| country: | Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru |
| departures: | 2009: 27 Dec 2010: 7 Feb, 21 Mar, 18 Apr, 16 May, 13 Jun, 11 Jul, 8 Aug, 5 Sep, 3 Oct, 7 Nov, 12 Dec 2011: 16 Jan, 20 Feb, 20 Mar, 17 Apr, 15 May, 12 Jun |
| price: | From £3895 (47 days) excluding flights. Domestic flights £175. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This is without doubt our most adventurous holiday in South America. It contains all the ingredients for a fantastic holiday and by the time we arrive at the sandy beaches of Rio, we can be sure that we will have experienced all the major highlights of this vast continent. Our adventure starts in Quito, Ecuador, and we travel across to the Amazon jungle, before turning southwards to the dry Sechura Desert of Peru that lies sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range. Further south we explore Lima then head eastwards to Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire. We 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 on the list are the colonial towns of Potosi, Sucre and Santa Cruz, before we reach the Brazilian frontier at Corumba. After visiting the Pantanal, one of South America's most famous wildlife areas, we turn south to the Iguazu Falls and the Atlantic rainforests of the eastern seaboard. Finally we arrive at the spectacular beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema in fabled Rio de Janeiro.
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 17-18: | Cusco |
| Day 19-23: | Inca Trail - Cusco |
| Day 24-26: | Puno - Lake Titicaca |
| Day 27: | La Paz |
| Day 28-29: | La Paz |
| Day 30-32: | Potosi - Sucre |
| Day 33-34: | Santa Cruz |
| Day 35-36: | Pantanal |
| Day 37-38: | Bonito - Dourados |
| Day 39-40: | Iguazu Falls |
| Day 41: | Atlantic Rainforest |
| Day 42-43: | Paranagua Honey Island |
| Day 44: | Rio de Janeiro |
| Day 45-47: | Rio de Janeiro |
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
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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. In 2009, we aim to neutralise all major emissions created by our trips, so that they can be offered as the best green alternative available. This means all greenhouse gases emitted by transport and accommodation during all of our trips will be balanced by an Australian-based ‘profit for purpose’ company that invests all funds into renewable energy and will invest in projects aimed at ‘neutralising’ your contribution to greenhouse gases. 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. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |








