South America overland tour
| country: | Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2009: 20 Nov, 27 Nov, 8 Dec, 15 Dec, 18 Dec, 22 Dec, 30 Dec |
| price: | From £1949 (6 weeks) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary. Local payment US $500 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 1 travellers review
"This trip encompasses so much of the adventure and enchantment of South America that it’s impossible to pick out a single highlight. A visit to the mystical Nazca lines and the chance to explore the awesome expanses of the Bolivian salt flats as well as time in a homestay at Lake Titicaca would be some of my top experiences."
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
the amazing things you'll be doing
This 45 day tour is a cross-continental adventure through South America's most fascinating countries: Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.
Explore Colonial Cuzco, follow the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, observe the Pantanal's magnificent wildlife and listen to the deafening roar of Iguassu Falls. Follow the Southern Cross with us and experience the best Latin America has to offer!
Explore Colonial Cuzco, follow the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, observe the Pantanal's magnificent wildlife and listen to the deafening roar of Iguassu Falls. Follow the Southern Cross with us and experience the best Latin America has to offer!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Lima. |
| Day 2: | Pisco. The morning is yours to explore Lima before catching a bus to Pisco, an ocean-side city renowned for its local cocktail, the Pisco Sour, and the diverse Ballestas Islands. Spend a night on the town sampling some Peruvian food and local brews. |
| Day 3-4: | Nazca. We take a bus to Nazca, best known for the mysterious Nazca Lines. An optional flight over the desert offers fantastic views. A tour of a Pre-Incan cemetery, complete with pottery, parched bones and 1500 year-old mummies reveals Nazca as the cradle of the ancient Paracas culture. Night bus to Arequipa. |
| Day 5-7: | Arequipa / Chivay / Colca Canyon. At 2325m (7626 ft) above sea level, Peru's second-largest city Arequipa shows off its colonial past, is surrounded by the Andes mountains and lies in the shadow of El Misti Volcano. The next two days are dedicated to the Colca Canyon area and hopefully spotting soaring Andean Condors. |
| Day 8: | Cuzco. Today we fly to Cuzco, a beautiful city offering fantastic Inca ruins, cobblestone streets steeped in history, museums, churches and a terrific atmosphere. The next day will be spent relaxing and exploring this fascinating city. |
| Day 9: | Ollantaytambo. We travel with our local guide through the Sacred Valley, including the picturesque town and ruins of Ollantaytambo. This quaint pueblo is the ideal jump off point for the hike ahead. |
| Day 10-13: | Trail to Machu Picchu (3B,3L,3D). A morning trip to km 82 begins a once in a lifetime journey on the ancient trail of the Incas. Local porters and guides ensure that the trip is worry-free. Fascinating ruins and spectacular mountain scenery fill every day of the hike. On the final day, climb the steps to Intipunku, the 'Sun Gate', to watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. We return to Cuzco on the afternoon of day 13 by train. |
| Day 14-16: | Cuzco. Relax and explore the sights and sounds of Cuzco. Rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking are all possible options. |
| Day 17: | Puno. We enjoy spectacular views of the countryside on this full day of travel from Cuzco to Puno, through the high Altiplano region. |
| Day 18-19: | Lake Titicaca (B,L,D). We take a boat trip to visit the Uros and Taquile islands, followed by an overnight immersion into Peruvian rural life with a homestay in a small village. |
| Day 20-21: | La Paz. An impressive, scenic journey along the shores of Titicaca to the highest capital city in the world - La Paz, Bolivia. The liveliness and bustle of more than a million Bolivians is sure to impress and provide great memories. |
| Day 22: | Uyuni. Take a full day trip to Uyuni. |
| Day 23-25: | Uyuni / Salt Lakes Excursion (2B,3L,2D). Embark on a journey through the impressive Salar de Uyuni in some of the most isolated and dramatic geography in South America. Spend three days exploring the remote flats by four-wheel-drive vehicles, between piercing blue skies and blinding white salt flats. |
| Day 26: | Potosí. The highest city of its size in the world, UNESCO World Heritage Potosí has had a tumultuous history as a silver mining centre during colonial times. Take an option to descend into a working mine for a close-up look at methods basically unchanged in decades, if not centuries. |
| Day 27-29: | Sucre. Sucre is a lovely, historic town with museums and colonial buildings. The Bolivian seat of government, Sucre, enjoys a milder climate than much of the country. Options here include a visit to see dinosaur tracks! |
| Day 30-31: | Santa Cruz / Puerto Suarez. Fly into Santa Cruz, Bolivia's second largest city, located close to the Cordillera Oriental foothills. We take an overnight train ride to Puerto Suarez, on the border with Brazil. |
| Day 32-33: | Corumbá / Pantanal (2B,2L,2D). We make our way to the immense Pantanal wetlands, famed for its prolific wildlife. A 2–day excursion allows us to marvel at macaws, Jabiru storks, giant otters, caimans and countless other species of fauna that make their homes in this ecological paradise. |
| Day 34-38: | Bonito / Iguassu Falls. Snorkel in crystal clear rivers, or visit caves and waterfalls in Bonito. Cross through the vast cattle ranches of Mato Grosso do Sul en route to magnificent Iguassu Falls. Sit back and soak in the stunning beauty and raw power that is Iguassu, or take a boat tour into the spray of the falls. |
| Day 39-44: | Paraty / Ilha Grande/ Rio de Janeiro. Travel to Paraty and head for Ihla Grande, the island of 100 beaches. Finally, head north to incomparable Rio de Janeiro. Don't forget Copacabana beach! |
| Day 45: | Depart Rio de Janeiro. |
travellers' tales
Iguassu Falls, the Uyuni salt flats and the Inca Trail were the most memorable parts. (more)
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. how this holiday makes a difference
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Through our commitment to responsible tourism, we ensure minimal social and environmental impact in the places we visit by travelling in small groups, using local transportation and staying in locally-owned hotels. We also work with experienced local guides who are knowledgeable of local culture, history, flora and fauna.
This tour offers several opportunities to visit projects supported by the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization developed as a way to give back to the people and places we visit on our tours. House of the People of the Sun – a drop-in center for street kids in Cuzco that offers support programs and workshops to teach the children valuable life skills. Inka Porter Project (IPP) – strives to improve the lives and working conditions of porters in Peru. Through IPP you may have the opportunity to visit a porter community and learn more about how IPP are working to improve the lives of the porters we work with. Hogar Sucre – is a home for over 50 orphaned children in Sucre, Bolivia. Children are provided with food, shelter, education, healthcare and workshops that develop workmanship skills. A visit to this project will allow you to spend time with the children and learn more about their programs. |
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. |