Best of South America Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru
TOUR DETAILS South America Tour Price: $9,695 Duration: 21 days Date: March 11-31, 2018 Difficulty: Easy Inclusions All internal flights (while on tour) All accommodations (2-3 star) All meals Transportation throughout tour Airport transfers Machu Picchu entrance fee 2 Patagonian cruises to glaciers All National Park entrance fees Corcovado Mountain entrance fee Sugarloaf Mountain entrance fee Tango show & dinner Personal guide Highlights Machu Picchu, Peru Vistadome Train Ride, Andes Mountains, Peru Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru Cusco, Peru Lima, Peru Iguaçu Falls, Brazil / Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina Tango Show & Dinner, Buenos Aires Train Ride, Corcovado Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Cable Car Ride, Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil San Cristobal Hill Patagonia, Argentina / Chile Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile Exclusions International airfare (to Lima, Peru & from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions Personal items: Laundry, shopping, etc.
South America Tour - 21 Days / 20 Nights Itinerary - DAY ACTIVITY LOCATION - MEALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Arrive: Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM), Lima, Peru Transfer to hotel Miraflores and Pacific coast Tour Lima s Historic District San Francisco Monastery & Catacombs, Plaza Mayor, Lima Cathedral, Government Palace Morning flight to Cusco, The Sacred Valley of the Incas Inca ruins: Saqsaywaman, Rodadero, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, Pisac Overnight: Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley Visit the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo Board the Vistadome train for a ride through the Andes to Aguas Calientes Optional: take a dip in the natural hot springs Overnight: Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley Take an early morning bus ride to Machu Picchu Explore the mystical Inca ruins of the Machu Picchu Citadel Optional: hike to either Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain Overnight: Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley Board the Vistadome train, return to Ollantaytambo Get picked up for a private tour of the Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray, and Chincheros Overnight: Cusco Walking tour of Cusco s most iconic sites: Bascilica, Convent, and Catacombs of San Francisco; Cusco Cathedral Step back into the 15th century while visiting Qorikancha, The Temple of the Sun, known as the most important temple in the Inca Empire Overnight: Cusco Flight to Santiago, Chile (6 hrs) Transfer to hotel Overnight: Santiago, Chile Familiarize yourself with Chilean culture on a city tour of Santiago: La Moneda Presidential Palace; Paseo Ahumada pedestrian avenue; Museum of Human Rights Take a ride on the adventurous funicular to the beautiful Cerro San Cristobal with its sweeping views of the city below Overnight: Santiago Flight to Punta Arenas, built along the Straight of Magellan (3hrs 25m) Transfer to Puerto Natales (3hrs) Board a day-long cruise through the Chilean fjords Enjoy a short hike to the Serrano glacier Visit a traditional gaucho ranch deep in the Bernardo O Higgins National Park Overnight: Puerto Natales Lima, Peru Dinner Lima, Peru Ollyantaytambo, Sacred Valley Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley Cusco Cusco Santiago, Chile Santiago, Chile Puerto Natales Puerto Natales
DAY ACTIVITY LOCATION - MEALS 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Tour the UNESCO biosphere reserve: Torres Del Paine National Park Board an evening cruise to reach one of the most spectacular, close-up views of the massive Grey Glacier Overnight: Puerto Natales Transfer to El Calafate, Argentina (3hrs 30mins) Take in the sunset over Argentina s most scenic glacier: Perito Moreno Overnight: El Calafate, Argentina A free day for you to rest and recover Enjoy the small town of El Calafate Optional: take a cruise to the spectacular Upsala Glacier Overnight: El Calafate Board a morning flight to Buenos Aires (3hrs 15m) Experience the essence of South America at a tango show with a traditional Latin American dinner Overnight: Buenos Aires Experience the Paris of South America Take a city tour of the cosmopolitan city center mixed with 19th century European-styled architecture Teatro Colon Opera House; Avenida 9 de Julio; Metropolitan Cathedral; Recoleta Cemetery; etc. Overnight: Buenos Aires Flight to Iguazu Falls (1h 55m) Explore the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls Take in the magnificence and power of the Devil s Throat Overnight: Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Explore the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls Eat lunch overlooking the massive falls Optional: boat or helicopter tour of the falls Overnight: Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Flight to Rio de Janeiro (2h 10m) Brief city tour: Maracanã stadium (2016 Summer Olympics); Sambadrome (Carnival parade route); Metropolitan Cathedral Ride the cable car to enjoy the sunset, mountaintop views at Sugarloaf Mountain Dinner in the famous Lapa District of music and dance near the Carioca Aqueduct Overnight: Rio de Janeiro Board a train to ride to the top of Corcovado Mountain and take in the vast, overlooking views of Rio de Janeiro. Take a picture with one of the most famous Art Deco statues in the world: Christ the Redeemer Optional: Open-air market Optional: Copacabana Beach or Ipanema Beach Overnight: Rio de Janeiro Puerto Natales El Calafate, Argentina El Calafate Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro 21 Our adventurous tour ends in Rio. International Flights out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Galeão International Airport Breakfast
TOUR MAP CARIBBEAN SEA NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN Equator PERU Machu Picchu Cusco BRAZIL Lima Rio de Janeiro ARGENTINA São Paulo Santiago Iguazu Falls CHILE Buenos Aires SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN Punta Arenas El Calafate Cape Horn V V O L A N T
DAY 1: HOLA! WELCOME TO LIMA, PERU A Volant representative will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. We will spend the remainder of the day exploring Lima. Larcomar is a modern shopping center in the Miraflores District located right on the coast. After a long day of travel we can grab a bite to eat and walk along the Pacific Ocean. Make sure to stop by Parque del Amor, the home to a giant sculpture of a couple kissing as well as beautiful mosaic walls. DAY 2: LIMA We will spend our day in the historic city center of the "City of Kings." At the heart of it all, Plaza de Armas contains many different roman catholic cathedrals as well as colonial architecture. We will visit the Government Center, San Fransisco Monastery, enter the catacombs, and perhaps even stop by the Archbishop's Palace of Lima to witness the changing of the guard. Take advantage of the modern comforts of Lima as we dive deeper into the cultures and history of South America. DAY 3: LIMA - CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS After our short flight to Cusco we will explore many different archeological sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Some of which are called Saqsaywaman, Rodadero, Humedal Wayllarqocha, Tambomachay and Pisac. We will also see spectacular views of the Urumbamba River. Tonight we will settle down in Ollantaytambo, the only Inca settlement that has been inhabited since its inception.
DAY 4: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS - OLLANTAYTAMBO Waking up among the gods, we will spend our morning visiting the archeological sites of Ollantaytambo. We will witness the massive Incan Fortress that includes large stone terraces. Next, a 90 minute ride aboard the Vistadome train will take us to Aguas Calientes. Along the way peer outside for incredible views of the Sacred Valley. In the afternoon we will have time for an optional dip in the hot springs. Our evening will be spent in Aguas Calientes. DAY 5: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU For our fifth day of adventure we will catch an early bus ride (20 minutes) to Machu Picchu. The morning sun will magnify the beauty of the citadel. Our day in the "Lost City of the Incas" will be spiritually awakening as the history here is immeasurable. The majority of our day will be spent hiking around the ruins. For those willing and able we will have the option to hike the Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain later in the day. In the evening we will return to Aguas Calientes.
DAY 6: MORAY - MARAS - CHINCHEROS - CUSCO Our morning will consist of riding the Vistadome train ride back to Ollantaytambo. From there we will take a private car to Maras. The hour drive follows the Urumbaba River and passes even more ruins. Once in Maras we will visit the ruins of Moray. These Incan sites consist of concentric depressions measuring 30 m at their deepest. From Maras we will drive to the Chincheros District. Known to the Incas as the "Birthplace of the Rainbow," the old town of Chincheros is a small Andean Indian Village. Before our drive back into Cusco we will see a demonstration of cultural and historical agricultural practices. Be sure to soak up the our final views of the Sacred Valley. DAY 7: CUSCO Our first time in Cusco was spent witnessing ancient Incan ruins, this time we will be able to immerse ourselves into more recent architecture. In the heart of the former capital of the Incas we will tour the Plaza de Armas, Cusco Cathedral, Iglesia De La Santo Domingo and the Iglesia De La Compania De Jesus. We will also check out sites that date back to the 15th century including the Temple of the Sun and Qorikancha. As we explore this colonial city we will encounter local shopping markets as well as buildings that were once covered in gold. Much like in Lima the Plaza de Armas is considered the center square of Cusco. Here there are picturesque gardens as well as a central fountain to see. Colonial paintings inside the Cusco Cathedral are also a must. Our comfortable accommodations tonight will be in Cusco.
DAY 8: CUSCO - SANTIAGO, CHILE As you say goodbye to the mystical lands of the Incas, prepare yourself to spend the majority of the day in the air. Maybe take the time to read up on Santiago or brush up on your Spanish, as the next couple of days will be spent in Chile. Once we land we will only be 30 minutes outside the capital of Chile. Tonight plan on a relaxing evening at our hotel to gear up for our walking tour of Santiago tomorrow. DAY 9: SANTIAGO After breakfast we will embark on our tour of the city. Walking along Paseo Ahumada, pedestrian avenue, we will come across La Moneda Presidential Palace. La Moneda Palace houses the offices of Chile's president. Once we've concluded our walking tour we will take a funicular northeast of the city center to San Cristóbal Hill. At the top of this hill there is a remarkable overlook with views of the Santiago skyline and Andes mountain range. Make sure to take the time to admire the Statue of the Immaculate Conception which is located at the summit of San Cristobal Hill. This statue is an iconic site for the Catholic Church of Chile. After we descend back into the city we will have the option to tour the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. This museum honors the victims of human rights violations that occurred during the civic-military regime. Tonight will be our last night in Santiago.
DAY 10: SANTIAGO - PUNTA ARENAS - PUERTO NATALES Today we change gears and head to the region of Patagonia. Leaving Santiago behind us our next stop is Punta Arenas. After lunch on the coast we will drive to Puerto Natales. Although long, this three hour drive offers stunning landscapes. We will stay in Puerto Natales for the night as this city is the perfect stepping-off point for Chile s Torres del Paine National Park. DAY 11: PUERTO NATALES Embarking on the "Channel of Last Hope" we will spend our day cruising through Chilean fjords in Bernardo O Higgins National Park. Keep your eyes peeled for sea lions, cormorants, and condors. The boat ride will take us to an enclosed glacial lagoon. Here, the Serrano Glacier as well as the Balmaceda Glacier can be viewed. At this point we will have the opportunity for a short hike up to the glaciers. The small watershed in front of the magnificent glaciers, Estancia Perales, will prove to be a good resting point during our day. Expect to have lunch here. We will cruise back to Puerto Natales for the evening.
DAY 12: PUERTO NATALES - TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK Considered one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile, Torres Del Paine National Park offers pristine views of sparkling lakes, jagged mountains, glaciers as well as flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. This park is considered a UNESCO biosphere reserve and covers nearly 950 square miles of land. In the evening we will be taking a sunset cruise to get up close to the Grey Glacier. This glacier just about covers 100 square miles of land. Watching the days' final sun beams bounce off the glacier is a memory to last a lifetime. DAY 13: PUERTO NATALES - PERITO MORENO GLACIER - EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA Today we will make our way from Chilean Patagonia to the Argentinian side. After a 3.5 hour drive to El Calafante we will spend the remainder of the day exploring Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. This glacier is considered to be one of the last remaining bodies of ice that is still growing. Tonight we will rest in El Calafante, about an hour drive from the glacier.
DAY 14: EL CALAFATE Take a load off and use the day to rest. The small town of El Calafate offers a quaint shopping experience, gorgeous views of Lake Argentina and a small yet diverse night life. If you are so inclined there will also be an optional cruise to the Upsala Glacier. DAY 15: EL CALAFATE - BUENOS AIRES For our next leg of the trip we will take a 3 hour flight from El Calafate to Buenos Aires. Considered to be the "Paris of South America" we will spend two nights here in the birthplace of the tango. Tonight while we delve into Argentinian cuisine we will also observe a flashy tango performance.
DAY 16: BUENOS AIRES Immerse yourself into the hustle and bustle that is Buenos Aires. Within todays city tour along Avenida 9 de Julio we will explore sites such as the Teatro Colon opera house, Metropolitan Cathedral, Recoleta Cemetery, Presidential Palace, the Casa Rosada and finally the bright neighborhood of La Boca. Be sure to stop by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Buenos Aires as this is the former church of Pope Francis I and is one of many European style buildings in the city. Our day will conclude with dinner and a show as we be taking advantage of this city's flourishing night life. DAY 17: BUENOS AIRES - IGUAZU FALLS The first part of the day we will fly from Buenos Aires to Iguazu falls. After about a two hour flight we will explore the Argentinian side of the falls. Behold the wonder of the largest falls on the planet, where five different waterfalls dump into the Iguazu River. At this point we will hike out to the very edge of the falls for a classic snapshot of Devil's Throat. Keep your eyes peeled for toucans, butterflies, coatis and other animals in this area. After spending about four hours walking along the many catwalks that cover the river we will drive into Brazil to Foz do Iguaçu for the night.
DAY 18: IGUAZU FALLS Only a short transfer from our hotel to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls we will have the opportunity to explore more of this National Park. Today you will have the option for a boat or helicopter tour of the falls. Be sure to soak up the raw natural beauty one last time before we make our way back to Foz do Iguaçu for the night. DAY 19: IGUAZU FALLS - RIO DE JANEIRO After a morning flight from Iguazu Falls to Rio de Janeiro we will spend the rest of the day touring the city. It won't take long to see why Rio de Janeiro is considered the cultural capital or Brazil. Among the many sites to see we will stop by the Maracanã football stadium where Brazil hosted the 2014 World Cup Finals. The Sambadrome or the carnival parade route is also a must see. While downtown we will also tour the Metropolitan Cathedral. The cathedral's unique architecture was inspired by the Mayan pyramids of Mexico. In the evening we will make our way to Sugarloaf Mountain for spectacular views of the Atlantic and to watch the sunset over Rio de Janeiro. To conclude our day we will have dinner in the Lapa District near an aqueduct.
DAY 20: RIO DE JANEIRO For our last day in South America will take a thirty minute train ride to the mountain, Corcovado to stand beneath the Christ the Redeemer statue. As one of the new seven wonders of the world this statue took 9 years to build beginning in 1922. Made completely of Soapstone and reinforced concrete the statue stands the 98 foot tall not including the 26 foot tall pedestal. Later in the day we will tour a number of open air markets in the area. Be sure to sample some of the exotic food Brazil has to offer. If you so desire there will also be an optional trip to the Copacabana or Ipanema beaches. We will conclude our evening with a farewell dinner. DAY 21: RIO DE JANEIRO - TOUR ENDS International Flight home from Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. Thank you for choosing Volant Travel. Explore the world. Travel the Earth.
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