18 Day Taste Of South America & Machu Picchu Premium Small Group Tour

Welcome to Santiago! Upon your arrival at Santiago airport, make your way to your 4-star hotel  located in the cultural and artistic heart of the city where the rest of the day is at leisure. 

After breakfast, meet your local tour leader who will brief you about the upcoming activities. Following this, enjoy a full day walking tour of this incredible city. We’ll walk to the hill Santa Lucia: Conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago here on February 12, 1541. Then continue to “Paseo Ahumada”, the city’s main shopping and commercial centre to see “La Moneda” government palace and the Stock Exchange. Following this we head to the Plaza de Armas square and see Santiago’s Cathedral and then take a transfer to the other side of the city to explore the Parque Bicentenario. This beautiful park is on the slopes of Cerro San Cristobal and has a total area of 27 hectares and showcases around 4,000 trees of which more than 1,300 are native species and protected by the Chilean Ministry of the Environment.

Enjoy time at the North Lagoon home to black-necked swans, flamingos, coots and herons before returning to your hotel this afternoon where the rest of your day is at leisure.

This evening, enjoy an Inspiring Taste with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant paired with some of the finest Chilean wines found in the local area. 

Today you are transferred to the airport to board your flight to Mendoza, one of the most picturesque cities in Argentina and one of the largest wine producing areas in Latin America. As such, Mendoza is one of the nine Great Wine Capitals, and the city is an emerging enotourism destination and base for exploring the region's hundreds of wineries located along the Argentina Wine Route.

Upon your arrival at Mendoza airport, you will be met by your local driver and transferred to your hotel. After check-in,  meet your tour leader for an orientation walk around the city.

Note: In the event your flight to Mendoza is later in the day, your orientation tour will take place tomorrow morning.  Flight times are subject to change.

Today is free for you to explore the beautiful wine country on your own. 

Alternatively, you may wish to join the optional tour below.

This evening enjoy an included dinner at a unique location, where regional cuisine is still valued, accompanied by the best wines.

Today, you are transferred to the airport for your included flight to Buenos Aires where, at the airport, you will be met  and transferred to your hotel located in the heart of the downtown district.

Born on the banks of Río de la Plata, Buenos Aires is a city of contrasts. Avenues which display sensational European buildings and architectural pieces of work and neighbourhoods oozing with intense cultural, artistic and gastronomic surprises around each corner. 

Tonight, enjoy an Inspiring Site with a special Tango-show and dinner at one of the city’s premier theatres - “La Ventana”. You will be transferred from your hotel to the heart of San Telmo to La Ventana Barrio de Tango where you will step into a fully restored venue showcasing the historic representation of the Buenos Aires culture through the ages. With over 30 artists on stage you will experience two tango orchestras, a collection of folk music, dancers and singers all while feasting on international and local Argentinian dishes and a large selection of Argentine wine. Following the show, you will be transferred back to your hotel for the evening.

Please note that your internal flights within Argentina have a luggage limit of 15kg per person (33lbs). Unfortunately, Inspiring Vacations cannot increase this limit and is limited by the airlines luggage policy.  Any fees for excess baggage incurred at the airport will be the responsibility of the traveller and payable directly to the airline during check in.

Accompanied by your local guide, we will discover Buenos Aires through the eyes of a local on a half day city tour covering all the main sites.  Start off by visiting Plaza de Mayo, the heart of Buenos Aires and the place where the city was founded. Then, head to Puerto Madero, known as the gateway of the founders of Argentina. There you will appreciate the transformation of one of the most modern neighbourhoods in the city. Continue to La Boca and Caminito, where you will feel Argentinians’ passion for football. Pass by the Bombonera Stadium and the Riachuelo River, populated by Italian immigrants.

Next, a visit to San Telmo, the place where the elegant and sensual dance, Tango, originated. Finally visit Palermo and Recoleta to learn more about Porteños’ customs, habits and behaviours, also pass by the Recoleta Cemetery (entrance ticket is not included) and the beautiful Floralis Generica. 

Return to the hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Take time to relax or perhaps seek out one of the many local “Parrilla'' or steakhouses where open-fire hearth and grates prepare flavoursome Argentinian steak - a true sensory experience! From fine dining to street carts, these steakhouses can be found all over the city.

Today is free for you to explore Buenos Aires on your own. 

Alternatively, you may wish to join one of the optional tours below:

Transfer to the airport today for your included flight to Puerto Iguazu where on arrival you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel.

Welcome  to Iguazu Falls - one of the most famous world-wide attractions! Made up of 275 individual waterfalls, they are divided between Argentina and Brazil and provide vastly different views and experiences depending on which side they are viewed from. In the "Land of the Falls,"  you can revel in the splendour of the natural forests, rivers and lakes. 

After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure.

These spectacular falls can be viewed from both sides; the Brazilian side offers a broader, panoramic view, and the Argentinian side offers a series of catwalks that allow you to experience the Falls up close.

This morning you’ll explore Iguazu Falls from the Argentinian side. Beginning at the visitor’s centre, you’ll take a ride on the Rainforest Ecological Train before exploring the upper and lower circuit footbridges. These footbridges, raised off the jungle floor, provide panoramic views from above and below the falls.

A visit to monumental, roaring Devil’s Throat – arguably the most spectacular of the falls – is one of the day’s highlights. It’s the heart of the falls and the highest, at about 80 metres. The noise as these mighty falls plunge to the bottom of the narrow canyon is almost deafening. There’s the chance of getting under the falls, with an optional ride on the Gran Aventura.

You’ll return to the hotel in the afternoon.

Today, you’ll tour the relatively dry Brazilian side of the falls, with breathtaking panoramic views at every turn. Uninterrupted vistas of the Floriana Falls, the Devil’s Gorge canyon and the Iguazu River are spectacular and guaranteed to impress.

Following your tour, you may wish to see the falls from another perspective with an optional Helicopter ride:

This morning, you’ll meet your local guide and embark on a full day tour of Rio de Janeiro to see the city’s famous landmarks, Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.

We’ll take a scenic drive from Copacabana Beach, continuing along Botafogo Beach and passing the imposing Guanabara Palace on the way to Corcovado Hill. At the top we’ll find the greatest national icon, Christ the Redeemer, standing tall over the city with arms outstretched. This giant Art Deco statue was recently named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The panoramic views of the city are lovely from up here, 709 metres at the summit.

We’ll then continue on to the district of Urca and the world-famous rocky peak of Sugarloaf Mountain, where you’ll board the first cable car to the top of Urca Hill, enjoying spectacular views of Guanabara Bay.

A second cable car takes you on to Sugarloaf, with 360-degree views of the city and surrounds. Sugarloaf Mountain towers over the harbour, 400 metres above the mouth of Guanabara Bay.

Afterwards, we’ll pass through the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema en route to a traditional Brazilian lunch at a local churrascaria, an all-you-can-eat barbeque.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Maracanã Stadium, home of Bellini’s statue and the Hall of Fame. Brazilians also love their football (soccer) and this is their biggest stadium. Entrance to the stadium is not included. And there will be a stop at the Sambadrome, the stadium for the city’s main Carnival parade.

As we pass through the city’s historic centre, you’ll have a chance to see the Lapa Arches. Built in the middle of the 18th century, this aqueduct is an impressive example of colonial architecture and engineering. We’ll also make a quick stop to see the colourful Selaron Stairs, an amazing urban work of art by the late Jorge Selaron. These steps are decorated with more than 2,000 brightly coloured tiles and mirrors.

We’ll return to the hotel along Aterro de Flamengo (Flamengo Park), passing by the Monument to the Dead of World War II and the beaches of Flamengo and Botafogo.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your included flight to Lima. 

Welcome to Lima, the "City of Kings". Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel where the rest of today is at leisure. 

Later today, meet your local guide for a welcome briefing and some tips during your stay in Lima.

Please note: Depending on the day of departure, some flights arrive into Lima late in the evening. In this instance you will meet your local guide and conduct your welcome briefing the following morning. 

Enjoy breakfast before heading out for a half day morning tour of the fascinating city of Lima. You start your tour with a panoramic view of the “Pucllana Pyramid” a magnificent ceremonial and archeological centre built in the 4th century A.D. and considered a “sacred village” by the Incas. The Viceroyalty of Perú was the most important of the Spanish Empire and Lima was its capital. Then, you’ll visit the colonial side of the city where you'll see attractions like the Cathedral, the Viceroyalty

of Peru, the main places of Lima's Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace, the City Hall, and other important monuments. Later, you’ll visit the Convent of San Francisco, a seventeenth-century architectural complex that includes a church, a convent and a square. The facade of the church, which has an image of the Immaculate Conception painted on it, was carved in stone, and is characterised by its Corinthian columns. You will also see the catacombs, a dark chamber found under the church. After visiting the centre of Lima you’ll head to the modern section of this great metropolis and will visit the district of Miraflores with its nice shopping mall named Larco Mar, which was built on a spectacular cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the traditional “Parque del amor” (Love Park). 

Following your tour, return to your hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.

In the morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to take your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival you’ll be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to allow you time to acclimatise to the altitude change in preparation for our visit to Maccu Picchu. 

Today, we enjoy a full day exploration of the incredible Sacred Valley of the Incas including lunch. 

Known as Wilcamayo to the Incas, the lush, fertile valley has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces carved high into the valley walls.  You will head to a community in the Valley to learn about local lifestyle and activities and if our visit coincides with market day you can spend time browsing the stalls in search of hand-painted beads or warm ponchos and maybe practising some of the local language, Quechua. 

Enjoy a regional lunch with the community and later continue the tour visiting the ancient salt ponds near the village of Maras, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Continue the excursion to Moray, where huge circular agricultural terraces were built by the Incas on limestone sinks served to plant various crops. It is said to have a cosmological significance, however, the Incas used the terraces as an agricultural laboratory to determine the optimum conditions for each species in varying altitudes. 

Return to your hotel late this afternoon where the evening is at leisure. 

After breakfast, we´ll drive for 20 mins to the train station in Ollantaytambo to board the tourist train towards Aguas Calientes, a modern little town close to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. 

Included is a ride aboard "The 360°" carriages from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. This incredible journey allows you to explore the Andean landscape in “sky dome” carriages offering wider panoramic windows and an observation outdoor carriage. The train is the only one in Peru with an on-board app that will allow you to learn more about the train ride and the Inca civilization. 

After passing the Sacred Valley of the Incas the train starts to descend gradually along the edge of the Urubamba River, till finally reaching the cloud forest. After Arrival to Aguas Calientes we'll start with a short bus ride up the steep, zigzagging road to the impressive Lost City of the Incas. This is one of those genuinely magical places, and your first glimpse of these ruins in the mist is something to remember. The site is perched high in the Andes, surrounded by verdant cloud forest, with the river Urubamba running through the gorge far below. Hidden away on a ridge, Machu Picchu is invisible from below, so it's no surprise it remained a secret until 1911.

Explore the upper terrace with your guide first, making sure to get that great portrait! You will then take a guided tour of the ruins, learning more about these 200 or so houses and temples. It's fascinating to be able to gaze down on the city from above and imagine how it would have looked during the height of the Inca empire.

Catch the bus back into town and enjoy some spare time to have lunch and a look around. In the afternoon, then take the tourist train in “The Voyager” carriage back to Ollantaytambo and make the rest of the journey to Cusco by vehicle. On arrival in Cusco, check into your hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure. 

Note:
According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a predetermined route within the site. This route must be followed in one direction only and once the guided visit commences, exiting and reentering the site is not permitted. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted.

In the morning, set out to discover some of Cusco's lesser-known sights on a guided walking tour. Visit the Cusco Cathedral and the Qoricancha temple, San Pedro market, the main square, 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square.

Then, you will visit the ruins near the city of Cusco, beginning the visit to the archaeological remains of Sacsayhuaman, continuing to the Temple of Quenqo, and Puca Pucara and ending with the impressive temple of Tambomachay where you will be able to observe a series of water fountains, this place was dedicated to the worship of water.

Your tour concludes at the hotel after breakfast.