Grand South America

Expedition

EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

Set out on the grandest of South American tours as you discover Lima, the City of the Kings, explore the salt pans of the Sacred Valley and see the mysterious Machu Picchu up close, with an expert-led tour of the lost city before it opens to the crowds. Cruise Lake Titicaca to the Uros Floating Islands, where locals collect reeds to create their floating homes and pause in the Casablanca Valley for a wine tasting at the boutique Kingston Family Winery. In Buenos Aires, take in the balcony made famous by the former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Peron, and adventure onwards to the thundering cascades of Iguassu Falls. Across the Brazilian border in Rio de Janeiro, dial down the pace with cocktails on Copacabana Beach and an authentic lunch at a local churrascaria, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse and quintessential Brazilian experience.

highlights

Dining Summary

13 Dinner (D)
22 Breakfast (B)
13 Lunch (L)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Lima: Take a guided visit of the Monastery and its catacombs.
Lima: Visit the historic Torre de Tagle Palace and the Central Reserve Bank museum.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Machu Picchu: Visit a working tea plantation.
Machu Picchu: View the world's largest private collection of indigenous orchids around your hotel surrounded by the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Embark on a twilight nature walk where your guide will point out medicinal plants, sacred Pre-Inca pictographs, and an enchanting waterfall in the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Seize the opportunity to return to Machu Picchu a second time on this Personalize Your Day option. After exploring the ancient Inca citadel with your Local Expert earlier in the day, you can personalize your experience and create and savor your own moment at this enigmatic fortress.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Cusco: Visit the ruins of Tambo Machay and enjoy a leisurely 3.7 mile (6 km) downhill walk back to Cusco as you pass the ruins of Puca Pucara and Quenguo.
Cusco: Return to Cusco by vehicle and visit San Blas church and the surroundings of this fascinating artsy neighborhood of Cusco. After San Blas, continue to San Pedro market for some local shopping and insight into Peruvian produce.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Santiago: Enjoy a Chilean seafood lunch with Wine. Mestizo Restaurante has incorporated aspects of international gastronomy to Chilean cuisine to create delicious ceviches, main dishes and desserts.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Buenos Aires: Meet the local gauchos and learn about the traditions of these South American Cowboys on a horseback ride.
Buenos Aires: Explore the beautiful ranch on a leisurely walk, learning all about the gaucho lifestyle.

Additional Included Highlights

You will be escorted by one of our fine Travel Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests.
At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling, with prompt delivery inside your room.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
Complimentary airport transfers are included on start and end dates and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travelers that arrive on the same flight. Complimentary, private train station transfers are included when train travel is included within the itinerary. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city of the itinerary, may be requested but are not guaranteed.

Exceptional Dining

Lima: You can relax before meeting your Travel Concierge at 18.00 for a Welcome Dinner where local flavors and contemporary culinary techniques highlight the pillars of Peruvian cuisine.
Lima: Enjoy a fantastic seafood restaurant in the trendy neighborhood of Barranco in Lima. This restaurant offers Peruvian classics in a great outdoor ambiance underneath the lush trees.
Sacred Valley: Experience a caja china lunch, a popular way to create a delicious meal in Peru, cooked in a wooden box.
Machu Picchu: Enjoy lunch at Café Inkaterra, located between the Machu Picchu train tracks and surrounded by lush forest.
Machu Picchu: Savor traditional Andean cuisine at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
Cusco: Dine at MAP restaurant, one of the city's most prominent restaurants, situated on the lively, modern patio of the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art.
Lake Titicaca: Sit down with community members for a farm-to-table lunch featuring ingredients grown on the island before exploring the terraced hillsides and viewing the skillfully made crafts the inhabitants are known for.
Lima: Savor a creative array of seasonal dishes created by chef Arlette Eulert at Matria. This Peruvian restaurant boasts organic ingredients that change according to the season.
Santiago: Enjoy a Chilean seafood lunch with Wine. Mestizo Restaurante has incorporated aspects of international gastronomy to Chilean cuisine to create delicious ceviches, main dishes and desserts.
Head to Fogón Asado, opening exclusively for Luxury Gold this evening. Indulge at a restaurant that presents a new way of living the traditional Argentine 'asado'. During this experience, see, feel and taste the unique grilling techniques. Sip on a welcome cocktail and meet the chef. Start an exquisite 6-course tasting menu that includes the best cuts of meat, fire-roasted seasonal vegetables, traditional recipes, and much more that brings 'asado' to new heights.
Buenos Aires: Savor a delicious meal, and enjoy fabulous live music, solo singers and a breathtaking display of authentic tango at Rojo Tango.
Get a taste of gaucho life with a delicious asado Highlight Lunch.
Iguassu Falls: Enjoy dinner with wine surrounded by a subtropical forest at Ipe Grill where you'll choose from a selection of traditional Brazilian barbecue or international cuisine.
Rio de Janeiro: Enjoy an authentic lunch at a local churrascaria, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse. Here, servers come to your table with knives and skewers of delectable cuts of meat. A quintessential Brazilian experience.
Rio de Janeiro: Your Farewell Celebration Dinner is served at the French-Brazilian E'toile Restaurant. Enjoy breathtaking views of the ocean from the 26th floor as you toast to your journey.

Founder's Collection

Lima: If you are traveling on a Founder's Collection departure you will meet Dr. Canseco – a local politician who comes from a long lineage of Peruvian politicians and has started his own party in Peru. Visit his beautiful home for lunch and hear about his family's history and his own successful career.

Journey Highlights

Sacred Valley: Learn from locals about the process of salt mining.The cascading salt terraces along this scenic canyon have been harvested using an evaporation technique since the times of the Incas and has been passed down by local families, who still harvest salt from it today to sell to the local market.
Sacred Valley: A local shaman will perform a welcoming ceremony to the Sacred Valley and the mystical Andes Mountains that surround it.
Ollantaytambo: Join a local expert and visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo. See the magnificent views of the ruins on the side of the cliffs above the Urubamba river.
Machu Picchu: Experience Machu Picchu with a Local Expert. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
Sacred Valley: Travel back to the Sacred Valley by train, offering you great views with panoramic windows and an outdoor observation carriage.
Visit the village of Lamay for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experience with the locals. First stop at the guinea pig sheds to learn more about the animals and how this traditional activity evolved into a business opportunity in Lamay. Your immersive visit is organized by “La Base Lamay,” an initiative that involves locals from the village and nearby communities in tourism activities to generate fair and higher income. At a traditional chichería bar frequented by locals, learn about making “chicha de jora” (a traditional corn beer) and taste a healthy snack, called “picante”.
Cusco: Join your Local Expert for a visit to the ruins of Sacsayhuman, on of the most important Incan sites and a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. You'll also visit Korikancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun, and the beautiful colonial neighborhood of San Blas and the magnificent Cathedral at Plaza de Armas which took 100 years to complete.
Puno: Enjoy a picnic lunch on the shores of Lake Umayo before visiting the archeological site of Sillustani. Explore the stone burial towers 'chullpas' that have dotted the shores since pre-Inca times.
Lake Titicaca: Visit the Uros Floating Islands to learn about the lifestyle and customs of the local people and enjoy lunch with this community that bundles reeds from the lake to build floating platforms, houses and canoes.
Santiago: Meet a Local Expert for an in-depth city exploration. Start out at the heart of the city, seeing the Chilean University, San Francisco Church and the Santa Lucia Hill. Then visit the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral. Cross the Mapocho river to the bohemian Bellavista district on the way to San Cristobal Hill, where you will have the best views of Santiago and the Andes Mountains.
Santiago: Visit Kingston Family Winery, a small boutique winery located in Casablanca Valley for an introduction to and tasting of their exquisite wines.
Valparaiso: From Santiago, head west towards Valparaíso. Pass by the main square where you can see the monument honoring the 1879 Naval Battle of Iquique. Declared a World Heritage by UNESCO, Valparaíso offers unique ocean landscapes with colorful neighborhoods, picturesque cobblestone streets, and old cable cars.
Buenos Aires: Take a tour of this historical and prestigious opera house and explore the Main Hall, Foyer, Bustos Gallery and the Golden Hall.
Iguassu Falls: Head to the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls and view the unfathomable Devil's Throat.
Iguassu Falls: Join a local expert for a spectacular walk past thundering curtains of water and misty rainbows on the Brazilian side of the falls. Explore the base of the falls and see the impressive panoramic view of San Martin Island.
Iguassu Falls: See several native birds in their natural habitat. One of the largest bird parks in Latin America, The Bird Park is an integrated conservation center for birds of the Atlantic Forest and his home to 120 species of birds.
Rio de Janeiro: Experience sightseeing with a Local Expert and a cable car journey to the lofty heights of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Rio de Janeiro: Visit this beautiful library that was built in the heart of Rio by the Portuguese monarchy.
Rio de Janeiro: Visit the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, one of the most important cultural centers in the country. Admire the Art Deco design by Francisco Joaquim Bethencourt da Silva.
Rio de Janeiro: Take a train ride up Corcovado Hill through the Tijuca National Forest to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer and magnificent views over the legendary bay.

Luxury Hotels

Machu Picchu: This enchanting Andean village hotel is located within 12.3 acres of pristine cloud forest. The spectacular grounds are laced with paths that wind past waterfalls and trails, and organic gardens that wander through the misty forest. A place to relax, while exploring nature and encountering the wonders of the Incan civilization, experiencing authentic travel.
Dating back nearly five centuries, the storied mansion of the Palacio del Inka stands in the historic center of Cusco. Directly across from the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), it is a five-minute walk from the main square and less than a mile from an array of museums, markets and restaurants. Uniting the past and present, Andes Spirit Spa presents indigenous treatments and an indoor therapy pool. Meanwhile, Inti Raymi Restaurant offers authentic Peruvian dishes.
Iguassu Falls: Step through the doors into a world of understated luxury. The luxurious Belmond das Cataratas is the only hotel inside the National Park and sits alongside the falls. Soak up the jungle chorus while you float in the pool, stroll gardens bejewelled with orchids and sip caipirinhas as the sun goes down. Embark on the ultimate adventure at South America's first and only Forbes Five Star hotel, and you’ll never want to leave.

Personalize your day

Lima: Take a guided visit of the Monastery and its catacombs.
Lima: Visit the historic Torre de Tagle Palace and the Central Reserve Bank museum.
Machu Picchu: Visit a working tea plantation.
Machu Picchu: View the world's largest private collection of indigenous orchids around your hotel surrounded by the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Embark on a twilight nature walk where your guide will point out medicinal plants, sacred Pre-Inca pictographs, and an enchanting waterfall in the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Seize the opportunity to return to Machu Picchu a second time on this Personalize Your Day option. After exploring the ancient Inca citadel with your Local Expert earlier in the day, you can personalize your experience and create and savor your own moment at this enigmatic fortress.
Cusco: Visit the ruins of Tambo Machay and enjoy a leisurely 3.7 mile (6 km) downhill walk back to Cusco as you pass the ruins of Puca Pucara and Quenguo.
Cusco: Return to Cusco by vehicle and visit San Blas church and the surroundings of this fascinating artsy neighborhood of Cusco. After San Blas, continue to San Pedro market for some local shopping and insight into Peruvian produce.
Buenos Aires: Meet the local gauchos and learn about the traditions of these South American Cowboys on a horseback ride.
Buenos Aires: Explore the beautiful ranch on a leisurely walk, learning all about the gaucho lifestyle.

VIP Experiences

Lima: Visit the home of local artist Victor Delfin, known for his monumental El Beso sculpture at his workshop in the city's trendy Barranco district.
Cusco: Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, a Quechua scholar, director of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. Learn about her mission to preserve traditional weaving techniques.
Cusco: Savor a Pachamanca feast in the Sacred valley. This traditional way to slow cook local vegetables and meats using hot stones and clay pots underground is a communal rite in the Sacred Valley that dates back to pre-historic times. It is a way to celebrate and show gratitude to Pachamama, "Mother Earth".
Lake Titicaca: Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience a you as you meet a local family on Amantani Island. Home to about 4,000 inhabitants, you'll discover how the traditions and language of the Inca culture are being kept alive on this remote location not commonly visited by tourists.
Ipanema: Meet Local Expert Cecelo, a local guitarist, music aficionado, and studio owner from Ipanema. Join him on a walking tour of Ipanema, the birthplace of Bossa Nova in the 1950s. Enjoy the sounds and sights of the place that inspired this new genre of samba music. After your tour, head back to your hotel where Cecelo will play you some Bossa Nova classics over a caipirinha cocktail.

Well-being

Your Well-Being Director takes a proactive approach to your welfare ensuring all well-being regulations are met. On tours fewer than 15 guests, your Travel Concierge will act as your Well-Being Director.
Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Concierges, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Highlights

Dining Summary

13 Dinner (D)
22 Breakfast (B)
13 Lunch (L)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Lima: Take a guided visit of the Monastery and its catacombs.
Lima: Visit the historic Torre de Tagle Palace and the Central Reserve Bank museum.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Machu Picchu: Visit a working tea plantation.
Machu Picchu: View the world's largest private collection of indigenous orchids around your hotel surrounded by the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Embark on a twilight nature walk where your guide will point out medicinal plants, sacred Pre-Inca pictographs, and an enchanting waterfall in the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Seize the opportunity to return to Machu Picchu a second time on this Personalize Your Day option. After exploring the ancient Inca citadel with your Local Expert earlier in the day, you can personalize your experience and create and savor your own moment at this enigmatic fortress.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Cusco: Visit the ruins of Tambo Machay and enjoy a leisurely 3.7 mile (6 km) downhill walk back to Cusco as you pass the ruins of Puca Pucara and Quenguo.
Cusco: Return to Cusco by vehicle and visit San Blas church and the surroundings of this fascinating artsy neighborhood of Cusco. After San Blas, continue to San Pedro market for some local shopping and insight into Peruvian produce.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Santiago: Enjoy a Chilean seafood lunch with Wine. Mestizo Restaurante has incorporated aspects of international gastronomy to Chilean cuisine to create delicious ceviches, main dishes and desserts.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Buenos Aires: Meet the local gauchos and learn about the traditions of these South American Cowboys on a horseback ride.
Buenos Aires: Explore the beautiful ranch on a leisurely walk, learning all about the gaucho lifestyle.

Additional Included Highlights

You will be escorted by one of our fine Travel Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests.
At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling, with prompt delivery inside your room.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
Complimentary airport transfers are included on start and end dates and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travelers that arrive on the same flight. Complimentary, private train station transfers are included when train travel is included within the itinerary. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city of the itinerary, may be requested but are not guaranteed.

Exceptional Dining

Lima: You can relax before meeting your Travel Concierge at 18.00 for a Welcome Dinner where local flavors and contemporary culinary techniques highlight the pillars of Peruvian cuisine.
Lima: Enjoy a fantastic seafood restaurant in the trendy neighborhood of Barranco in Lima. This restaurant offers Peruvian classics in a great outdoor ambiance underneath the lush trees.
Sacred Valley: Experience a caja china lunch, a popular way to create a delicious meal in Peru, cooked in a wooden box.
Machu Picchu: Enjoy lunch at Café Inkaterra, located between the Machu Picchu train tracks and surrounded by lush forest.
Machu Picchu: Savor traditional Andean cuisine at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
Cusco: Dine at MAP restaurant, one of the city's most prominent restaurants, situated on the lively, modern patio of the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art.
Lake Titicaca: Sit down with community members for a farm-to-table lunch featuring ingredients grown on the island before exploring the terraced hillsides and viewing the skillfully made crafts the inhabitants are known for.
Lima: Savor a creative array of seasonal dishes created by chef Arlette Eulert at Matria. This Peruvian restaurant boasts organic ingredients that change according to the season.
Santiago: Enjoy a Chilean seafood lunch with Wine. Mestizo Restaurante has incorporated aspects of international gastronomy to Chilean cuisine to create delicious ceviches, main dishes and desserts.
Head to Fogón Asado, opening exclusively for Luxury Gold this evening. Indulge at a restaurant that presents a new way of living the traditional Argentine 'asado'. During this experience, see, feel and taste the unique grilling techniques. Sip on a welcome cocktail and meet the chef. Start an exquisite 6-course tasting menu that includes the best cuts of meat, fire-roasted seasonal vegetables, traditional recipes, and much more that brings 'asado' to new heights.
Buenos Aires: Savor a delicious meal, and enjoy fabulous live music, solo singers and a breathtaking display of authentic tango at Rojo Tango.
Get a taste of gaucho life with a delicious asado Highlight Lunch.
Iguassu Falls: Enjoy dinner with wine surrounded by a subtropical forest at Ipe Grill where you'll choose from a selection of traditional Brazilian barbecue or international cuisine.
Rio de Janeiro: Enjoy an authentic lunch at a local churrascaria, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse. Here, servers come to your table with knives and skewers of delectable cuts of meat. A quintessential Brazilian experience.
Rio de Janeiro: Your Farewell Celebration Dinner is served at the French-Brazilian E'toile Restaurant. Enjoy breathtaking views of the ocean from the 26th floor as you toast to your journey.

Founder's Collection

Lima: If you are traveling on a Founder's Collection departure you will meet Dr. Canseco – a local politician who comes from a long lineage of Peruvian politicians and has started his own party in Peru. Visit his beautiful home for lunch and hear about his family's history and his own successful career.

Journey Highlights

Sacred Valley: Learn from locals about the process of salt mining.The cascading salt terraces along this scenic canyon have been harvested using an evaporation technique since the times of the Incas and has been passed down by local families, who still harvest salt from it today to sell to the local market.
Sacred Valley: A local shaman will perform a welcoming ceremony to the Sacred Valley and the mystical Andes Mountains that surround it.
Ollantaytambo: Join a local expert and visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo. See the magnificent views of the ruins on the side of the cliffs above the Urubamba river.
Machu Picchu: Experience Machu Picchu with a Local Expert. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
Sacred Valley: Travel back to the Sacred Valley by train, offering you great views with panoramic windows and an outdoor observation carriage.
Visit the village of Lamay for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experience with the locals. First stop at the guinea pig sheds to learn more about the animals and how this traditional activity evolved into a business opportunity in Lamay. Your immersive visit is organized by “La Base Lamay,” an initiative that involves locals from the village and nearby communities in tourism activities to generate fair and higher income. At a traditional chichería bar frequented by locals, learn about making “chicha de jora” (a traditional corn beer) and taste a healthy snack, called “picante”.
Cusco: Join your Local Expert for a visit to the ruins of Sacsayhuman, on of the most important Incan sites and a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. You'll also visit Korikancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun, and the beautiful colonial neighborhood of San Blas and the magnificent Cathedral at Plaza de Armas which took 100 years to complete.
Puno: Enjoy a picnic lunch on the shores of Lake Umayo before visiting the archeological site of Sillustani. Explore the stone burial towers 'chullpas' that have dotted the shores since pre-Inca times.
Lake Titicaca: Visit the Uros Floating Islands to learn about the lifestyle and customs of the local people and enjoy lunch with this community that bundles reeds from the lake to build floating platforms, houses and canoes.
Santiago: Meet a Local Expert for an in-depth city exploration. Start out at the heart of the city, seeing the Chilean University, San Francisco Church and the Santa Lucia Hill. Then visit the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral. Cross the Mapocho river to the bohemian Bellavista district on the way to San Cristobal Hill, where you will have the best views of Santiago and the Andes Mountains.
Santiago: Visit Kingston Family Winery, a small boutique winery located in Casablanca Valley for an introduction to and tasting of their exquisite wines.
Valparaiso: From Santiago, head west towards Valparaíso. Pass by the main square where you can see the monument honoring the 1879 Naval Battle of Iquique. Declared a World Heritage by UNESCO, Valparaíso offers unique ocean landscapes with colorful neighborhoods, picturesque cobblestone streets, and old cable cars.
Buenos Aires: Take a tour of this historical and prestigious opera house and explore the Main Hall, Foyer, Bustos Gallery and the Golden Hall.
Iguassu Falls: Head to the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls and view the unfathomable Devil's Throat.
Iguassu Falls: Join a local expert for a spectacular walk past thundering curtains of water and misty rainbows on the Brazilian side of the falls. Explore the base of the falls and see the impressive panoramic view of San Martin Island.
Iguassu Falls: See several native birds in their natural habitat. One of the largest bird parks in Latin America, The Bird Park is an integrated conservation center for birds of the Atlantic Forest and his home to 120 species of birds.
Rio de Janeiro: Experience sightseeing with a Local Expert and a cable car journey to the lofty heights of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Rio de Janeiro: Visit this beautiful library that was built in the heart of Rio by the Portuguese monarchy.
Rio de Janeiro: Visit the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, one of the most important cultural centers in the country. Admire the Art Deco design by Francisco Joaquim Bethencourt da Silva.
Rio de Janeiro: Take a train ride up Corcovado Hill through the Tijuca National Forest to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer and magnificent views over the legendary bay.

Luxury Hotels

Machu Picchu: This enchanting Andean village hotel is located within 12.3 acres of pristine cloud forest. The spectacular grounds are laced with paths that wind past waterfalls and trails, and organic gardens that wander through the misty forest. A place to relax, while exploring nature and encountering the wonders of the Incan civilization, experiencing authentic travel.
Dating back nearly five centuries, the storied mansion of the Palacio del Inka stands in the historic center of Cusco. Directly across from the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), it is a five-minute walk from the main square and less than a mile from an array of museums, markets and restaurants. Uniting the past and present, Andes Spirit Spa presents indigenous treatments and an indoor therapy pool. Meanwhile, Inti Raymi Restaurant offers authentic Peruvian dishes.
Iguassu Falls: Step through the doors into a world of understated luxury. The luxurious Belmond das Cataratas is the only hotel inside the National Park and sits alongside the falls. Soak up the jungle chorus while you float in the pool, stroll gardens bejewelled with orchids and sip caipirinhas as the sun goes down. Embark on the ultimate adventure at South America's first and only Forbes Five Star hotel, and you’ll never want to leave.

Personalize your day

Lima: Take a guided visit of the Monastery and its catacombs.
Lima: Visit the historic Torre de Tagle Palace and the Central Reserve Bank museum.
Machu Picchu: Visit a working tea plantation.
Machu Picchu: View the world's largest private collection of indigenous orchids around your hotel surrounded by the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Embark on a twilight nature walk where your guide will point out medicinal plants, sacred Pre-Inca pictographs, and an enchanting waterfall in the Cloud Forest.
Machu Picchu: Seize the opportunity to return to Machu Picchu a second time on this Personalize Your Day option. After exploring the ancient Inca citadel with your Local Expert earlier in the day, you can personalize your experience and create and savor your own moment at this enigmatic fortress.
Cusco: Visit the ruins of Tambo Machay and enjoy a leisurely 3.7 mile (6 km) downhill walk back to Cusco as you pass the ruins of Puca Pucara and Quenguo.
Cusco: Return to Cusco by vehicle and visit San Blas church and the surroundings of this fascinating artsy neighborhood of Cusco. After San Blas, continue to San Pedro market for some local shopping and insight into Peruvian produce.
Buenos Aires: Meet the local gauchos and learn about the traditions of these South American Cowboys on a horseback ride.
Buenos Aires: Explore the beautiful ranch on a leisurely walk, learning all about the gaucho lifestyle.

VIP Experiences

Lima: Visit the home of local artist Victor Delfin, known for his monumental El Beso sculpture at his workshop in the city's trendy Barranco district.
Cusco: Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, a Quechua scholar, director of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. Learn about her mission to preserve traditional weaving techniques.
Cusco: Savor a Pachamanca feast in the Sacred valley. This traditional way to slow cook local vegetables and meats using hot stones and clay pots underground is a communal rite in the Sacred Valley that dates back to pre-historic times. It is a way to celebrate and show gratitude to Pachamama, "Mother Earth".
Lake Titicaca: Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience a you as you meet a local family on Amantani Island. Home to about 4,000 inhabitants, you'll discover how the traditions and language of the Inca culture are being kept alive on this remote location not commonly visited by tourists.
Ipanema: Meet Local Expert Cecelo, a local guitarist, music aficionado, and studio owner from Ipanema. Join him on a walking tour of Ipanema, the birthplace of Bossa Nova in the 1950s. Enjoy the sounds and sights of the place that inspired this new genre of samba music. After your tour, head back to your hotel where Cecelo will play you some Bossa Nova classics over a caipirinha cocktail.

Well-being

Your Well-Being Director takes a proactive approach to your welfare ensuring all well-being regulations are met. On tours fewer than 15 guests, your Travel Concierge will act as your Well-Being Director.
Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Concierges, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Trip details

Trip Type: Group Tour

Comfort: Deluxe

Travel Styles: Family, 55+, Luxury

Starts: Lima, Peru

Finishes: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Duration: 23 days

ITINERARY

1Day 1: Arrive in Lima, Peru

Journey by private transfer to the JW Marriott Hotel Lima where your ocean view room waits. Tonight, savor the culinary art of chef Jaime Pesaque at SAPIENS to begin your Peru luxury tour.

Accommodation: JW Marriott Hotel, Lima (Ocean View Room).
Meals: Dinner

2Day 2: Lima, City of the Kings

Discover Lima’s top sites including the Cathedral, Government Palace, Archbishop`s Palace and the City Hall. Enhance your tour and choose to visit the San Francisco Monastery and its catacombs or the Historic Torre de Tagle Palace and the Central Reserve Bank Museum. Afterwards, step inside the historic Casa Aliaga, one of the oldest houses in Lima and in the Aliaga family since 17 generations. A fresh seafood lunch awaits before visiting Barranco, the bohemian heart of Lima where many of the country's foremost artists, musicians, photographers and designers live and work. Pause at the Bridge of Sighs which has inspired poets and songwriters before you’re treated to an exclusive VIP visit to the home and workshop of renowned Peruvian sculptor and painter, Victor Delfin.

Accommodation: JW Marriott Hotel, Lima (Ocean View Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3Day 3: On to the Sacred Valley

Quechua scholar Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez shares the history and culture of traditional Peruvian Cusqueñan textile weavers at the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

Accommodation: Tambo del Inka, Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4Day 4: Exploring the Sacred Valley Relaxed Start

A local salt miner shares ancient salt mining techniques, passed down through generations. Uncover more of Peru’s past dining on a caja china lunch before a local shaman welcomes you to the Sacred Valley at a traditional blessing ceremony.

Accommodation: Tambo del Inka, Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

5Day 5: Journey to Machu Picchu

Board the panoramic Vistadome train for your journey to Machu Picchu, pausing for lunch above the Vilcanota River followed by a guided walk through the lush and enchanting cloud forest. Learn the art of tea making at a working tea plantation or view the world’s largest private collection of indigenous orchids.

Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (Superior Deluxe Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

6Day 6: Mysterious Machu Picchu

Arriving at the enigmatic Machu Picchu, your Local Expert paints a picture of Incan history on the Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza and the Intihuatana. Feast on an Andean lunch, then soak in grand views of Machu Picchu or return to the Pueblo for a twilight nature walk showcasing sacred Pre-Inca pictographs.

Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (Superior Deluxe Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

7Day 7: Return to Cusco Relaxed Start

A traditional Pachamanca feast of Peruvian cuisine cooked underground will transport you back to pre-historic times. Get up close to the local wildlife and bask in views from San Cristobal before checking in to your five-centuries-old mansion in Cusco.

Accommodation: Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Suite with oxygen).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

8Day 8: Historical Cusco Relaxed Start

Step into the past at Cusco’s ruins of Sacsayhuman. Then, curate your day: Return to Cusco and visit San Blas church and the surroundings of this fascinating arty neighborhood of Cusco. After San Blas, continue to San Pedro market for some local shopping and insight in Peruvian produce. Or, ascend the ancient hilltop to the furthest ruin, Tambo Machay. From here walk around 6km / 3.7miles, passing Puca Pucara and Qenquo ruin sites on a beautiful walk downhill back to Cusco. You will end up in the San Blas district.

Accommodation: Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Suite with oxygen).
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

9Day 9: Lake Region of Peru

Take your time in the sacred burial grounds of Sillustani. Reach Puno, for your stay GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca on the private island of Esteves, where you are treated to a lakeside sunset.

Accommodation: GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca, Puno.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

10Day 10: The Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca

A private cruise of Lake Titicaca with your Local Expert showcases the incredible man-made Uros Floating Islands made entirely of reeds. On Amantani Island, join a local family for a farm-to-table lunch and stroll among the ancient ruins and terraced hillsides offering views across the water.

Accommodation: GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca, Puno.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

11Day 11: Puno, Back to Lima

Return to Lima for your stay at the JW Marriott Hotel Lima in the vibrant Miraflores District. Savor a sensational dinner at Matria, where chef Arlette Eulert Checa intrigues and delights with creative seasonal dishes.

Accommodation: JW Marriott Hotel, Lima (Ocean View Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

12Day 12: Fly to Santiago

Bid farewell to Limabound for Santiago, Chile's capital and largest city, arriving at The Singular Santiago Lastarria Hotel. Sip on a cocktail at the ninth floor Sky Bar or soak in views from the elevated terrace, the Parque Forestal, before a dinner of Chilean specialties.

Accommodation: The Singular Santiago Lastarria Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

13Day 13: The Sights of Santiago

Discover the sites of Santiago from San Francisco Church and the Santa Lucia Hill to the bustling Plaza de Armas, Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral and San Cristóbal Hill to indulge in 360-degree views of the city. Enjoy a local Chilean seafood lunch

Accommodation: The Singular Santiago Lastarria Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

14Day 14: Valparaiso and Wine Country

Savor the best of Chilean wine country at the coastal towns of Viña del Mar, “Garden City,” and UNESCO-listed port of Valparaíso. Relish seaside breezes over lunchand treat your palate to Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and one of the best-rated Pinot Noirs in Chile paired with a traditional empanadas at Kingston Family Vineyard.

Accommodation: The Singular Santiago Lastarria Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

15Day 15: Fly to Buenos Aires

After your morning flight to Buenos Aires an eight-course dining experience at El Fogon Asado awaits before a luxurious stay at Alvear Palace Hotel in the stylish neighborhood of La Recoleta.

Accommodation: Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires (Palace Premier Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

16Day 16: Beautiful Buenos Aires

Your Local Expert guides you through Buenos Aires’ Palermo, San Telmo and Recoleta neighborhoods and shows off the iconic balcony made famous by Eva Peron. Take in the grand architecture of the Belle Époque Teatro Colón opera house before an evening of captivating music and dance at Rojo Tango.

Accommodation: Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires (Palace Premier Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

17Day 17: Pampas, Estancias and Gauchos

Delve into the world of “gauchos,” South American cowboys, visiting a traditional “estancia” ranch enjoying a guided horseback ride, gaining insight into the traditions or joining a guided tour for a window into life on a working ranch. Conclude the day entertained by a show of horsemanship skills and folk music paired with a succulent asado lunch and traditional mate tea.

Accommodation: Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires (Palace Premier Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

18Day 18: The Falls of Iguassu

Experience nature’s grandeur at the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls with your Local Expert where winding catwalks lure you to the rushing waters of Devil's Throat’s waterfall. Your luxurious resort – the only one inside the Brazilian Iguassu National Park – is a welcome respite.

Accommodation: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, Iguassu (Superior Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

19Day 19: The 'Great Waters' of Iguassu Falls

A Local Expert shows off the Brazilian side of the falls showcasing panoramic views of San Martin Island and rushing waterfalls. Visit the fascinating Bird Park that provides a shelter to many of South America’s birds, reptiles and butterflies.

Accommodation: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, Iguassu (Superior Room).
Meals: Breakfast

20Day 20: Rio de Janeiro, City of Sea and Samba

Jet off to Rio de Janeiro, the 'Marvelous city,' where your ocean view room in one of South America’s most iconic hotels awaits. The golden sands of iconic Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach are just steps away.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

21Day 21: Exploring Rio de Janeiro

Reach the great heights Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car for unparalleled views of the city’s peaks, bays and beaches. Dine like the locals at a classic Brazilian steakhouse before visiting the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil and Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading.

Accommodation: Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro (Deluxe Ocean View Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

22Day 22: A Farewell to Rio de Janeiro

Take a stunning train ride to the top of Corcovado Hill’s Christ the Redeemer statue and learn the history behind Bossa Nova on an exclusive walk with local guitarist, music aficionado and studio owner Cecelo Frony. Celebrate your grand journey with an unforgettable meal at the French-Brazilian restaurant l E'toile.

Accommodation: Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro (Deluxe Ocean View Room).
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

23Day 23: Depart Rio de Janeiro Departure Flight

After one last decadent breakfast of your Lima to Rio de Janeiro luxury tours, your private transfer will take you to the Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport.

Meals: Breakfast

WHAT’S INCLUDED

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Luxury Gold

In Business Since 1978

A world of immersive journeys awaits you, each with VIP experiences, exceptional dining, magnificent hotels and a Travelling Concierge who’s there to tailor everything to your desires.