22 Days/21 Nights April - September Moderate
Best of South America
Highlights from Machu Picchu to Rio
Peru is the country that can completely satisfy all human tastes, preferences and energy! The people there are extremely earthy, humble and kind - a mentality too close to the senses of much of humanity. It is unique to Peru - Nature, mysticism and unparalleled world cultural and historical heritage!
Lima is the capital: of Peru located on the arid Pacific coast of the country. Although its colonial center is preserved, it is an overflowing metropolis and one of the largest cities in South America. The Larco Museum houses a collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museum of the Nation traces the history of the ancient civilizations of Peru. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th century cathedral are the core of the old center of Lima.
The highlights:
Day 1: Flight from Europe, USA, Canada, etc - Country of origin to Peru
Day 2: Arrival to Lima capital of Peru
Day 3: Lima - Flight to Cusco capital of the Incas
Day 4: Cusco - Pisac - Ollantaytambo
Day 5: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
Day 6: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Day 7: Cuzco - Drive to Puno
Day 8: Puno - Drive to Copacabana
Day 9: Copacabana - Isla del Sol - La Paz
Day 10: Valle La Luna - Drive to La Paz - Bolivia
Day 11: La Paz - Oruro - Uyuni
Day 12: Uyuni - Salar de Uyuni - San Juan
Day 13: San Juan - Laguna Colorada - Villamar
Day 14: Villamar - Tupiza - Humahuaca
Day 15: Humahuaca - Salta
Day 16: Salta - Posadas
Day 17: Posadas - Puerto Iguazu
Day 18: Puerto Iguazu - Iguazu Falls - Garganta del Diablo - Speedboat Ride (opt.)
Day 19: Puerto Iguazu - Rio de Janeiro
Day 20: Rio de Janeiro - City Tour - Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado - Farewell Dinner - Samba Museum (opt.)
Day 21: Transfer to airport in Rio de Janeiro - Flight back to home or stay in Lima
Day 22: Return flight - Arrival home
Day 1: Flight from Europe, USA, Canada, etc - Country of origin to Per
Flight from Europe or the country of origin (USA or Canada), etc. Arrival in Lima - Transfer Hotel the large city in South America; population approximately 11 million. "Once to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, in this order" - we will fulfill this wish from today! You can find out which departure airports your South American adventure can start from under "Dates & Prices". Peru Expeditions Tours wishes you a pleasant flight!
Overnight stay flight. Overnight flight (-/-/-)
Day 2: Arrival to Lima capital of Peru
Are you tingling with anticipation of your adventure in Peru? No wonder, because at sunrise you reach the metropolis of Lima. Get a first glimpse of the Andes from the plane before reaching the Peruvian capital on the Pacific coast. Your tour guide, who will share his enthusiasm for Peru with you in the coming weeks, is already waiting for you!
With your Peru Expeditions Tours; tour guide, you can freshen up in the hotel and then straight into the Peruvian capital. Lima is characterized by contrasts. Fascinating. Colorful. Chaotic. Alive. You absorb all these impressions on your city tour.
In the Larco Museum you can see silver and gold collections as well as sculptures, ceramics and jewelry from 5,000 years of Peruvian history. Above all, they learn that Peru was not just the Inca, but a multitude of other cultures.
Then have your camera ready at Plaza de Armas, Lima's main square, for the impressive colonial buildings: government, city and archbishop's palace, the cathedral and the Palace of the Union. Stacked too high? Then down into the catacombs of the San Francisco Convention, where you sneak around in the narrow corridor between 70,000 bones and skulls.
Change of scene in the artists' quarter of Barranco: colorful houses, musicians, painters. Here you will get to know the good Peruvian cuisine at our welcome dinner for the first time on our trip. Let your guide invite you to a Pisco Sour, the national drink of Peru, in the gourmet restaurant Cala and inform you about the highlights of your trip. Whether siesta on the Pacific or your own discoveries, we wish you a good arrival in Peru!
Transport: private bus (5 hours), hike (2 hours)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/L/-)
Day 3: Lima - Flight to Cusco capital of the Incas
Take off at the sea, land at 3,310 meters - your flight to Cusco is worth it. Acclimatization is definitely appropriate, so stroll through the city with our local guide and discover many buildings with a foundation from earlier Inca walls.
May it be a little higher? Your private bus drives to the Sacsayhuaman hill, where you will be amazed by stone blocks: these weigh up to 125 tons and formed an Inca fortress. Then as now used for ceremonies - every year at the summer solstice.
Your journey through time today continues to the ruins of Quengo, where raw forces once operated in style: stairways, windows and doors are carved into the rock. And when you talk about the canals full of beer at home, it is with the little footnote that it was only “Chicha” corn beer and is about 500 years ago. Nevertheless, at the sight of the Coricancha sun temple, you will shine as the most important example of the fusion of the cultures of Inca and Spanish conquerors. The church and the monastery of Santo Domingo were built on the ruins of the old Peruvian "Templo del Sol". Down into the city it runs almost by itself, and hopefully your camera still has juice for the famous 12-sided stone. He hugs his neighbors seamlessly. As promised: you are amazed by stone blocks.
Transport: flight (1 h), private bus (4 h), hike (3 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 4: Cusco - Pisac - Ollantaytambo
Please do not confuse: The Holy Grail is a legend while you really drive to the Holy Valley in Pisac today. The former Inca terrace fields are still cultivated, their graves have been preserved, and the sun was tied to the mighty boulder of Intihuatana. The Inca thought. You can find out from your local, Enlgish-speaking guide. The next stop of the private bus is Ollantaytambo. Rock festival there is a rock fortress of the Incas. No wonder, because their stone monoliths weigh up to 50 tons. And why here? The colossus stands between two mountains and protects the western entrance of the “Valle Sagrado”.
Transport: private bus (2 hours), hike (2 hours)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 5: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
Get in please! - A narrow-gauge railway takes you along the Urubamba River to Machu Picchu, the landscape is a lush green. A short hike to the Mandor waterfall (entry approx. USD 10) takes you through a botanical garden that also attracts hummingbirds. Alternatively there is a thermal bath (approx. USD 5), because your current destination Aguas Calientes is called “hot water”. There you live from tourism, your choice of restaurants, small shops and on the market is correspondingly large.
Do you feel fit enough for the Inca Trail? - Then today there is the chance of a 10km day tour on paths that the residents of Machu Picchus used over 500 years ago. In order to maintain the character of the hike (including the first view of Machu Picchu through the sun gate), the capacities are extremely limited. Booking the Inca Trail is only possible with early registration (3-5 months, depending on the season; at an additional cost). And another extra tip from Peru Expeditions Tours: If you need a new passport, the Inca Trail can only be booked when the new passport number is available.
For all of our guests, the note also applies that only a small piece of luggage is permitted in the narrow-gauge railway. Please pack this for 2 days and 1 night, the rest of the things we store in Ollantaytambo.
Customize your trip with our optional modules!
Transport: train (3 h), hike (3 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/./-)
Day 6: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Are you ready for one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, of course a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is an even greater experience in the early morning? - Then to Machu Picchu, its terraced fields and temples, 2,360 meters above sea level. So far nobody knows why the city was built here and for whom. Our English-speaking guide shares his knowledge with you, so look forward to lots of interesting explanations that can only be experienced on a joint tour. You have up to four hours, then take the train and bus back to Cusco.
Transport: train (3 h), hike (3 h), public bus (3 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 7: Cuzco - Drive to Puno
The morning is at your free disposal in Cuzco. You can use this for a visit to the numerous museums. All your impressions gathered at the Inca sites can be filled with life in the Museo Inka: fabrics, ceramics, jewelry and everyday objects ... and a few mummies from the "deceased" section. In the Chocolate Museum you get an idea of cocoa cultivation and why Peru's chocolate was voted one of the best in the world in 2019.
Perhaps you can also browse one of the handicraft markets until we start off together on the shores of Lake Titicaca in the late morning. The private bus takes you up to the legendary 4,323 meters above the Raya Pass. The crossed Altiplano is barren and desert-like, but that's what makes it so attractive. Enjoy the expanse until we arrive in Puno in the evening.
Transport: private bus (8 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 8: Puno - Drive to Copacabana
Your adventure trip overseas leads you today to a lake that is truly not to be overlooked: Lake Titicaca is 16 times larger than Lake Constance, at an exposed 3,800 meters above sea level - and of course navigable, because this is the only way to get to the floating reed islands of the Uros , Your local guide and residents are a walking “what is what” book that will make you a true connoisseur of the island.
On the way, you change the country, time zone and guide, while the private bus travels to Copacabana in Bolivia. An important place of pilgrimage, located at an altitude of 3,800 m in a beautiful bay. Make yourself fresh in the hotel so that you are fit for the pilgrimage church and the Calvary. Offerings are offered here on small stone altars. If the weather gods mean it, your eyes will get wet on the summit - with this breathtaking view of Lake Titicaca including the sunset. You can find the right sundowner in the numerous cozy bars in Copacabana.
Transport: boat (2 h), hike (2 h), private bus (3 h)
Overnight Lodge. Overnight Lodge (B/-/-)
Day 9: Copacabana - Isla del Sol - La Paz
There were already sun temples and sun gates in Peru, today we cross over to "Isla del Sol", the sun island. According to the Inca mythology, the creator god Viracocha once rose from Lake Titicaca. In addition to the sun and moon, he also created the founders of the Incadynasty: Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo. Both migrated from the sun island to Cusco and laid the foundation stone of the famous Inca empire. 2,000 people live on the island today and live from animal husbandry, vegetable growing and tourism. Enjoy the scenic idyll on a walk between the ruins of the Palacio Pilkokaina and the port of Yumani. A boat trip of around 2.5 hours takes you to the farming community of Santiago de Okola and thus to a truly untouristic place. Immerse yourself in local culture and meet people at eye level. On a foray through the village, a local guide explains the lifestyle and rituals of the residents. The (Our?) Association VSocial e.V. supports the village school. Together with the hosts, you can fortify yourself with a typical Bolivian dish made from local products for the journey by private bus to La Paz.
Transport: boat (3 h), hike (3 h), private bus (4 h)
Overnight Lodge. Overnight Lodge (B/L/-)
Day 10: Valle La Luna - Drive to La Paz - Bolivia
Before you plunge into the frenzy of La Paz, your day begins with an overview from an unusual perspective: from below, from the Valle de la Luna. This impressive landscape of rocks, mounds and crater-like formations has been shaped by erosion, heavy rainfall and temperature fluctuations over millions of years. From here you look into the basin of La Paz and already recognize the historical center, your next destination. At the witch market you can marvel at the world of aymaric witchcraft and healing arts, with amulets and herbal remedies to clothing and handicrafts from the Andes. The Aymara people live with about two million members on the Altiplano in Bolivia, in the south of Peru and in the north of Chile.
If you take off after tasting the specialty Salteñas, then that's because of the Teleférico, the cable car from La Paz ). But also take a look down where life is raging in the courtyards. The afternoon is at leisure. Explore La Paz on your own and look forward to dinner together with the Peru Expeditions Tours team of our partner agency in La Paz.
Our ideas for your other options: A visit to the small Coca Museum is open to everyone who understands a little English (entrance fee approx. USD 6). Or the half-day city tour “La Paz without make-up” (approx. USD 65 alone, approx. USD 35 for two), an excursion to the ruins of Tiwanaku or high up on the Chacaltaya mountain (5,395 m).
Would you rather spend the whole day in nature? This is also possible with a trekking tour on the 5,300 m high Pico Austria (approx. USD 210/1 person, approx. USD 115/2 persons) or a mountain bike tour down into the jungle, on the 'most dangerous road in the world' (about $ 95).
Your guide will introduce the various excursions to you a few days before arrival in La Paz, you decide in peace on site.
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/D)
Day 11: La Paz - Oruro - Uyuni
Expanse as far as the eye can see. And you are certainly ready to distinguish alpacas from wild vicuñas. In any case, there is a lot to discover and it goes high - by private bus from the La Paz basin up to an altitude of over 4,000 meters to the Altiplano. Experience the change from barren beauty to fertile, lively and colorful landscapes.
There is time for a lunch break in the carnival town of Oruro, while everything in Uyuni is all about railroading and mining. The evenings are cold at altitude, especially in the months of June to September, please pack for freezing temperatures.
Transport: private bus (9 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 12: Uyuni - Salar de Uyuni - San Juan
Today the highlights are lined up like the wagons of a train. Fittingly, your day starts at the “Cementerio de Trenes”, where you travel back in time between the wrecks of several trains. The next stop is Colchani, where you live almost exclusively from the salt production from the Salar de Uyuni. Don't worry, there is still enough - welcome to the largest salt desert on earth, the scene of a natural spectacle made of whitest salt and an azure sky. This bizarre expanse enchants you all day long, including a lunch picnic and exploring the island of Inkahuasi: unique vegetation, great photo opportunities and the best view over the Salar, which you cross today completely from north to south. Your destination in the afternoon is your accommodation in the village of San Juan.
During the rainy season (December and March), crossing the salar and visiting the island of Inkahuasi may not be possible. During this time, however, the salt lake is often covered with a thin layer of water, which enables unique photos.
Transport: off-road vehicle (6 h), hike (2 h)
Overnight Hostal. Overnight Hostal (B/L/D)
Day 13: San Juan - Laguna Colorada - Villamar
Something different than the alpes low mountain range? Well then, into the valley of the stones, where the wind created bizarre rock formations. Here in the Sioli Desert, you can easily find twelve motifs for your photo calendar “Fascination sparseness”, with the famous stone tree Árbol de Piedra on the title. If you prefer taking pictures of animals, you can look forward to llamas, alpacas and hundreds of pink Andean flamingos who also know where it is beautiful: At the red-lit "Laguna Colorada" in the middle of the nature reserve. Where there is no star hotel - the head of the refugio in Villamar cooks for himself. A simple hostel where you can certainly sleep very well after an eventful day.
Transporte: vehículo todoterreno (8 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/L/D)
Day 14: Villamar - Tupiza - Humahuaca
Let's go to Argentina, past impressive rock formations and valleys. Suddenly the stones turn red and stretch out towards the sky in long needles. The viewpoint "El Sillar" and the gorge "Quebrada del Palala" are also photogenic. In the late noon we arrive in Tupiza (2,965m), where the temperatures are much more pleasant than in the Altiplano. It is only about two hours from the border to the colonial city of Humahuaca. Its gorge was once part of the Inca trail and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What makes your eyes shine even more are the various ores in the rock that transform the mountain ranges into a colorful zigzag. Our tip for the evening is a leisurely stroll through the quiet small town.
Transport: off-road vehicle (5 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 15: Humahuaca - Salta
Your trip to the colonial city of Salta great place. Experience beautiful churches and cathedrals on a city tour, as well as all the advantages of a large, modern city with 600,000 inhabitants. To fortify yourself, there are delicious Argentine empanadas during the city tour.
If we recommend an optional visit to a "Peña Folklorica" for the evening, you should of course know what that is: a place to share, a place to meet and enjoy. Where you can always find plenty of food, drinks and of course music. Upon request, your guide will show you the famous Balcare street with its traditional bars.
Transporte: bus privado (4 horas), caminata (2 horas)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 16: Salta - Posadas
In the morning you start your own discoveries in Salta, whether in the Alta Montaña Museum or high up on the Cerro San Bernardo, the summit of which you can reach by cable car.
In the early afternoon, the king's stage begins, on which you will bed like an emperor: in large, comfortable recliners. The night drive to Iguazu is a very long route, as it goes into the subtropical northeast of Argentina. The buses in South America are truly a role model, so sit back and relax and enjoy the ride.
Transport: public bus (9 h), private bus (1 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Customize your trip with our optional modules!
Flight instead of night bus Salta - Iguazú
from 329 EUR in a double room
Flight instead of night bus with a stay in Buenos Aires
from 539 EUR in a double room
Day 17: Posadas - Puerto Iguazu
After a night out in the endless expanse of the Argentine pampas, morning coffee awaits you in the city of Posadas. From the late afternoon you can enjoy the tropical green of Puerto Iguazu and have enough time to relax. When a delicious smell of grill comes in, your typical Asado is ready - probably the most important food in Argentina. Traditional grilled dishes accompanied by a good glass of wine.
Transport: public bus (15 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 18: Puerto Iguazu - Iguazu Falls - Garganta del Diablo - Speedboat Ride (opt.)
If you still need a superlative for the postcards back home: We have 275 waterfalls on offer, nicely arranged over a width of almost three kilometers. Are you there? Great, then after breakfast we head to Iguazu on the Argentine-Brazilian border, and there with our German-speaking guide by train to the best viewpoint of the waterfalls. At the "Garganta del Diablo" the thundering masses of water plunge 80 meters directly in front of you. A gigantic spectacle, roar, spray - and you are right in the middle. Various viewpoints along the footbridges open up varied perspectives on the power of this natural spectacle!
If you feel like a shower, then go on the optional speedboat ride to almost the water masses. In the evening, cozy restaurants await you in Puerto Iguazu, and a dry red wine as a contrast.
Transport: hike (6 h), private bus (1 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 19: Puerto Iguazu - Rio de Janeiro
For the probable (water) case that you did not get enough yesterday: Today we cross the border legally to marvel at the waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Then fix the hairstyle again and off you go to the Samba metropolis of Rio de Janeiro. In the late afternoon, follow our local, English-speaking guide to the hotel and get ready for the beach: Copacabana & Caipirinhas are already waiting.
A buffer is planned for the border formalities to Brazil in the morning. If it is fast, you can still flap after visiting the waterfalls: In the “Parque de Aves” (optional, approx. 13 euros) you will find countless colorful, often rare birds in huge aviaries.
Transport: Hike (3 h), flight (2 h), private bus (3 h)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/-)
Day 20: Rio de Janeiro - City Tour - Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado - Farewell Dinner - Samba Museum (opt.)
Let's go to the City Tour in Rio de Janeiro, over which the Christ statue spreads her hands protectively. Located 710 meters above sea level, Corcovado Mountain offers you the perfect overview before you see a favela artistically from children's eyes in the Morinho social project. Some of the little ones are lucky enough to go to a samba school and dance through the "Sambodromo" at carnival. You will marvel at this street with its huge grandstands on the way to the old town, more precisely to Santa Teresa. A stylish artist and immigrant district with winding streets and nice bars. At the farewell dinner there is plenty to talk about: Which experiences of this trip left the most impression on you?
Transport: private bus (5 hours), hike (3 hours)
Overnight stay Hotel. Overnight Hotel (B/-/D)
Day 21: Transfer to airport in Rio de Janeiro - Flight back to home or stay in Lima
Lima, La Paz, Rio - each metropolis has its own charm, and here on the Atlantic we go one step further with the "Pão de Açúcar": The Sugar Loaf sweetens your farewell with an impressive panorama from a height of 400 meters Guanabara bay. Whether you have extra time afterwards for another stroll through the city or relaxing on the snow-white sandy beach depends on your departure time. In any case, a private transfer will take you from the hotel to the airport. Peru Expeditions Tours team wishes you a good flight home, on which you will also have your dinner. Then we drive together to the airport, where the journey unfortunately ends. Departure return flight to Switzerland, USA, Canada, Europa, etc.
Today's dinner refers to the meal during the flight.
Transport: flight (flight day), private bus (1 h)
Overnight stay flight. Overnight Hotel (B/-/A)
Day 22: Return flight - Arrival home
Go back home - end tour in Peru / South America. Overnight fligh (-/-/-)
Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner
Season: April - September
Difficulty: Moderate
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