On arrival into Peru’s historical and sophisticated capital Lima, you will be met at the airport and transferred approximately 40 minutes to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure before your welcome dinner this evening. Early check-in is not included. Additional nights’ before and after your tour can be arranged. Please contact our Reservations team to book.

Originally named the city of the Kings, Lima is rich in heritage, which you’ll see for yourself today. Visit the ancient pyramid of Huaca Pucllana, built in 500 A.D. and located in the heart of Miraflores, one of Lima’s affluent districts. Continue to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the historic centre, Plaza de Armas, and admire the colonial magnificence of its buildings, from the Government Palace, Cathedral of Lima and Archbishop’s Palace of Lima. One block from Plaza de Armas (Main Square) is the Convent of Santo Domingo founded in 1530 and completed in 1766 and is now considered to be of the most religious buildings in Peru. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Fly to Cusco and transfer approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to the Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley, and home to Incan citadels and beautiful landscapes. Enroute you will visit Manos de la Comunidad, where you will catch glimpses of the heritage and authentic culture of the valley’s Quechua communities. You’ll be able to interact with the villagers, witness their day-to-day life and learn about weaving, pottery and jewelry making. By participating you will gain a deeper understanding of their skills and the significance of preserving these ancient techniques. You then continue to the Sacred Valley. Please note, this day is at altitude.

Begin the day in Moray, walking through the striking circular terraces, believed to have been used by the Incas for agricultural experiments. Afterward, you will visit Maras, where over 3,000 salt ponds carved into the mountainside capture salty spring water, producing the famous sal de Maras. Continue to Ollantaytambo where we’ll explore the old fortress. Later this afternoon board the Vistadome train and begin your epic rail journey to Machu Picchu, a journey of approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. You will stay overnight in Aguas Calientes.

This morning you will ascend to the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu by shuttle bus, which takes about 30 minutes along winding roads. Long abandoned by the Inca, it came to international attention when it was stumbled upon by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and is considered one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. A guided tour will give you some insight into the Inca Empire. This includes up to four hours of sightseeing, walking on uneven terrain. Return to the village of Machu Picchu before riding the train back to Poroy followed by your transfer to Cusco. This day is at altitude.

Home to an incredible Incan legacy, Cusco has some of the richest heritage in Latin America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour will include visits to the Plaza de Armas, once the heart of the Incan capital of Huacaypata; and Qoricancha, the temple of the sun. Head just out of town to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman and Puka Pukara, the ‘Red Fortess’, and experience a traditional Quechua ritual led by a Shaman, providing a spiritual connection to Andean traditions and Inca heritage. This afternoon you have as time at leisure. This day is at altitude.

Take a train through the magnificent scenery of the Andean altiplano from Cusco to Puno, a city on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The journey time is 10 hours and 30 minutes. The train boasts dining cars, a bar car and an observation car, included is a gourmet lunch made with the finest Andean ingredients. You will also be able to enjoy music and dance performances during your journey, which is sure to keep you entertained. Check in to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Today you will be at an altitude of up to 3830 metres.

Depart Puno and take an overland journey of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to the town of Copacabana, located just across the border in Bolivia. You will disembark your coach and visit the shrine and the Dark Indian Virgin. You will continue to the harbour where you will board a Hydrofoil Cruise to Sun Island, the birthplace of the Inca Empire. On this legendary island you will visit the Inca Grand and Stairs and Sacred Fountain and have lunch at Uma Kollu archaeological restaurant. Continue to Moon Island and visit the Sun Virgins Temple Iñak Uyu where you will then take the hydrofoil back to Copacabana for the road transfer to Hautajata. Upon arrival at Hautajata, a traditional Bolivian village, you will visit the Andean Roots Eco Village: The Altiplano Museum and meet the Limachi family whose ancestors built epic ships for expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean. Here you’ll enjoy elegant vicuñas, llamas, alpacas and the mythical Suri. In the afternoon, experience an audiovisual performance of The Mystic World of the Kallawayas, the natural healers of Bolivia. During the performance, Tata Benjo, one of the Kallawayas, will give blessings and answer any questions by casting his sacred coca leaves. End the day gazing up at the Southern constellations from the Native Observatory Alajpacha.

Depart this morning for La Paz by road. On route you will see the mighty snowed peaks of the Andes. Once at the city of La Paz, you will enjoy a half day tour of the historic city. Here you will see the Indian Market & Witch Doctor’s market with the breathtaking panoramas of the Illimani mountain in the background. From here, you will visit the Moon Valley, a clay formation resembling the face of the Moon and take a teleferico-cable car ride over the city of La Paz, enjoying an aerial view of the city.

Transfer to the airport and fly approximately 1 hour to Uyuni. The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat spanning 10,000 square kilometres and is one of South America’s most remarkable landscapes. Completely flat and covered by a thick white salt crust, just a few inches of water perfectly reflect the mood of the sky and the vast expanses of nothing play tricks on the eyes! Start exploring straight away, visiting the Train Cemetery and then Colchani Village where you will observe the process of salt extraction by hand. After, stop at the Salt Museum at Playa Blanca, where you will visit the ancient mummies of Tunupa Volcano on Incahuasi Island. After your tour, you will check into your hotel, made entirely out of salt, here is where you will spend the night.

Spend a full day in the Salar de Uyuni where depending on the weather, you will visit the museum or view the Coquesa Mummies, human archeological remains in a little cave near Tunupa Volcano, from where you can observe the immensity of the salt flats. Conclude today’s activities with a picnic on the Salt Flats.

Today you will bid farewell to Bolivia as you transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. En-route, visit Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) home to the famous James Flamingos and Sol de Mañana Geysers, an area with much volcanic activity, full of boiling mud lakes and sulphur steam pools. You will also encounter Laguna Verde, renowned for its stunning emerald colour. This day is at altitude. The journey will take approximately 9 hours due to the distances and international border crossing procedures.

This morning, drive out into the otherworldly landscapes to visit the Salar de Atacama and the quaint desert village of Tocoano. This afternoon, you’ll see some of San Pedro’s most famous landscapes with a drive out to Moon valleys, one of the driest spots on the planet. With lonely volcanoes populating the horizon, enjoy the views and the silence as the afternoon sun’s rays turn the hues of the rock from orange, to red to purple.

Rise early and travel for around 2 hours deeper into the Atacama to visit El Tatio Geysers, set within a ring of volcanoes. Here, there are about 80 lively geysers and fumaroles, which are at best during sunrise. Have a guided walk amongst the mud craters and small bubbling geysers. Wander freely before travelling through the Andes Mountain Range with impressive views of Putama Volcano and Tocorpuri Mountains. Visit the small desert village of Machuca to see the typical terrace farming system, mud houses with straw rooves, and its local fauna such as llamas, alpacas and flamingoes. Today is a full day touring. This day you will be reaching an Altitude of 4320 metres above sea level for a short period of time San Pedro de Atacama is also renowned for one of the best places in the world for star-gazing due to it being the driest desert in the world with little rainfall, clear skies, and high altitudes. Take advantage of some of the darkest skies in the world with a spot of stargazing.

This morning transfer to Calama to fly to Chile’s capital city, Santiago, a journey of approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes. This afternoon explores the city on a tour which will allow you to experience its eclectic contrasts. Stroll around the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral to admire the colonial facades, before walking down Ahumada Boulevard, the city’s main commercial street. Visit Cerro Santa Lucia, the hill that was founded in 1541 and now a park with fountains and stairs leading up to a fort that offers panoramic views of the city and the towering Andes Mountains. Conclude the day with dinner in a local restaurant. Please note that while touring in Santiago, the size of your group might increase slightly above 18 people, as the end of our Andes to Atacama Adventure overlaps with the start of our Wines & Wonders of South America tour. Some passengers may be combining these tours on our Ultimate South America tour, while others may be travelling on one tour only.

Travel 3 hours to the coast to visit the bohemian port town of Valparaiso. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valparaiso is a unique and delightful tangle, draped over a series of hills. Funiculars connect the industrial seafront with the cerros (hill) neighborhoods, each a maze of colourful, artfully dilapidated mansions and enchanting street art. Ride the funicular up into the hills to explore, stopping for a visit to Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s house. Return to Santiago this afternoon.

Any time before your flight is at leisure. You will be transferred from your hotel to the airport, according to the departure time of your international flight. Late check-out is not included. Additional nights’ before and after your tour can be arranged. Please contact our Reservations team to book.