Highlights of South America

Monday. Welcome to Brazil! Upon arrival at the airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Copacabana. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to explore the beautiful stretch of Copacabana beach.

Today, we have an included tour exploring the city of extremes, we witness the glamourous apartments of Rio’s rich and famous against the back drop of the favelas and half-built shanty towns that cling onto the hillsides. The highlights of the city include the Zona Sul beaches and Rodrogo de Freitas lagoon as well as the cathedral, Sambodromo and Maracana. Then we take a cable car up to Sugarloaf Mountain and enjoy spectacular views of the city, its beaches, and the mountains beyond. There is also a lovely nature walk around the foot of the mountain should you wish to continue to explore or grab a beer in the village quarter of Urca, home to TV stars.

On day 3 we board the steep rack-and-pinion railway which takes us through tropical Tijuca National Park, the largest urban forest in the world, and all that is left of the rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. Reach the top of Corcovado mountain and experience the majestic gaze of Christ the Redeemer, which overlooks the city with open arms. The afternoon is at leisure. You can walk from the top of the staircase up to the quiet hill-top neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, with many quaint cafes and shops lining the cobblestone streets or there is the optional excursion along the Avenue of the Royal Palms in hopes of catching a glimpse of the toucans and marmosets that frequent the park.

Rio de Janeiro - Foz do Iguacu. The Brazilian town of Foz do Iguacu is our base for visiting the famous Iguazu Falls - the most magnificent waterfalls in the world. A total of 275 falls thunder through dense forest over a 2.5km stretch along the border of Brazil and Argentina and we will view the falls from both sides.

On the Brazilian side you can see the falls by walking through the rainforest and along catwalks above and below the rushing water. You can also visit a very interesting bird park nearby, perfect for that must-have photo with a toucan!

We revisit the falls from the Argentinean side on day 5. From the national park, we board a little natural-gas-powered train which takes us to the Cataratas Station where we begin the Upper Walk witnessing causeways link dozens of basalt islands at the top of the rock, a sight which will take your breath away! We then continue onto the famous "Devil's Throat" where fourteen falls plummet with such force that there is always a massive cloud of spray overhead.

Foz do Iguacu - Buenos Aires (Argentina). On day 6 we fly south to Buenos Aires. After we've checked into our hotel the rest of the day is free to explore the Argentinian capital. Walk along the cobbled streets and see the brightly coloured houses, go out and enjoy some local cuisine in the local restaurants, or sit back and relax in one of the many tango bars around the city.

The next morning, we set off on a tour of the capital's contrasting neighbourhoods. Our first stop is in the Plaza de Mayo, which is enclosed on three sides by the town hall, presidential palace and cathedral before continuing to bohemian La Boca, whose streets are lined with brightly painted houses. Our final stop is to the chic district of Recoleta, home to the famous cemetery where Eva Peron is buried.

Buenos Aires - Sucre (Bolivia). We fly to the city of Sucre, via Santa Cruz on the morning of day 8. This sleepy white washed town boasts a leafy main square bordered by restaurants and Supreme Court buildings. After checking into our hotel, we have the rest of the day and the next day at leisure to wander along the cobbled lanes and discover the many churches and museums. High above the town there is a monastery with a cafe which offers amazing views.

There is an optional day trip excursion to the silver mining capital, Potosi, on day 9. At a chilly 4,090m, Potosi flourished during the 18th century and was, at the time, the wealthiest place in Latin America and home to the Spanish Imperial Mint. There is free time here to explore the evocations of history that can be found in the colonial architecture, ornate monuments and churches.

Sucre - La Paz. Today we fly to La Paz. At over 3500m La Paz is the world’s highest capital city. Built in a steep valley that protects the city from the harsh elements of the Altiplano, just about every building in La Paz is built on some sort of hill, so there are spectacular views on offer! The city is a glittering mosaic of tin, slate and tile roofs, interspersed with skyscrapers with a magnificent backdrop of the snow-capped Mount Illimani.

Over the next two days there is plenty of time to explore the city. On a guided tour we take in the highlights of the colonial centre around Plaza Murillo and visit the fascinating and suitably named "Witches Market', where local women in traditional 'Cholita' dress sell anything from potions to dried llama foetuses to ward off evil spirits. We will also jump on the local buses and make our way to the Telefericos that zig zag all the way up to El Alto Altiplano for spectacular views of the city.

From La Paz we take an excursion across the Altiplano, past glimmering lakes and herds of alpacas to visit the ruins of Tiwanaku on day 12, which are some of the most important pre-Columbian ruins on the continent.

La Paz - Copacabana. Today we travel along the shores of Lake Titicaca where we spend the night in a small hotel overlooking the glistening waters among the subsistence farmers in the region, who fish in the icy waters and plant crops along the shore in Copacabana. You have the rest of the day at leisure to explore the town that gave Rio’s famous beach its name. Walk along to the Moorish-style Basilica, or wander around the ‘Mercado 2 de Febrero’.

Copacabana - Puno (Peru). In the morning there’s a chance to take an optional excursion to the Isla del Sol (Islands of the Sun). Here you will enjoy an hour-long walk, with stunning views of the lake and island itself. Exploring the island gives you a chance to see how the local people live and work, almost unchanged over the years.

After lunch back in Copacabana, we drive along the lake's shore, across the border to Peru, until we reach the small lakeside town of Puno in the late afternoon.

Puno - Cusco. After breakfast we board a luxury train and take the scenic journey from Puno to Cusco (10 hours), travelling across the highland Altiplano and snow dusted mountains until we reach the fertile pocket-sized fields of corn and potatoes in Cusco. Here we have the rest of the evening at leisure to explore the city.

On the morning of day 16 we meet a local guide and set out on a tour of the capital of the Inca Empire. We start our tour walking through the city streets, passing several Inca ruins before we reach the Q’oricancha, once the principal Inca Sun Temple. Later we explore the zigzag walls of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent Incan fortress, which overlooks the city of Cusco.

Cusco - Sacred Valley. Today we explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first port of call is a visit to the Pisac ruins, perched on a hilltop with incredible views of the surrounding mountains. Then we head to the famous traditional market of the same name, which is full of colour and atmosphere. A great place for souvenirs! After lunch, we continue along the valley to the temple/fortress of Ollantaytambo with its enormous Inca terracing constructed on the side of a steep mountain. The evening is at leisure in the Sacred Valley.

Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu. We're up early this morning for a scenic train journey to Aguas Calientes from Ollantaytambo today. Remember to get a window seat for the best view of the breath-taking scenery. In Aguas Calientes we board the bus to Machu Picchu where we enjoy a guided tour of this magnificent lost city and have plenty of free time to explore and take photos.

Situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River and surrounded by tropical forest, the Inca city enjoys a truly spectacular setting and it's one of the most fascinating ancient sites in the world. Believed to have been built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, the site was abandoned at the time of the Spanish Conquest and lay buried beneath tropical cloud forest until 1911 when it was discovered by the American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham, who brought it to the world’s attention. We spend the night in the spa village of Machu Picchu.

Fancy hiking some of the Inca Trail without interrupting your tour? We can organise for you to walk the mini Inca Trail on this day and still have a guided tour of the ruins and stay with the group in the evening. Must be booked in advance, please ask us for more details.

Machu Picchu - Cusco. Before we board the train back to Cusco there is the opportunity to return to the ruins to watch the sun rise from the mountain tops and explore one of the several hiking trails: follow the steep path up to Huayna Picchu, the conical peak that rises behind the ruins or trek to the vertiginous Inca Bridge, carved into a cliff face (please enquire with the office, as spaces are limited and it's necessary to pre-book). Relaxing might be your preference, with time to and stroll through the the narrow streets of Aguas Calientes (aka Machu Picchu village) and browse it's souvenir shops and cafés. In the afternoon we return to Cusco by rail and road, where we have the evening at leisure.

Cusco - Lima. We take a short flight to the capital Lima today and transfer to our hotel in the middle-class suburb of Miraflores. The rest of the day is free to independently explore the city.

The City of Kings was once the capital of Spanish America, and the remnants of its glorious past can still be seen in the faded grandeur of the colonial churches and splendid, traditional wooden balconies in the city centre. Take a cab to the Plaza de Armas or walk the streets surrounding the Jiron de la Union for great examples of Spanish-colonial architecture. Away from the busy centre, there are some superb traditional restaurants as well as archaeological museums filled to the rafters with pre-Columbian treasures.

Sunday. Our tour comes to an end today, with an included transfer to the airport. Alternatively, we can arrange post tour accommodation if you'd like to extend your stay.