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This September, a special Latin American season of programming will broadcast on fast:track, ´óÏó´«Ã½ World News’s current affairs travel programme, featuring insightful reports from Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana and Uruguay. From Brazil, presenter Rajan Datar investigates Sao Paulo's claim to be the New York of the Southern Hemisphere, a Brazilian celebrity chef talks through his favourite dishes and Tayfun King looks at the social science around why people use certain beaches in Rio de Janeiro.

Next, Karen Bowerman heads to Ecuador to visit the famous Avenue of the Volcanoes. The area stretches more than 300 km and offers stunning views in addition to a wide range of adventure sports. But some of the volcanoes are still active, presenting the country with a problem - how to manage a tourist attraction in a potentially lethal danger zone? The fast:track team report from a resort on the side of a volcano outside the town of Quito.

In the third instalment of the Latin America season, Michele Jana Chan explores the spirit of Guyana, the former British colony on the North East coast of South America, and talks to some of the local characters she meets along the way.

The final programme looks at the gauchos who have roamed the South American countryside for centuries, toiling on ranches, serenading women and inspiring folk legends about their footloose way of life. Now, a growing numbers of working farms, known as estancias, offer modern-day explorers the chance to experience the gaucho lifestyle for themselves, with contemporary comforts thrown in. Carmen Roberts reports from San Jose in Uruguay.

Programme line-up

From Sunday 13th Sept: BRAZIL

From Sunday 19th Sept: ECUADOR

From Sunday 27th Sept: GUYANA

From Sunday 4th Oct: URUGUAY

*fast:track transmission times: Sundays at 0630 GMT (not South Asia or Asia Pacific), Mondays at 2030, Tuesdays at 1130 (Asia Pacific Only) Wednesdays at 1530 and Thursdays at 0230 (not Asia Pacific, Middle East or South Asia)