, where rivers meander between gravel banks, as is the case here with the Rio Chicamocha in the department of Santander. - Book: Picture 20 - Colombia - 1977

The photograph shows the picturesque ‘Salto del Bedón’ (Cascada del Río Bedón), a mighty waterfall in the ‘Parque Nacional Natural Puracé’ in the Department of Cauca in the Colombian Andes. It is surrounded by typical páramo vegetation, including the striking large leaves of Asteropeia plants (also known as ‘giant frailjones’) and sparse grasses. – 1977

The photograph shows a section of the Río Magdalena in the department of Huila in Colombia. In this area, the still-young river emerges from the narrow rocky gorges near its source at San Agustín and flows through a deeper valley flanked by the foothills of the Andes. The photograph captures the landscape in the region between Pitalito and Garzón. – 1977

The Río Cauca in the Caramanta region (in the south-west of the department of Antioquia) forms one of Colombia’s most impressive river landscapes. Here, the country’s second-longest river winds its way through a deep canyon between the Central and Western Andean Cordilleras. Typical of this altitude are the striking palm trees that rise sporadically from the grass-covered slopes. – Colombia – 1972

Like the volcanoes Huila (5,750 m), Ruiz (5,400 m) and Tolima (5,215 m), the ice-capped Santa Isabel (5,100 m) also towers over the vast, moraine-covered plateaus of the Colombian Central Cordillera. - Book: Picture 23 - Colombia - 1977

Children and teenagers washing pans and clay pots on the Río Galíndez. The river is situated in the department of Cauca in south-western Colombia. – 1977

A Sunday outing by lorry in the Colombian province of Huila. In the Andes, lorries largely replace buses. - Book: Picture 40 - Colombia - 1977

Chimborazo rises as a mighty landmark, 6,272 metres high, on the western edge of the Ecuadorian basin range. Alexander von Humboldt had climbed the heavily glaciated volcano – which was considered the highest mountain on Earth in the 19th century – almost to the summit on 23 June 1802. He had not yet seen the eucalyptus forests in the foreground. This Australian tree was not introduced until around 1850. - Book: Picture 28 - Ecuador - 1977

At 5,790 metres, the Cayambe volcano is the third-highest mountain in Ecuador. On its slopes, at 4,690 metres, lies the highest point on Earth crossed by the equator. However, due to glacial retreat in recent decades, there is no longer an icy point on the equator. During the rainy season, however, the southern slope is often covered in snow, making it the only point along the entire equator where snow falls regularly. The photograph shows the volcano from a south-westerly direction. In the foreground, one can see the characteristic agricultural hills and farmland of Pichincha Province surrounding the town of Cayambe. – Ecuador – 1972

Another view of the 5,790-metre-high Cayambe volcano from the surrounding agricultural highlands of Pichincha Province, where the indigenous people (the Kayambi) have traditionally practised agriculture and livestock farming. – Ecuador – 1972

Cotopaxi (5,897 m) in Ecuador’s Eastern Cordillera is the highest active volcano on Earth. Although it has not erupted since 1928, the column of smoke rising above its smooth summit on cool days proves that it is by no means extinct. - Book: Picture 33 - Ecuador - 1973

The Tungurahua volcano rises to a height of 5,016 metres, 140 kilometres south of Quito. Its most recent eruptions took place in the last century. The Los Baños thermal spa, situated at its foot, is Ecuador’s most visited health resort. - Book: Picture 32 - Ecuador - 1977

The alpine meadows above the tree line have their counterpart in the humid tropical Northern Andes in the páramos: vast grasslands dotted with tussocks of stem-forming composite plants. The silvery-grey, downy leaves and the stems of the espeletias (frailejones), scorched by willow fires, present a ghostly sight, particularly when the mist rolls in (Páramo de Purace, Central Cordillera of Colombia). - Book: Picture 35 - Ecuador - 1977

These cone-shaped huts are made entirely of páramo straw (ichu grass). They are a direct legacy of the Puruhá culture. They are actively maintained in communities around Cajabamba in the canton of Colta (Chimborazo province). The people wear traditional dress, which includes felt hats with short brims and thick woollen ponchos. These provide protection against the extreme cold of the Ecuadorian Andes. – Ecuador – 1977

The Chota Valley is an inter-Andean valley in northern Ecuador, stretching along the border between the provinces of Imbabura and Carchi. In contrast to Ecuador’s generally humid and lush Andean highlands, the Chota Valley has a semi-arid microclimate. It is hot and dry all year round. The valley is one of the most important settlement areas for the Afro-Ecuadorian community in the Andes. The inhabitants are descendants of African slaves who were brought to the region by Jesuits during the colonial era to work on sugar cane plantations. – 1977

The Jequetepeque Valley is one of the most important and historically significant agricultural regions on the Peruvian Pacific coast. This area is regarded as one of Peru’s largest rice-growing regions. As the coastal climate there is extremely dry (desert climate), intensive wet rice cultivation is made possible by a sophisticated, millennia-old system of canals and by water from the river. Peru – 1969

The photograph shows the typical landscape of the fertile Jequetepeque Valley, which is one of the most important centres for wet rice cultivation in Peru. – Peru – 1976

The rivers flowing down from the Western Cordillera cross the Peruvian coastal desert on their way to the Pacific Ocean. Around forty box-shaped valleys with broad floors and steep sides are carved into the desert plateau, which slopes gently down towards the sea. With their vineyards, lucerne fields and vegetable plots lined with rows of trees, they form green oases in a barren landscape. The rice fields recently established along the Río Jequetepeque, where indigenous people plough with teams of oxen, are reminiscent of their Asian counterparts. - Book: Picture 89 - Peru - 1976

The Panamericana crosses many desert stretches of the peruvian coast. In places it is blown with sand by the strong winds, as here near San Pedro de Lloc in the province of Pacasmayo in the department of La Libertad. - 1969

Huanchaco is the beach of Trujillo in the department of La Libertad. As hundreds of years ago, fishermen still go out to sea with their balsa boats. - 1972

High above the small town of Yungay, which was buried by an ice avalanche in 1970, the Llanganuco high valley opens up in the Cordillera Blanca, featuring a lake dammed by a wall of rock and moraine. Towards the outside – towards the Callejón de Huaylas or Santatal – it transitions into a vast trough-shaped valley. - Book: Picture 99 - Peru - 1976

The area around Patarcocha, in the Chacas district (Ancash region), within the famous Huascarán National Park, is world-renowned for having the densest populations of Puya raimondii. This rare plant belongs to the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae) and is native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia; it is also known as the Queen of the Andes. It grows at extreme altitudes of between 3,500 and 4,500 metres in barren, sunny mountain steppes. The plant often lives for over 80 to 100 years, flowers only once in its lifetime with a gigantic inflorescence up to 10 metres high, and then dies. – Peru – 1977

The most striking plant of the humid Puna regions of Peru and Bolivia is the Puya raimondii, a giant bromeliad. This plant, which flowers only once before dying, develops a spike of bright green flowers up to eight metres high, pollinated by hummingbirds. This photograph of the plant, which has now become rare, was taken at an altitude of 4,200 metres in the area of Laguna de Patarccocha, Ancash Department, Peru. - Book: Picture 98 - Peru - 1976

Although the Shaqsha, at 5703 metres, is more than a thousand metres lower than Huascarán, it is nevertheless one of the most striking peaks of the ‘White Cordillera’ and poses the greatest challenges for mountaineers. - Book: Picture 97 - Peru - 1976

As you drive from the coast towards Huaraz, this view of Caullaraju (5,682 m) rising above the vast pampa is the first major picture-postcard view of the Cordillera Blanca, a high mountain range in the Andes. Further to the right lies Laguna Conococha (from the Quechua words quñuq, meaning ‘warm’, and qucha, meaning ‘lake’ or ‘lagoon’, hence ‘warm lake’), which is considered the official source of the Río Santa. This river is one of the most water-rich and important rivers on the Peruvian Pacific coast. – Peru – 1969

In autumn, the predominant color of the cultivated fields in the Sierra is brown. Near Huancayo, Junín Department. - 1969

Nothing illustrates the economic and social diversity as well as farming methods. Whilst tractors are used in some areas, indigenous people on their smallholdings still cultivate their fields in a way that has not changed since Inca times. - Book: Picture 91 - Peru - 1969

The Río Mantaro, seen here near Izcuchaca in the Huancavelica region. At this point, the river has carved its way deep into the Andes, forming imposing, steep gorges (canyons). – Peru – 1969

Potato harvest near the village of Jerónimo in the department of Apurímac, Peru. The tradition of communal farming dates back to pre-Inca times, creating a solid foundation for agricultural collectives and cooperatives. - Book: Picture 177 - Peru - 1969

Although the scene in the photograph is visually very reminiscent of the Mongolian steppe, the terraced slopes used for farming in the background, as well as the rider’s clothing (a typical Andean hat and poncho), clearly point to the highland Pampas regions of the Peruvian Andes. The photograph was taken 20 km from Andahuaylas. – Peru – 1969

The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) in flight. It has dark plumage with a distinctive white ruff and pale stripes on its wings. It belongs to the family of New World vultures and, with a wingspan of up to three metres, is considered one of the largest flight-capable bird species in the world. Although the Andean condor is mostly associated with the high peaks of the Andes (such as the famous Colca Canyon), it actually descends regularly to the Peruvian Pacific coast. This photograph was taken on the Paracas Peninsula. In the Paracas National Reserve and along the nearby cliff-lined coast, the condors make use of the strong sea winds and updrafts along the steep cliffs to glide for kilometres without expending much energy. They are drawn there for one reason above all: the availability of food. On the coast, they feed on the carrion of beached marine mammals (such as sea lions) or the remains of seabird colonies. – 1977

The city of Arequipa, founded by the Spanish as early as 1540 at an altitude of 2,370 metres, now has a population of around two hundred thousand and lies in a narrow high-altitude basin where agriculture is only possible thanks to artificial irrigation. It owes its nickname, ‘the White City’, to the white tuff used as a building material. Arequipa is dominated by the 5,842-metre-high Misti, one of Peru’s few active volcanoes. Only during the summer rainy season is its smooth cone covered by a cap of snow. - Book: Picture 7 - Peru - 1976

The green agricultural landscape, with its traditional terraced fields (campiña) in the foreground, is dominated by the striking, snow-capped volcano El Misti. The stratovolcanic cone of El Misti rises majestically to over 5,820 metres in southern Peru and dominates the panorama of Arequipa. – Peru – 1976

The valley of the Río Vitor near Arequipa in southern Peru. The river feeds the agricultural oases and fields in the midst of this extremely arid landscape of deserts and canyons. On the horizon towers the imposing, snow-capped Chachani volcanic complex. At an altitude of approximately 6,057 metres, it is one of the defining mountains that frame the basin around Arequipa. This panorama illustrates the stark contrast between the barren Andean plateau, the snow-capped volcanic giants and the fertile river valleys on Peru’s Pacific coast. – 1976

The rivers flowing down from the Western Cordillera cross the Peruvian coastal desert on their way to the Pacific Ocean. Around forty box-shaped valleys with broad floors and steep sides are carved into the desert plateau, which slopes gently down towards the sea. With their vineyards, lucerne fields and vegetable plots lined with rows of trees, they form green oases in a barren landscape. When travelling along the Carretera Panamericana and passing through these valleys, such as that of the Rio Vítor, one is constantly surprised by the sight of the fertile strips of cultivated land that criss-cross the desert. - Book: Picture 88 - Peru - 1976

The Peruvian Puna is a land of tranquillity and solitude. Behind this herd of grazing llamas, the Ubinas volcano rises to a height of 5,632 metres on the border between the departments of Moquegua and Arequipa. - Book: Picture 102 - Peru - 1976

The photograph shows a herd of llamas and alpacas, led by a herder pushing a bicycle. The vast, bright plain in the background is the Laguna de Salinas (also known as the Salar de Salinas), and the striking, snow-capped peak in the background is the highly active stratovolcano Ubinas (5,672 m). This landscape forms part of the southern section of the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, which stretches across the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua in southern Peru. – 1976

Sunset on the road from Nazca to Puquio, Abancay and Cusco. These giant candelabra cacti are a common sight on the arid slopes of this region. – 1972

These majestic vicuñas graze on the vast plateaus of the ‘Reserva Nacional Pampa Galeras Bárbara D’Achille’ in the Ayacucho region of Peru. The road from Nazca to Abancay runs straight through the reserve, which lies at an extreme altitude of over 4,100 metres. It was established in 1967 and successfully saved the species from extinction caused by poaching. Today, an estimated 17,000 animals live in the wild across the plateau. – Vicuña wool is considered the most expensive and exclusive legal wool in the world. The Incas reverently called the animals’ fine fleece ‘the gold of the gods’. The fibre has a diameter of 8 to 13 micrometres. This makes it significantly finer than cashmere (approx. 15–19 micrometres) and about eight times thinner than a human hair. – Peru – 1972

This wayside cross, decorated with flowers and cloths, stands on the scenic main road between Abancay and Cusco in the Peruvian Andes. The crosses often mark sites that were already regarded as sacred places (huacas) or dedicated to the guardian spirits of the mountains (apus) in Inca times. The placement of Christian crosses led to the fusion of Spanish Catholic traditions with Andean animism. The elaborate decoration with bright strips of fabric and floral arrangements is typical of regional festivals such as the widespread ‘Cruz Velacuy’ (Festival of the Veneration of the Cross) in May, during which the crosses are carried down from the hills into the villages, festively decorated and blessed. – Peru – 1969

A traditional Andean farm in a barren Puna landscape at an altitude of over 4,000 metres, on the road between Puquio and Chalhuanca. The stone walls are used to keep alpacas and llamas together overnight and to protect them from predators and the wind. The small stone structures with conical roofs made of local ichu grass serve as temporary accommodation or camps for the herders during the grazing season. – Peru – 1972

A farmstead in the Limatambo Valley, surrounded by farmland and typical eucalyptus trees against a backdrop of massive, barren mountains. Although these trees were originally introduced from Australia, they now characterise the landscape throughout the valleys near human settlements. The farmstead lies at an altitude of around 2,500 metres, between the Anta plateau and the deep canyon of the Río Apurímac. – Peru – 1972

Vicuñas grazing at 4,200 metres above sea level. Alongside the guanaco, the vicuña is the second and smaller wild species of the genus Lama. Its range is now restricted to the Andean highlands between 4,000 and 5,500 metres in altitude, where it grazes on barely visible low-growing vegetation. In adaptation to this diet, it is the only ungulate to have constantly regrowing lower incisors. Because of its wool, which is considered the finest and most precious in the world, it was almost wiped out during the colonial era. Bolívar had already enacted protective laws for this reason, similar to those that had existed under the Incas, who herded the animals into pens for shearing and then released them again. - Book: Picture 94 - Peru - 1976

A shepherdess with llamas and alpacas on the Altiplano, on the road from Abancay to Puquio. - Book: Picture 96 - Peru - 1976

Photo taken in the Peruvian Altiplano in winter. A herd of llamas near Pampamarca on the road from Abancay to Puquio. Ayacucho Department. - Book: Picture 92 - Peru - 1976

The route between Puquio and Abancay crosses several mountain passes reaching altitudes of over 4,000 metres. In these areas, the weather changes rapidly, so that even outside the winter months, sudden cold snaps and heavy snowfall can blanket the entire Puna vegetation in white. – Peru – 1976

The Apurímac is a water-rich river in southern and central Peru, known for having the most distant source of the Amazon. It rises on the slopes of the snow-capped Mismi at 5,597 m in the department of Arequipa and flows through deep gorges (pictured) until it joins the Mantaro to form the Ene. The name is derived from the Quechua words ‘Apu’ (god or lord) and ‘Rimaq’ (the one who speaks), which, due to the loud roar of its rapids, can be translated as ‘the speaking god’ or ‘the great oracle’. – 1972

A panoramic view of the city of Cusco, taken from the hills near the Sacsayhuamán fortress. The name Cusco means ‘Navel of the World’. According to Inca mythology, the sun god Inti sent his children, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, down to Earth. They were to found a city wherever a golden staff sank effortlessly into the ground – this happened in the fertile valley of Cusco. In the 15th century, the ninth Inca ruler, Pachacútec Yupanqui, radically transformed the city. He expanded Cusco in the monumental stone style and arranged the city plan in the shape of a puma – the symbol of power and strength. The head of the puma was the zigzag fortress of Sacsayhuamán. – 1969

Cuzco, situated at 3,500 metres above sea level and known as the ‘Navel of the World’, was founded by the Incas around 1100 AD. In 1536, the conquistadors destroyed the city and rebuilt it in the Spanish style, making use of many Inca foundations. Thus, the buildings themselves clearly illustrate the coexistence and simultaneity of two peoples and cultures, as is evident in the colourful street scene. The vast majority of the 120,000 inhabitants, however, are still indigenous people. Cuzco is the starting point for visits to most of the major Inca sites such as Pisac, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuamán, but it also boasts magnificent examples of Spanish colonial architecture: the cathedral, the Jesuit church of La Merced, the churches of Santo Domingo – built on the site of the ancient Inca sun temple – and Belén de los Reyes. During the reconstruction following the 1950 earthquake, efforts were made to restore the churches to their original appearance from before 1650. - Book: Picture 80 - Peru - 1969

The Inca mountain fortress of Machu Picchu, situated at an altitude of 2,690 metres, set against the cone of Huayna Picchu. None of the Spanish conquistadors mention this city on the edge of the jungle, overlooking the River Urubamba (on the right), one of the headwaters of the Amazon. Like other pucaras (fortified settlements), Machu Picchu was self-sufficient in an emergency, but the terraced fields could feed no more than 500 people. This late Inca complex contains buildings of various styles, foremost among them the Royal Palace, constructed from beautifully hewn granite blocks with trapezoidal gateways and window openings. But there are also densely packed, simple stone huts and barrack-like quarters for the soldiers. An oval tower – the only one of its kind – has led to speculation that Machu Picchu was further expanded even after the arrival of the Spaniards. The city was not discovered until 1911 by an expedition searching for the legendary last Inca fortress, Vilcabamba. - Book: Picture 81 - Peru - 1976

In a widening of the deeply incised Urubamba Valley, which links Cuzco with Machu Picchu, lies the small town of Pisac, famous for its Sunday market. On the slopes above the town, artfully laid out agricultural terraces have stretched upwards since Inca times, transforming even the steepest mountain flanks into gigantic staircases that were used for growing potatoes, maize, oca and quinoa. - Book: Picture 126 - Peru - 1976

On the way from Acomayo to Urcos in the Cusco region, you pass this waterfall. – Peru – 1976

The striking, rugged peak in the background is Cerro Antapunco in the province of Acomayo in the department of Cusco (4,824 m). The name comes from Quechua (anta meaning ‘copper’ and puncu meaning ‘gate’), which roughly translates as ‘Copper Gate’. In contrast to the heavily touristed Sacred Valley to the north of Cusco, this photograph shows the rugged, equally historic landscape to the south of the regional capital. The slopes in the foreground bear witness to the deeply rooted, traditional Andean farming practices that have adapted to the extreme high-altitude conditions. – 1976

Llamas have traditionally served as important pack animals for transporting goods in the Andes. – A plateau in the Acomayo region, south of Cusco. The striking, (still!) snow-capped peak in the background is Nevado Accoyac. – Peru – 1976

The church of San Juan de Chuquibambilla near Ayaviri, in the department of Puno, at an altitude of approximately 3,900 metres. - Book: Picture 95 - Peru - 1976

On the shores of the deep-blue Lake Titicaca, small piles of straw or grain (quinoa or barley harvest) are stacked up. Beyond them, on the horizon, rise the mighty, ice-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. – Peru – 1969

An indigenous couple return with their llamas from the market in Sicuani in the department of Cuzco. - Book: Picture 103 - Peru - 1973

Lake Titicaca, situated at an altitude of 3,812 metres and straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia, is fifteen times the size of Lake Constance. It fills a tectonically formed highland depression, is divided into several sub-basins by peninsulas and dotted with islands (Amantani, Moon Island, Sun Island, etc.). Two species of rush thrive on its shores, from which the indigenous people build their boats as well as floating dwellings. - Book: Picture 3 - Peru - 1969

The hilly, terraced landscape of Isla del Sol, which is the largest island in Lake Titicaca. Some of the stone terraces date back to Inca times and are still used for farming today. Lake Titicaca has deep blue water and is the highest commercially navigable lake on Earth, at an altitude of around 3,812 metres. In the background, you can see the snow-capped Cordillera Real mountain range in Bolivia. Among the most striking mountains in this region, visible from the island, is the Ancohuma (Cerro Jankhouma), which rises to over 6,400 metres. - In Inca mythology, the island is regarded as a sacred place and the origin of the sun, as well as the birthplace of the founders of the Inca Empire (Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo). Today, it is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers, with no motorised vehicles permitted on the island. – Bolivia – 1976

The simple houses scattered across the picture, with their typical corrugated iron roofs, are characteristic of the rural communities in Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca region. The slopes reveal the millennia-old Inca and pre-Inca terraced structures for which the Incas’ sacred island is known throughout the world. – Presumably the area around Yumani on the ‘Island of the Sun’. – 1976

The Altiplano between the ruins of Tiahuanaco and La Paz, with the Cordillera Real and the 6,500-metre-high Huayana Potosí in the background. The indigenous woman in the foreground is tending sheep and pigs. - Book: Picture 0 - Bolivia - 1976

Against the backdrop of the majestic Nevado Illimani (6,438 metres), a shepherdess walks past with her sheep. – 1976

From the La Paz basin, the road climbs over 1,000 metres to the La Cumbre pass (picture) at an altitude of 4,643 metres, before descending into the Yungas via countless hairpin bends through a deeply incised U-shaped valley, with the Cordillera Real towering in the background. The treeless scrub and grassy vegetation of the Puna still covers the saddle here, where indigenous people are resting with a herd of llamas. A little further down the valley, scrub begins to appear, until finally a dense forest takes over. - Book: Picture 2 - Bolivia - 1976

The famous La Cumbre Pass in Bolivia links the city of La Paz with the tropical Yungas lowlands. Travellers traditionally leave offerings at this strategic and windswept spot. These offerings – often bottles of alcohol and coca leaves – are frequently addressed to the Andean guardian goddess Pachamama and to Christian saints, in order to pray for a safe journey along the notorious mountain roads. – Bolivia – 1976

A panoramic view of La Paz, the seat of government in Bolivia. The photograph was taken from the surrounding mountains and captures the city’s unique topography, which stretches across a vast valley basin in the Andes at an altitude of over 3,600 metres. The dense urban development, which extends from the valley floor up the steep slopes, is clearly visible. In the background lies the snow-capped Cordillera Real. The striking, towering peak on the right is the majestic Illimani (6,438 m), the city’s local mountain and its landmark. In the foreground are steep, rugged rock formations typical of the geological features surrounding the La Paz basin. – 1976

With an elevation ranging from 3,630 to 3,770 meters, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. It lies in a basin on the edge of the Altiplano, which shields the city from the high-altitude winds; the more affluent neighborhoods are therefore located as low as possible in the valley. Originally an Aymara settlement, the town was expanded by the Incas and conquered by the Spanish in 1535. With 800,000 residents, La Paz is home to about 14 percent of the country’s population, and 60 percent of Bolivia’s industrial production is concentrated in the greater La Paz area. - Book: Picture 149 - Bolivia - 1976

A panoramic view of La Paz, the seat of government in Bolivia, nestled in a deep canyon on the Altiplano. In the foreground, two local people sit in traditional Andean dress, looking out over the city. The dense urban landscape stretches across the steep slopes of the gorge. At the top left, the city merges seamlessly into the rapidly growing neighbouring city of El Alto, which lies on the flat plateau. In the background, the snow-capped Cordillera Real mountain range towers above. The most striking, gleaming white peak on the right is the majestic Illimani (6,439 metres), the unmistakable landmark and ‘guardian’ of La Paz. – 1976

The Cañón de Palca, about 25 kilometres south-east of La Paz. The photograph shows the striking view of the huge, eroded clay and sandstone walls that open up at the end of the gorge towards the small mountain village of Palca. They are made up of mud, clay and gravel left behind by prehistoric glaciers and shaped by the wind. – Bolivia – 1976

Surreal-looking, jagged rock formations and gorges, created by years of weathering of earth and clay. These striking clay towers and rock spires can be found in the Valle de las Ánimas (Valley of Souls) near La Paz. – Bolivia – 1976

In the Bolivian Altiplano, between the towns of Toledo and Corque in the department of Oruro, there are numerous shallow, salt-rich waterholes scattered across this barren high-altitude desert landscape. They lie at an altitude of around 3,700 metres on the western side of the Lake Poopó basin, where shallow salt lakes and lagoons form periodically during the rainy season. This is an ideal habitat for the endangered Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and James’s flamingos (Phoenicoparrus jamesi). – Bolivia – 1976

On the way from La Paz to the Takesi Inca Trail, you pass this historic cemetery chapel with its distinctive, slightly leaning adobe bell tower and the small, chapel-like burial structures in front of it. – Bolivia – 1976

Three prospectors in the Bolivian Cordillera Real at an altitude of 4,640 metres. Together, these three treasure hunters mine easily accessible deposits of tungsten, tin and gold; they call their method ‘makipura’. - Book: Picture 175 - Bolivia - 1976

In southern Bolivia, in the transitional region between the barren foothills of the Andes and the wetter valleys of the Tariquía National Flora and Fauna Reserve. Smallholders on the slopes and in the valleys mainly grow maize, wheat and barley. The picture shows the traditional method of winnowing (separating the chaff from the wheat or grain) by hand. The farmers toss the threshed grain high into the air using pitchforks or shovels. The wind blows the light chaff (husk and straw remnants) to one side. The heavier grains fall straight down to the ground and are thus collected cleanly. This method has been used for thousands of years. It requires no machinery and relies solely on the power of the wind. – Bolivia – 1976

Arable farming in the high-altitude Andean region of the municipality of Yunchará in the department of Tarija, in southern Bolivia. In the higher elevations of the Altiplano, frost-resistant crops such as field beans (haba), barley and camomile are primarily grown. In this remote highland region of Bolivia, the use of draught animals to plough the small plots enclosed by dry stone walls remains the most important method of preparing the soil before sowing. – Bolivia – 1976

Winding its way along the slopes in long hairpin bends, mostly without any engineering structures, this Andean road runs through the department of Tarija in Bolivia. - Book: Picture 182 - Bolivia - 1976

Workers engaged in traditional salt extraction on the bright salt crust of the Salar de Coipasa. They break off and stack blocks of salt from the crust using simple tools such as poles and shovels. Historically, these blocks were used as a durable building material for the famous salt hotels and other accommodation, as well as salt licks for livestock (llamas and alpacas). The people are wearing warm, protective clothing and hats, as the climate at these high altitudes is windy and cool. – Bolivia – 1976

The two large salt pans of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Salares of Coipasa (picture) and Uyuni, are the remnants of a vast Ice Age freshwater lake, Lago Minchin. Due to low rainfall, the absence of tributaries and the extreme dryness of the air, the former freshwater lakes have evaporated into shallow lagoons and salt pans, their shores lined with deposits of common salt. Cut into blocks, the snow-white salt – considered to be of exceptional purity – is transported by lorry to the areas where it is consumed. - Book: Picture 158 - Bolivia - 1976

Traditional salt mining in the Salar de Coipasa in the Bolivian Andean highlands. Workers use simple tools such as axes or poles to chisel solid blocks of salt from the crust. The scene is set against the glistening white salt crust, with a mountainous backdrop in the Altiplano at an altitude of around 3,600 to 3,800 metres. – Bolivia – 1976

The two large salt flats of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Salares of Coipasa (pictured) and Uyuni, are the remnants of a vast Ice Age freshwater lake, Lago Minchin. Due to low rainfall, the absence of tributaries and the extreme dryness of the air, the former freshwater lakes have evaporated into shallow lagoons and salt flats, their shores lined with deposits of common salt. Cut into blocks, the snow-white salt – considered to be of exceptional purity – is transported by lorry to the areas where it is used. - Book: Picture 159 - Chile - 1976

Penitential snow is a phenomenon associated with the high mountains of the subtropical and tropical dry zones of the Old and New Worlds. Snow cover that has formed during the wet season is subject to selective melting processes during sunny summer and autumn weather; these are governed by irregularities on the original snow surface and sculpt out closely spaced yet completely isolated firn spikes, which resemble a procession of figures in white penitential robes (penitentes). The photograph was taken at an altitude of 4,900 metres on the Huaitiquina Pass, which leads from Salta (Argentina) to San Pedro de Atacama (Chile). - Book: Picture 8 - Chile - 1975

The Chilean Puna de Atacama, situated between San Pedro de Atacama and the Tatio geysers, is a monotonous high plateau formed from rhyolitic lava. The bitter cold of the night covers the small streams of the Puna with a thin layer of ice, which had not yet melted in the early morning when the photograph was taken. - Book: Picture 160 - Chile - 1976

As a high-altitude, cold desert, the Puna de Atacama is one of the most inhospitable regions on Earth. Bare rock and sand, lava flows and volcanoes characterise this forbidding yet impressive landscape. - Book: Picture 161 - Chile - 1976

The photograph shows a section of the old, unpaved tracks on the plateau east of Calama, between the famous oasis of San Pedro de Atacama and the historic Atacameño village of San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, which was a strategically important stop on the Inca Trail (Camino del Inca), as the river, with its flowing water, represents one of the few lifelines in the midst of the utterly inhospitable, grey Atacama Desert. – Chile – 1976

The Río San Pedro de Inacaliri (often simply called the Río San Pedro) has carved this canyon into the high plateau of the Chilean Puna. The striking, block-like cliffs consist of thick ignimbrite deposits (volcanic pyroclastic flow sediments). In the background rises the Palpana volcano. It is a massive stratovolcano, approximately 6,040 metres high, in the Chilean Andes near the border with Bolivia. – Chile – 1976

Typical landscape along the unpaved gravel road linking the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama with the El Tatio geysers in northern Chile. This route takes you to an extreme altitude of over 4,000 metres. Vegetation is almost entirely non-existent due to the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert and the cold. In the background, you can see the volcanic Andean Cordillera, which stretches along the Chilean-Bolivian border, including the striking, partly still active Putana volcano (5,890 m), which rises directly behind the El Tatio geyser field. Cerro Tatio (5,208 m) gives the region its name. In the ancient Kunza language, the word means ‘The Weeping Grandfather’. Or the mighty Tocorpuri volcanic complex (5,808 m) right on the border, whose slopes you pass by whilst driving. – Chile – 1976

In the vicinity of the world-famous El Tatio geyser field in the Chilean Andes. The typical mineral crusts and outflows resulting from geothermal activity can be seen, set against the backdrop of the cold, barren Altiplano plateau, which is surrounded by volcanoes and mountains. – Chile – 1976

The El Tatio geyser field in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, situated at an altitude of around 4,200 metres. It is one of the highest geyser fields in the world. Activity is at its peak in the early morning (between 6.00 and 8.00 am), as this is when the temperature differences are greatest and the steam from the geysers rises most vigorously. The volcano in the background is the dormant stratovolcano Tatio (5,198 m). It lies directly on the border between Chile and Bolivia and forms part of the larger Tocorpuri volcanic complex. The name Tatio comes from the ancient Kunza language (Tata-iu) and translates as ‘the weeping grandfather’. It refers to the shape of the mountain range, which, from a distance, resembles the profile of an elderly man lying down. – Chile – 1976

An active geyser with a large fountain of steam in the El Tatio geothermal area in the Chilean Andes, at an altitude of around 4,280 metres in the Antofagasta Region. The best time to visit is early in the morning, when the fountains and steam are particularly impressive in the cold early-morning temperatures. – Chile – 1976

The rhyolite lava flows in the Chilean Puna de Atacama are associated with major tectonic fault lines striking in a north-south direction. The Tatio geysers, whose hot water vapour condenses in the cold high-altitude air, provide evidence that magmatic flow is present at shallow depths. It is rainwater that has seeped into the ground, heated up at depth and, due to the resulting pressure, is ejected either continuously or at regular intervals. - Book: Picture 162 - Chile - 1976

The impressive El Tatio geyser field is one of the highest and largest in the world, featuring numerous hot springs, fumaroles and rising columns of steam. Due to the extreme altitude (4,280 m) and the cold mountain air, the temperature difference between the hot water and the surrounding environment is particularly evident in the large clouds of steam in the morning. – Chile – 1976

The photograph shows the El Tatio geothermal field in the Andes in northern Chile, which lies at an altitude of around 4,280 metres and is one of the highest in the world. It is situated approximately 80 km north of San Pedro de Atacama. Over 80 active geysers spout large clouds of steam into the cold desert air, particularly in the early hours of the morning. – Chile – 1976

Chuquicamata is the world’s largest open-cast copper mine and is situated in the heart of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The mine’s enormous pit is more than 4 kilometres long, 3 kilometres wide and over 1,000 metres deep. – The photograph shows the extracted ore being smelted at extremely high temperatures and processed into pure copper at the adjacent Chuquicamata copper smelter (Fundición). – Chile – 1976

The photograph shows a vast, arid plain with sparse desert vegetation and a barren mountain range in the background, across which a freight train is travelling in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. – South of Copiapó – Chile – 1975

The 2,661-metre-high volcanic cone of Osorno rises above the clear waters of Lake Llanquihue in ‘Chilean Switzerland’. In terms of its shape and location, this most beautiful of the Andean volcanoes is reminiscent of Mount Fuji. Ancient lava flows have separated Lake Llanquihue from Lake Todos los Santos, which is also known as Lake Esmeralda due to its emerald-green colour. - Book: Picture 199 - Chile - 1975

From the Argentine city of Salta, an old mule track – now a poorly maintained track – leads over the Huaitiquina Pass to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. In the past, herds of cattle were driven over this pass to supply the Chilean port city of Antofagasta with Argentine beef. When the dreaded Viento Blanco – the ‘white wind’ – blows, the plateau, situated at an altitude of 5,000 metres, is covered within a few hours by a metre-thick blanket of snow, and it was not uncommon for people and animals to perish in such ‘blizzards’. This is evidenced by the sun-bleached cattle skeletons in this desolate wasteland with its salt lakes, dominated by the towering cone of the Lascar volcano. - Book: Picture 157 - Argentina - 1975

A historic photograph! It shows a historic train in the barren high desert of the Argentine Puna in the province of Jujuy. This narrow-gauge line once ran through the spectacular Quebrada de Humahuaca, up onto the plateau and on to the Bolivian border at La Quiaca. The tracks around the high-altitude station of Tres Cruces lie at an altitude of over 3,600 metres and are largely a historical relic of the former link between Argentina and Bolivia. – Argentina – 1973

Landscape near Tres Cruces in the northwest of the Jujuy Province. - 1973

The photograph shows the impressive Cuesta de Lipán in the province of Jujuy in north-western Argentina, on the road from Purmamarca up to the Salinas Grandes. The barren, spectacular high-mountain landscape is characterised by hairpin bends, eroded mountain ranges and distinctive candelabra cacti (cardones) lining the roadside. – Argentina – 1975

The archaeological site of Santa Rosa de Tastil in the province of Salta, Argentina, features the well-preserved, pre-Inca stone foundations of one of the country’s largest pre-Hispanic settlements. The complex consists of compact stone houses without windows and narrow alleys. The ruins cover 17 hectares in the Quebrada del Toro gorge at an altitude of around 3,200 metres and form part of the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca road system), which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The settlement is thought to have been inhabited between the 14th and 15th centuries, prior to the full-scale Inca expansion, and could have accommodated up to 3,000 inhabitants. – Argentina – 1975

A striking eroded landscape with the moon along the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the region between Purmamarca and Tilcara in the province of Jujuy in north-western Argentina. These gullies, known as cárcavas (badlands), form in arid climates when infrequent but heavy rainfall deeply cuts into the unprotected, soft sedimentary layers. – Argentina – 1973

Aconcagua, situated in the Argentine Andes in the province of Mendoza, is the highest mountain on the American continent at 6,961 metres. The mountain is a popular destination for mountaineers from all over the world; it was first climbed in 1897 by Matthias Zurbriggen. – Argentina – 1975

Aconcagua, the highest mountain on the American double continent, is not among the most impressive mountain formations in South America, despite its height of 6,959 metres. It is not a volcano and therefore lacks the elegant curves of its slopes. Extreme dryness and strong winds prevent the formation of an ice cap on the summit, though small slope glaciers flow down from five cirques. The mountain, situated in the Argentine-Chilean border region of the High Cordillera, was first climbed in 1897 by the Swiss mountaineer M. Zurbriggen. - Book: Picture 201 - Argentina - 1975

The Andes Cordillera is the backbone of the South American continent, forming at certain points an impassable barrier. It establishes the natural border between the eastern, low-lying areas and the Pacific coastline, which extends westwards for thousands of kilometres. The Aconcagua (approx. 7,000 metres), dear to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is the highest peak in the Andes mountain range. It rises majestically between Argentina and Chile. It is usually covered with clouds. Its ascent has tempted many andinists - the name given to mountaineers. However, it presents serious dangers. - 1973

The photograph shows the Argentine side of the famous ‘Los Caracoles’ mountain pass at the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores in the Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina. The winding mountain pass snakes through the barren high-mountain landscape of the Andes and leads up to the old border tunnel and the statue of Christ, Cristo Redentor de los Andes, at an altitude of over 3,800 metres. – Argentina – 1975

A view of Lake Nahuel Huapi in the Patagonian region of Argentina, surrounded by dense forest and snow-capped Andean peaks in the background. The landscape is situated within Nahuel Huapi National Park, near the towns of San Carlos de Bariloche and Villa La Angostura. Typical of this region are the lush forests of southern beech (coihues) and myrtle trees (arrayanes). The lake is of glacial-tectonic origin and is fed by the surrounding glaciers and mountains. – Argentina – 1975

Lake Nahuel Huapi (Araucanian for ‘Lake of Tiger Island’), which is comparable in size (529 km²) to Lake Constance, is a vast glacial trough into which several glacial streams converged. This explains its intricate network of fjord-like branches. It is known as the ‘Lake Lucerne’ of Argentina, whilst the surrounding mountain landscape, including the skiing paradise at Cerro Catedral (2,388 m), is referred to as the ‘Argentine Switzerland’. - Book: Picture 196 - Argentina - 1973

62 kilometres away from San Carlos de Bariloche, on the banks of the Limay River, lies Valle Encantado, a place with a special magic. Surrounded by mountains and rock formations that, letting the imagination run wild, come to life in the eyes of the beholder. - Neuquén Province - 1973

View from the 1,314-metre-high Paso Puyehue on the Argentine-Chilean border towards the isolated, towering peak of Pico Pantojo. - Book: Picture 197 - Argentina - 1975

Alongside the various species of southern beech (Nothofagus), the mighty araucaria trees (Araucaria imbricata) make up a significant proportion of the Southern Cordillera’s forests. The oil-rich seeds of these conifers once formed an essential part of the subsistence diet of the Pehuénche, who practised a foraging economy. Their name means ‘people of the araucaria forests’ (pehuén = the araucaria). - Book: Picture 198 - Argentina - 1975

The photograph shows the majestic Lanín volcano (3,776 m), a stratovolcano in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. The snow-capped volcano rises from the Andean Cordillera and lies within the Lanín National Park (Argentina) and the Villarrica National Park (Chile). In the foreground and on the slopes, one can see the typical forest of Chilean araucarias (also known as pehuén) and sub-Antarctic grass and shrub vegetation. – Argentina – 1975

The Chilean araucaria (Araucaria araucana), also known as the Andean fir or monkey tree, in its natural South American Andean or volcanic landscape. These distinctive conifers have a straight, columnar trunk and an umbrella-shaped crown with stiff, scaly branches. They often grow on barren, volcanic soils in the mountains of Chile and Argentina and are extremely hardy. The species is regarded as a living fossil and is protected due to habitat loss and past deforestation. – Lanín National Park – Argentina – 1975

Mount Fitz Roy (3,375 m) was named in honour of the captain of the Beagle. It was under his command in 1834, following a sixteen-day boat journey on the Río Santa Cruz – in which Charles Darwin also took part – that this peak was first sighted. Towering some 1,600 metres above the surrounding plateau, it resembles a cluster of pillars and spires, whose vertical walls are separated by gorges a thousand metres deep. The Fitz Roy is rightly regarded as the most beautiful peak in the Andes. - Book: Picture 200 - Argentina - 1973

On the Estancia Santa Margarita. In the background the Fitz Roy massif. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Disused wheels on the edge of the Río La Leona - in the background Cerro Fortalezza 722m - Calafate Region - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andean Cordillera, which in certain sections presents an insurmountable barrier. The winds blow in from the Pacific in an almost constant direction. The clouds they carry gather over the high mountain peaks and bring heavy rainfall. This explains why, despite the relatively low altitude, glaciers – some of which are of immense proportions – stretch across the eastern flank of the Andes. In Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies Lago Argentino, the ‘Silver Lake’, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is attracting ever more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen in the immediate vicinity. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. Pictured here is the equally famous Perito Moreno. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 205 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 204 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 203 - Argentina - 1973

The Perito Moreno Glacier (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno) is one of the best-known and most spectacular glaciers on Earth. It is situated in Los Glaciares National Park in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, in south-western Patagonia. The glacier stretches for around 30 kilometres and is 5 kilometres wide. The impressive ice front rises, on average, 55 to 75 metres above the surface of Lago Argentino. Underwater, the ice extends a further 100 metres or so into the depths. Unlike most glaciers worldwide, which are shrinking due to global warming, the Perito Moreno Glacier is in a relatively stable equilibrium. It advances by up to 2 metres every day. As a result of this continuous movement, chunks of ice as tall as houses regularly break off from the front. This phenomenon is accompanied by a thunderous crash and a deep rumble that can be heard for kilometres. As it advances, the glacier periodically blocks a side arm of Lago Argentino (Brazo Rico). The dammed-up water builds up enormous pressure until the barrier finally collapses in a spectacular process lasting several days. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 202 - Argentina - 1973

Spring in Patagonia! A vast meadow dotted with white wildflowers. In the background rise the snow-capped peaks and striking granite cliffs of the Cuernos del Paine in Torres del Paine National Park. – Chile – 1975

Laguna Amarga (meaning ‘Bitter Lagoon’ in English), surrounded by the typical Patagonian steppe landscape with reddish ground cover and low shrubs in the foreground. The name derives from the bitter taste of the water. As it is a landlocked body of water, the water evaporates continuously. As a result, the dissolved salts and minerals from the subsoil become extremely concentrated, giving the water a very high pH value. The lake is one of the most famous vantage points in Torres del Paine National Park, as on clear, windless days the three famous granite spires are perfectly reflected on the water’s surface. – Chile – 1975

The massive granodiorite batholith of the Southern Andes is dominated in the Chilean province of Magallanes by the Cordillera del Paine (2,460 m), which extends into Argentine territory. The towering rock spires, the Torres del Paine, consist of remnants of Cretaceous overlying strata that once covered the intrusive body that had risen from the depths. Contact metamorphism has greatly hardened the rock, making it particularly resistant to erosion. In the foreground is Laguna Amarga. The photograph was taken during the southern summer, on 10 January at 11 pm. - Book: Picture 5 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The national park is one of the last refuges for guanacos still living in the wild. - Book: Picture 208 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The small mountain lakes in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, such as Lago Nordenskjöld, owe their formation to the erosive action of Ice Age glaciers. - Book: Picture 207 - Argentina - 1975

A vast steppe with low vegetation (such as matahambre shrubs) tinged with autumnal red in the foreground, and the striking Cordillera del Paine mountain range with its snow-capped peaks in the background. We are in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The turquoise lake is Lago Nordenskjöld, named after the Swedish geologist and polar explorer Otto Nordenskjöld, who conducted scientific research in the region at the end of the 19th century. – Chile – 1975

In southern Patagonia, and particularly in Tierra del Fuego and southern Chile, the climate and vegetation allow only sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered across thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are rounded up for just three occasions: disinfection baths, shearing and the slaughterhouse. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days on end with their powerful dogs, keeping in contact with one another via bonfires and smoke signals. – Torres del Paine National Park – Chile – 1975

A typical landscape of the Tierra del Fuego region near Ushuaia in Argentina, set amongst the rugged, unspoilt peat and grassland terrain characteristic of the valleys outside Ushuaia. – Argentina – 1973

The town of Ushuaia, situated in a sheltered bay on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel, grew out of a Protestant mission station in 1868. In 1884, when it had a population of just under 150, it became the capital of the Argentine territory of Tierra del Fuego; two years later, it became a penal colony. The prisoners were put to work in forestry, and for a long time timber shipping formed the economic basis of the settlement. Since the Second World War, Ushuaia – which now has a population of around 4,000 – has served as a base for Argentina’s Antarctic expeditions. One- and two-storey wooden houses still characterise the town as an unfinished pioneer settlement. In 1953, Ushuaia had to cede the title of ‘the southernmost city in the world’ to the Chilean military base of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island. - Book: Picture 209 - Argentina - 1973

The photograph shows a historic panoramic view (1973) of the Argentine city of Ushuaia, the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego (Fireland). The town is picturesquely situated on a sheltered bay on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel. The image captures the town’s former, still predominantly rural character, with simple wooden houses and tin roofs. On the right-hand edge of the picture, near the coast, the historic Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (the old parish church) stands out with its striking tower. – Argentina – 1973

A view of the Argentine city of Ushuaia on the island of Tierra del Fuego, framed by the coastline of the Beagle Channel and the striking, snow-capped mountain range, with the distinctive Monte Olivia in the background. The port of Ushuaia is a major hub for trade and fishing, as well as a starting point for Antarctic expedition cruises. – Argentina – 1973

The Tierra del Fuego National Park is the southernmost national park on Earth. Winter storms have washed up bleached driftwood on the shores of the lakes. The gentle slopes of the peaks towering above them – such as Montaña El Cóndor here – with their forests and heathland, represent a slice of Tierra del Fuego’s unspoilt natural landscape, which has already been largely altered by sheep farmers in other parts of this southernmost region of Argentina. - Book: Picture 211 - Argentina - 1973

The Parque Nacional de Tierra del Fuego is the southernmost national park on Earth. Although the lakes situated in complete isolation, such as Lago Roca – on whose shores winter storms have washed up bleached driftwood – lack the magnificent mountainous backdrop of the Southern Andes lakes, with their forests and heathland they represent a slice of Tierra del Fuego’s unspoilt natural landscape. - Book: Picture 210 - Argentina - 1973

Set against the backdrop of the Darwin Range in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, which rises to a height of 2,300 metres, a large valley glacier flows into the Admiralty Fjord. Two central moraines, formed by the confluence of tributary glaciers, appear as dark stripes. Icebergs drift from the pack ice field in front of the calving glacier tongue into the fjord, which flows into the Strait of Magellan. - Book: Picture 10 - Argentina - 1975

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