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Conquistador, overland South America

country:Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru
departures:2008: 14 Dec
2009: 4 Jan, 25 Jan, 15 Feb, 8 Mar, 29 Mar, 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 Jun, 28 Jun, 12 Jul, 26 Jul, 9 Aug, 23 Aug, 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 4 Oct, 25 Oct, 15 Nov, 6 Dec, 27 Dec
2010: 17 Jan, 7 Feb, 28 Feb, 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr
price:From £1345 (35 days) excluding flights. Local payment US$500 and domestic flights £69. We can arrange flights from the UK
offers:Early Bird Special - 10% Off bookings made before 1 December 2008, for travel by 31 March 2009.
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
This is the ultimate overland journey - a trip that gives you the very best that South America has to offer. This is also an adventure that will stay in your mind long after you've returned home. Starting in Quito, second of the Inca capitals, we head eastward for a brief excursion into the great Amazon River basin. After spending time in the Andes, we descend into the Sechura Desert on our way to Lima. Continuing our journey in Peru, we stop in Nazca and Arequipa, before arriving at the Inca heartland of Cusco. We explore this amazing Inca city before taking to the mountains on a trek along Inca trails to Machu Picchu. Next stop is an island homestay on fabled Lake Titicaca before we complete our journey in La Paz, commercial capital of modern Bolivia.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1-2:Quito
Day 3-4:Amazon Jungle
Day 5-6:Banos
Day 7-9:Rio Bamba & Cuenca
Day 10-14:Zorritos Beach, Chiclayo & Huanchaco
Day 15-16:Lima
Day 17:Ballestas Islands & Nazca
Day 18:Nazca
Day 19-22:Arequipa
Day 23:Cusco
Day 24-27:Inca Trail & Machu Picchu
Day 28:Cusco
Day 29:Cusco to Puno
Day 30:Lake Titicaca
Day 31:Puno
Day 32:Puno to Copacabana
Day 33-34:La Paz
Day 35:La Paz
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society
how this holiday makes a difference
 We support Peru’s Challenge, a non-government charity that works to improve the lives of some of the poorest children in Peru by providing health services, education and fresh water. More than 60 children living in poor communities on the outskirts of Cusco and Pisac now benefit from education programs set up by this charity. An added feature are the family 'home-stays', where you enjoy a memorable encounter with the friendly local people and gain an insight into their traditional way of life. This 35-day overland adventure immerses you in the colour, history and rich cultures that make up South America.

This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people.

Cycling on Conquistador overland South AmericaWe are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group.

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