Epic South America
Overview
Highlights
- Head to a local community and rub shoulders with the inhabitants of the Sacred Valley – if you’re lucky, your travel day might even fall on market day where you can pick up some hand-painted beads or a warm poncho.
- Roam the Amazon Jungle by boat at night (with an expert local) and float down the river, keeping an eye out for the glaring eyes of jaguars, anacondas and caimans.
- Embark on a three-day adventure by 4WD across the rocky Atacama Desert in Salar de Uyuni and the largest salt lakes in the world. Pass cactus islands, train cemeteries and mineral lakes teeming with birdlife.
- Spend two nights at a working estancia (farm) in Uruguay, where you can spend your time getting involved in farm work, learning about gauchos, riding horses or simply relaxing in the sun.
- The mighty Iguazu Falls straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil, and you’ll cross the border to see its incredible cascades from both sides.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Trip includes
- Lima - Leader Led orientation walk of Miraflores
- Amazon Jungle - Jungle Lodge Stay and Activities
- Cusco - Orientation Walk
- Sacred Valley - Community visit & lunch
- 3 Night/4 Day Inca Trail (or 2 Night/3 Day Inca Quarry Trail) guided hike(s) with porters' support. Or guided Cusco stay (Machu Picchu by train)
- Machu Picchu - Guided tour
- Lake Titicaca - Boat tour & Homestay
- La Paz - Visit to the 'Witches Market'
- La Paz - Orientation Walk
- Uyuni - Salt flats tour
- Salt flats - Visit to 'Fish Island/Inca Wasi'
- Uyuni - Orientation Walk
- Uyuni - Colchani Salt Factory Visit
- Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada
- Salta - Orientation walk
- Buenos Aires - Leader-led orientation walk
- Tacuarembo - 2-Night Stay on a Working Estancia
- Tacuarembo - 2-Night Stay on a Working Estancia
- Iguazu Falls - Tour of the Brazilian side of the falls
- Iguazu Falls - Tour of the Argentinian side of the falls
- Rio de Janeiro - Cinelandia
- Rio de Janeiro - Selaron Stairs
- Rio de Janeiro - Ruins Park
- Rio de Janeiro - Orientation Walk of Santa Teresa via the Lapa Aqueduct
Itinerary
La Bienvenida! Welcome to Lima, the capital of Peru. Your adventure begins at around 2 pm with a welcome meeting. Then, your trip leader will take you on a walking tour of the Miraflores district, including Central Park (Parque Kennedy), the LarcoMar entertainment com...
This morning, you’ll fly to Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon Jungle, where you'll be staying for two nights. When you arrive, the lodge staff will take you to their office in town. Here, you can leave most of your luggage in safe storage and continue travelling with a s...
Say goodbye to the jungle and fly to Cusco, where you’ll spend the day acclimatising to the high altitude. After dropping off your luggage and having some lunch, your leader will take you on a walk around downtown Cusco. You’ll visit the facade of Qoricancha temple, t...
This morning, unwind on a drive through the Sacred Valley, on the fringes of Cusco. Known as Wilcamayo to the Incas – this lush, fertile valley has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Head to a local community to learn about the valley’s lifestyle an...
Depending on the travel arrangements you made before the trip, during the next four days, you’ll be doing one of the following – hiking the Inca Trail (Route 1), hiking the Quarry Trail (Route 2) or staying in Cusco for two days before taking the train to Aguas Calien...
Route 1 Inca Trail Today is the most challenging day of the trek, as you’ll ascend a 5-hour long steep path to the highest point of the trail. Colloquially known as 'Dead Woman's Pass', Warmiwanusca sits at a height of 4200 m above sea level, providing amazing views ...
Route 1 Inca Trail Start the day with a climb through the Pacaymayo Valley to Runkuracay Pass (3980 m). Enjoy views of the snow-capped mountain of Cordillera Vilcabamba before descending for 2 to 3 hours to the ruins of Sayacmarca. Continue over the trail’s third pas...
Route 1 Inca Trail This is the final and most spectacular leg of the trek to Machu Picchu. Start your day before dawn with breakfast at a crisp 4 am. Say farewell to the porters as they descend to the train station and then begin hiking. Walk 2.5 hours to Intipunku (...
Today you’ll enjoy free time to relax, shop for souvenirs or see more of Cusco's sights. Maybe head to a cafe on the Plaza de Armas, or if you're a thrill-seeker, try mountain biking in the hills surrounding Cusco. You might also want to go for a walk through Seven Bo...
This morning, travel by bus through the Altiplano plateau to Puno. The town is known as the folklore capital of Peru and is famous for its traditional dances. If you're lucky, your visit might coincide with an evening parade, when the streets fill with costumed dancers and musicians. Once you're settled, head out in town and shake your tailfeather!
Puno sits on Lake Titicaca's shores, the world's highest navigable lake. Today, you'll take a tour of the lake by slow motorboat, stopping off to visit the Uros floating islands. The Uros peoples built these islands to isolate themselves from rival tribes in ancient t...
Enjoy a home-cooked breakfast by your host family this morning, learning about their life and their stories. Then, explore the rest of the island. In the afternoon, take the boat back to Puno, where the rest of your day is free to explore.
Travel by local bus this morning and cross the border into Bolivia. You'll be asked to leave the bus to proceed through Peruvian immigration. The group will then walk across a bridge, submit passports at the Bolivian immigration office and reboard the bus for La Paz. ...
Bienvenidos! Welcome to La Paz. The highest capital city in the world, this Bolivian hub rests on the Andes’ Altiplano plateau, 3500 m above sea level. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. After, why not head out to find the perfect dinner spot (your leader will have lots of recommendations) or explore the nightlife with your fellow travellers.
Today, you’ll head out on a brief guided walk with your leader. La Paz is a city renowned for its markets, especially the Mercado de Hechiceria (the Witches' Market), which sells potions, incantations, stones and artefacts. Ask a local about their significance – most ...
This morning you’ll arrive in Uyuni Town. This remote town sits on the edge of the high Altiplano – a wilderness area extending for hundreds of kilometres towards the border with Argentina and Chile. Over the next three days, you’ll explore Bolivia’s highlights and fa...
Today will be spent driving through the spectacular landscape of the Andean (Atacama) Desert, sprinkled with volcanoes and lakes. Stop by the red lake of Laguna Colorada, where you’ll be able to spot wildlife like llamas, flamingos, viscachas and foxes feasting in the nutrient-rich waters.
This morning, rise and shine early to embrace the cold and stop by the desert’s natural thermal baths for an optional soak. Then head to the Bolivia and Chile border, where the Bolivian part of your trip comes to an end. Pass by geysers, salt flats and snow-capped vol...
Over the next two days, get under the skin of San Pedro. The local cafe and restaurant scene has grown considerably over the last couple of years, with a mix of Chilean, French and Italian influences, so you’ll definitely find a great spot for lunch and dinner. Bike r...
Today will be a long day of travel as you leave San Pedro and head for Salta, Argentina. Salta's rich history, colonial architecture, friendly locals and natural surroundings make it one of Argentina's main attractions. Grab a window seat or a good book and watch the scenery pass you by. Tonight, you’re free to rest or head out for a late dinner when you arrive.
After breakfast, today is a free day to explore Salta and its many attractions. If you’re after something active, hike up the 1070 steps to the summit of Cerro San Bernardo, the mountain that looms over Salta. If you'd prefer, you can also take a gondola (cable car) to the top to take in the views of the mountainous city below. Either way, the view from the top is magnificent!
After breakfast and a free morning in Salta, you’ll take an included flight to Buenos Aires – Argentina's capital. When you arrive, you might like to head to a local tango show or a football match. Maybe grab a steak and glass of Malbec – the steak and wine combo is what Argentina is known for – in one of the city’s fashionable restaurants for dinner.
Today is free to explore Buenos Aires. Join the tourists and walk among the tombs at the La Recoleta Cemetery, the final resting place of Eva Peron. There are also some great museums to check out in the Recoleta district. Visit the neighbourhood of La Boca, home to th...
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Argentina. Your adventure begins with an orientation walk around Buenos Aires’ Microcentrodistrict at 1 pm. Your leader will be waiting in the lobby of your joining point hotel. Get your bearings around your accommodation and see a couple of si...
Today is a free day in Buenos Aires. You can spend the day how you like and tick off all the best photo ops or talk to your leader for some fun ideas. If you love art, maybe hang out in La Boca, home to the colourful Caminito artists’ street, or wander the Teatro Colo...
Today cross the Rio de la Plata (River Plate) to Colonia del Sacramento by ferry. Enjoy free time to explore this charming colonial city, known as the oldest in Uruguay. The World Heritage-listed Barrio Historico (Old Quarter) is a great place to start. Stroll down th...
Enjoy a free day to wander through Montevideo. Your leader will be on hand to provide suggestions for how to spend your day, or feel free to set out on your own adventure. You might go for a wander along the Rambla and soak in the fresh coastal air, brush up on your U...
Leaving Montevideo behind, take a bus journey to Tacuarembo. The bus has reclining seats, but as the bus doesn’t stop it's also recommended that you bring some extra snacks at your own expense. From Tacuarembo, take a transfer to the estancia (ranch), where you’ll be ...
Spend a day experiencing life on a working Uruguayan farm! Although you’re welcome to relax and explore your surroundings at your leisure, you can also get involved with day-to-day jobs around the ranch. As a working farm, the digs aren’t fancy, but the incredible sur...
Spend a final morning taking in the gorgeous views across the estancia. Enjoy your final home-cooked meal together and say goodbye to your hosts, sharing the memories of your stay over lunch. This afternoon, you'll depart for a long travel day, so make sure you have s...
Arrive at Puerto Iguazu bus station this morning, then take a minivan across the border into Brazil. Depending on traffic, this should take about an hour. Your destination is Iguazu National Park, home of the majestic Foz do Iguacu/Iguazu Falls. This UNESCO World Heri...
Return to Argentina today to see Iguazu Falls from a different angle. Following a series of boardwalks, it’s possible to get so close to the thundering waters that you can almost touch them. At over two kilometres long, Iguazu Falls are made up of over 270 separate ca...
Take an included flight to Sao Paulo, then board a transfer to Paraty. After arriving, take the rest of the day to explore your new surroundings. Admire the architecture as you wander along the town’s cobbled, pedestrian-only streets, which become partly covered in se...
Spend the morning relaxing in Paraty, or maybe head out on a trek to Camino del Oro to take in some incredible views of the region's natural surroundings. Then head to Angra before taking a ferry to the island getaway of Ilha Grande – a paradise of pristine beaches an...
Rise and shine for a morning in paradise – you have a free day in Ilha Grande today. Maybe wander along rainforest trails to some remote beaches – Lopes Mendes and Aventureiro Beach are two of the best. You could book yourself in on an optional boat trip out to the Bl...
Bid farewell to Ilha Grande as you board a boat to the small port of Mangaratiba, before travelling to Rio de Janeiro. Home to one of the seven wonders, Rio has lots of day trip opportunities if you have the time. Settle into your accommodation, then head out with you...
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time. That doesn’t mean your adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to continue soaking up the sun in Rio, just speak to your booking agent. If you have the time, today yo...
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