South America

country:	Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay
departures:	2008: 21 Sep, 2 Nov, 14 Dec 2009: 4 Jan, 25 Jan, 8 Mar, 19 Apr
price:	From £2450 (7 weeks) excluding flights. Domestic flights from £106. Local payment US $550. We can arrange flights from the UK

Overland holidays

South America holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

This is without doubt one of the most adventurous holidays in South America. It contains all the ingredients for a fantastic holiday and by the time you arrive at the sandy beaches of Rio, you can be sure that you will have experienced all the major highlights of this vast continent.

Your adventure starts in Quito, Ecuador, and travels across to the Amazon jungle and then turns southward into the dry Sechura Desert of Peru that lies sandwiched between the Pacific and the Andes mountain range. Further south we explore Lima before we head eastward to Cusco, heart of the Inca Empire. You’ll hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and stay with an Indian family on Lake Titicaca before arriving in the Bolivian capital of La Paz. Next are the colonial towns of Potosi, Sucre and Santa Cruz and then it is on to the Brazilian frontier at Corumba.

We visit the Pantanal, one of South America’s most famous aquatic reserves before turning south to the Iguazu Falls and the Atlantic Rainforests of the eastern seaboard. And finally, we arrive at the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema in spectacular Rio de Janeiro.

This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £11 - this does not include your international flight.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1-4:	Quito - Amazon Jungle. Our trip begins in Quito, where the first two days are free to explore one of South America's most beautiful capitals. We then head eastward, deep into the Amazon basin, where we spend two nights in a jungle lodge, our base for discovering the incredible Amazon jungle.
Day 5-9:	Banos - Rio Bamba - Cuenca. Situated in a valley of waterfalls and hotsprings, Banos is a great base for exploring the Ecuadorian outdoors. Banos offers loads of optional activities – horseback riding, trekking, rafting, climbing and mountain biking. We then continue on to the town of Rio Bamba for a night before taking a scenic train journey through the mountains to the colonial town of Cuenca. Here we spend time exploring the centre and there's the option of checking out the Ingapirca Inca ruins.
Day 10-14:	Zorritos Beach - Chiclayo - Trujillo. We leave Ecuador and travel into Peru, staying overnight in the relaxing beachside town of Zorritos and then Chiclayo before arriving at Trujillo for a two-night stay. Trujillo is our base for exploring the massive ruins of Chan Chan, the imperial city of the Chimu Kingdom. There is also time to relax on the surf beach of Huanchaco.
Day 15-18:	Lima - Cusco. Lima, the Peruvian capital, has an impressive colonial centre and the city has loads of museums, galleries and religious buildings waiting to be discovered. The colourful markets selling indigenous handicrafts are also a highlight. We then take a magical flight over the spectacular Andes to arrive at the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. Here we visit the Plaza de Armas, as well as the main cathedral and museum of the city. The great Inca sites of Sacsayhuaman, Quenca and Tambo Machay are also a must see, as is the market town of Pisac, located further into the beautiful Sacred Valley.
Day 19-23:	Trekking the Inca Trail - Cusco. We embark on the incredible Inca Trail trek. This four-day camping trek leads us to the famous ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu. After exploring these fascinating ruins, we take a train back to Cusco and spend a free day relaxing and exploring some more of the city.
Day 24-29:	Puno - Lake Titicaca - La Paz. Taking the valley road across to Puno, we travel through spectacular mountain scenery before arriving at the waters of Lake Titicaca. Here we visit the floating reed islands of the Uros Indians and spend the night at Amantani Island in a simple island home of a local family. After farewelling the family at Lake Titicaca, we head back to Puno and across the border to Bolivia. There's a quick stop in tiny Copacabana to visit the local cathedral to view the Black Madonna before hitting the city of La Paz. This quaint capital with its cobblestone streets has some great sights to explore. A visit to the Witches’ Market is a must!
Day 30-34:	Potosi - Sucre - Santa Cruz. Potosi, once the world's richest silver mine, is our next stop. We visit the Jesuit Tower, the main square and cathedral, and the museum of La Casa de la Moneda before a short drive on to Sucre. Two nights are spent in this pretty Bolivian town before a short flight takes us to Santa Cruz, our last stop in Bolivia. This city's main plaza, cathedral and colonial buildings are all well worth discovering. An overnight train will take us to our fourth and final country, Brazil.
Day 35-38:	Pantanal - Bonito - Dourados. We meet our Brazilian tour leader and head to the wetlands of the Pantanal. There is much to discover – our expert guide will share his extensive knowledge of the region and introduce us to an abundance of birds and other exotic wildlife. A short drive then takes us to Bonito, a beautifully located town amidst forests, caves and rivers. Why not try your hand at rappelling, snorkelling or exploring the caves – there are many optional adventure activities on offer in Bonito. We continue to Dourados for an overnight stay.
Day 39-41:	Iguazu Falls - Atlantic Rainforest. The mighty Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, are without doubt one of the most impressive in the world. After enjoying the falls, we join the Serra Verde Express as it travels through beautiful rainforests, rivers and mountain scenery. We disembark at Marumbi station to start our three-hour trek down the Itupava Colonial Trail to our lodge. There's time to swim, explore the forest or simply relax in this lush setting.
Day 42-43:	Paranagua - Honey Island. From the historical town of Morretes we continue down to the coast to Paranagua. Here we explore the islands and wildlife of Superagui National Park by boat. The idyllic Honey Island is our base for two nights where we can spend time relaxing, swimming, fishing and enjoying the sensational sandy beaches.
Day 44-47:	Rio de Janeiro. Leaving the rainforest behind we join the overnight bus for beautiful Rio, to experience all that this vibrant city has to offer – from sandy beaches, music and samba dance to the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. This city oozes culture and atmosphere. Our epic adventure will come to an end after breakfast on Day 47

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

A 7000km journey through South America from the Ecuadorian capital of Quito to the sandy beaches of Rio de Janeiro. This incredible adventure offers the chance to experience the many and varied cultures of South America and features many outstanding physical sights including the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Jungle, the Peruvian and Bolivian Altiplano, the Brazilian Pantantal and pristine Atlantic Rainforests. We stay in eco friendly jungle lodges and small family run hotels, experience life with a local family on an island in Lake Titicaca, travel by local transport including buses, trains, canoes and taxis. Other highlights include the 4-day walk along Peru's famous Inca trail and a visit to the magnificent Iguazu Falls. This is a journey of discovery that will afford you a greater understanding of the lives of the people of South America.

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.

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.

We 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. 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 time to make your own discoveries. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as gaining an understanding of the respective cultures you visit.

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