Signature South America Circle

Arrival day in the Chilean capital of Santiago. You will be collected from the airport and transferred to your hotel by private car transfer. The rest of the day is yours to recover from your flight.

Spend your morning getting to know Santiago on a half-day city tour. You will visit the highlights that this cosmopolitan city has to offer. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the local area near your hotel. Barrio Lastarria is an upmarket, vibrant, and safe neighbourhood, home to some of Santiago’s best cafes, bars, and restaurants, with lots of boutique retail stores. (B)

Today you will join a small group tour to head towards the Chilean coastline.

Your first stop is the charming Valparaiso. This city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and many of its colourful buildings perch in a haphazard fashion on the hillside.

You will take a walk to discover the local art galleries and street art which embody Valparaiso’s bohemian lifestyle, including visiting one stairwell which claims, “we are not hippies, we are happies.” You will also take a ride on one of the city’s remaining funiculars.

Then it is on to the Casablanca Valley. This region is famous for wine production, in particular Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir varieties. You will visit a cellar door for a premium wine tasting and have the chance to purchase some wines and other souvenirs.

You will be collected from your hotel and transferred by private transfer to Santiago airport to meet your flight to Buenos Aires. On arrival, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in one of Buenos Aires’ most elegant, historic, and picturesque neighbourhoods, Recoleta. (B)

The morning is at leisure before you are collected from your hotel for a three hour afternoon city tour. We have designed this tour exclusively for our guests. You will visit the main square; Plaza De Mayo, home to the famous Casa Rosada and then continue on to the charming suburb of La Boca - the birthplace of Tango where you will have some time to wander the streets. Then head to Recoleta Cemetery, one of the most beautiful in the world. Entrance is included and your guide will point out the graves of famous Argentinian's such as Eva Peron, or Evita. (B).

You will be collected from your hotel in the afternoon for a unique half day walking tour with your own local guide. You will start by exploring the streets of the upscale and exclusive neighbourhood of Recoleta through a local’s eyes. Continue on through the beating heart of the city, Reteiro, home to many significant government buildings filled with fascinating history of Buenos Aires. Chat with your guide over a local Patagonian Ice Cream or a Coffee, before heading over to the bohemian barrio of San Telmo to explore the local markets, tasting local specialties like Empanada's. You will also visit an old Conventillo and the quaint Plaza Dorrego.
In the evening you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to an Asado restaurant where you will enjoy a traditional Argentinian steakhouse. A closed-door dining experience awaits you that explores new ways of serving Argentine Asado classics, along with a wine pairing menu that has also been designed to best enhance the flavours of the ingredients while presenting you with some of the best boutique wines from Argentina. (B,D).

A transfer will take you to the airport for your flight to Puerto Iguazu. The spectacular Iguazu Falls that straddles the Argentine-Brazil border, is made up of 275 individual waterfalls lining a 2.7km wide horseshoe-shaped gorge. You will have the chance to experience the falls from both the Argentinian and the Brazilian sides, the Brazilian side offering a broader, panoramic view, with the Argentinian side offering a series of catwalks that allow you to experience the falls up close. (B)

Get ready for a full day of exploring the Argentine side of the falls. We start early to beat the crowds and get the first train to the Devil’s Throat. Walk along the paths over the islands which take you to a balcony over the falls and the most spectacular view of the entire Devil’s Gorge. You will then have plenty of time to walk the paths on the upper circuit, providing you with a magnificent panoramic view, and the lower circuit, which has great views from below and around the falls. On completion of the tour, you will be taken to your hotel. (B)

Today you will cross into Brazil to enjoy a half-day tour of the Brazilian side where you will experience great panoramic views of the Argentinian side of the falls. At the appropriate time, you will be collected from the Brazil National Park and transferred to the Foz do Iguacu airport for your onward flight to Rio De Janeiro. Rio never fails to amaze with its sandy beaches, carefree lifestyle, and unparalleled natural beauty. (B)

With an early start, today you will join a city tour exclusively designed for our guests for taking in all of Rio’s famous sights, including Corcovado, to get up close to the Christ the Redeemer statue. The next stop is Sugar Loaf Mountain, where you will board a cable car to the top of Urca Hill, with spectacular views of Rio’s famous beaches, bays, hills, and the city. Enjoy a traditional Brazilian BBQ for lunch and continue exploring more of the city including to Saint Benedict Monastery, Praça Maua, Duque de Caxias Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Pass by Flamengo and Botafogo beaches on your way back to your hotel. (B,L)

Join a discovery tour of Rio de Janeiro that heads to the most beloved neighbourhoods, Santa Teresa and Lapa. The bustling suburb of Lapa is famous for its nightlife, historical monuments, and the Roman-style Acros da Lapa aqueducts. Santa Teresa, which is reached via a charming tram ride over the aqueducts is known for its cobblestone streets, beautiful architecture, charming upper-class residential homes, and stunning views from the hillside overlooking the city. Enjoy a local Brazilian speciality, Acai with your local guide along the way. Finally, a visit to the famous Selaron Staircase. The colourful stairway is covered in mosaic tiles, the work of Chilean born artist Jorge Salaron. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy the beaches of Rio. (B)

You will be transferred to the hotel for your onward flight to Lima, the capital of Peru. Lima is a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. Home to a plethora of interesting museums and a foodie’s delight, being the ‘gastronomical capital of the Americas’. (B)

Embark on a walking food tour in Lima’s Historic Centre. During this food tour, you will have the chance to taste popular on-the-go delicacies that locals devour while learning more about Peru’s history and interesting facts about the local economy and daily life in Peru. (B,D)

You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight to Cusco, where you will descend into the Sacred Valley below Cusco. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a region in Peru’s Andean highlands which, along with the nearby town of Cusco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu, formed the heart of the Inca Empire. The Sacred Valley’s elevation is 2,800 meters above sea level, so it’s recommended to take it easy for the afternoon as your body acclimatises to the altitude. (B)

On today’s Sacred Valley of the Incas tour, you will be presented with plenty of photo opportunities of ancient Incan villages and ruins, whilst learning about the culture and beliefs of the Incan people. This tour is the perfect start to understanding the unique way of life, farming techniques, and archaeological design of the Incas. The first stop is the village of Pisac. Wander the colourful market stalls before heading uphill to the famous Pisac ruins, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa and Kinchiracay ruins. Enjoy lunch in the gardens overlooking the Valley before continuing along the River Urubamba, to Ollantaytambo, which is dominated by a giant Incan fortress. (B,L).

Today will be one of your highlights in South America with a visit to Machu Picchu. A transfer will collect you and transfer you to Ollantaytambo train station to board a scenic train and arrive in one of the world’s most famous ruins after the morning fog and crowds have cleared. A guide will meet you on arrival and take you directly to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will spend the afternoon marvelling at the stunning display of ancient architecture and incredible surroundings. located 2,430 metres above sea level, your guide will explain the 15th-century Inca site before taking you to your hotel for the night in the local village of Aguas Calientes. (B)

Start your journey back to Cusco by boarding a return train to Ollantaytambo. A transfer will be waiting as you arrive back to Ollantaytambo station to continue onwards to Cusco. En route, you will visit the Maras Salt ponds, believed to pre-date the Inca period. These shallow pools, dug into the mountainside, are filled with salt water from an underground spring from an adjacent mountain. Continue to Moray, which boasts an impressive Inca ruin of giant circular terraces that are believed to have been used for agricultural experimentation. You will then be dropped to your hotel in Cusco, set at an altitude of 3,400 metres in the Peruvian Andes. (B)

Join our Chimu Adventures exclusive day tour and explore the city’s fascinating history. This specially designed tour has been perfected to show you the best of this incredible city without the crowds and other tourists. Learn about this city from the Inca times to colonial rule to the present day, winding through narrow cobble-stoned streets and visiting the market of Cusco. Visit the fascinating Koricancha Temple of the Sun, Cusco’s Plaza de Armas and Cathedral, built on the ruins of an Inca Palace and finish up at Sacsayhuaman, a former Incan fortress perched atop the hill above Cusco. (B)

Today is at leisure, allowing you to spend time wandering the cobble-stoned streets of the ancient Inca capital. With treasures around every corner, Cusco is a wonderful city to explore on foot. Vibrant markets and stores give the traveller a plethora of shopping opportunities set amongst fine Inca and Spanish colonial architecture. Included is a BTG ticket which provides access to most of Cusco’s attractions and museums, so you choose where you wish to spend your day. (B)

You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight back to Santiago, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of the Andes and the Chilean Coastal Range. Enjoy your final evening in this cosmopolitan city. Alternatively, speak to our Destination Specialists about extending your time in Peru with a visit to the Amazon, Lake Titicaca, or continuing your South American adventure by travelling onwards to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, or south into Bolivia to see the impressive Salt Flats. (B)

Bid farewell as you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)