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Discover South America

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You are viewing the 2024 itinerary. Select your departure year
202420252026
16 days From £5,690 £5,490 per person
4.3 stars(6 reviews)
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Immerse yourself in South American traditions and lifestyle

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Save £200pp on all Worldwide holidays, when you book by 30th April 2024.

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Mobility Rating 3

2024 Tour code: LAG24

About the tour

Jump into the culture of three of South America's most popular countries - Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. We experience the best these destinations have to offer from the Inca remains of Machu Picchu and the force of nature that is the Iguazu Falls to the spirited city of Rio.

Unforgettable experiences

Guided Tours of South American Cities
Guided Tours of South American Cities
Enjoy fascinating guided tours of Lima, Cusco, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Soak up the wonders of the ancient site of Machu Picchu, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Experience an authentic tango show in Buenos Aires.
Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls
Feel the force of Iguazu Falls, situated on the border between Argentina and Brazil.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London to Peru

We meet at London Heathrow for our flight to São Paulo, where we catch our connecting flight to Lima.

Day 2 - Lima

Touching down in the Peruvian capital, we transfer to our hotel on arrival. After time to settle in, we enjoy our first taste of South America on a guided coach tour. A thriving city, Lima was first founded by Spanish conquistadors in the late 16th century and still has a remarkably well-preserved colonial centre. Our tour begins at the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, where we explore the beautiful courtyards and catacombs. Later, we see Huaca Pucllana, a structure that pre-dates the Incas, before continuing to the upmarket district of Miraflores, where traditional stallholders rub shoulders with modern boutiques.

Day 3 - The Sacred Valley

We take an internal flight to Cusco this morning. From here, we set out for the Sacred Valley, stopping along the way to take part in a Coca Kintu ceremony, an age-old custom in which we ask the mountain spirits to bless our journey. Situated in the Peruvian Highlands, the Sacred Valley was once the beating heart of the Incan empire. Today, it's a peaceful yet wild region to explore made up of fertile farmland, soaring mountains and traditional villages.

Day 4 - Pisac and Ollantaytambo

We visit the town of Pisac today, home to an authentic market that sells handmade crafts and Peruvian keepsakes. We also visit Ollantaytambo, where we enjoy a tour with a local guide, admiring the city's ancient fortress which, even in ruins, has retained important features such as the Sun Temple and Princess Baths fountain. We also discover the village's Old Town, an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the local chicheria for a glass of chicha, a fermented alcoholic drink typically brewed from maize. We enjoy a tasting of the different chichas brewed here and are taught a few popular Peruvian pub games.

Day 5 - Machu Picchu

We journey the scenic rail route to Aguas Calientes where we visit the 'Lost City of the Incas' - Machu Picchu. A winding bus ride takes us up to Machu Picchu itself where we're greeted by one of the most incredible sights in the world - an ancient Incan citadel built amid the clouds, mountains, and forested peaks of Peru. Our local guide explains the fascinating history of this awe-inspiring landmark, forgotten for 400 years before being uncovered in 1911. Machu Picchu is now a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Day 6 - Cusco

Regarded as the 'Archaeological Capital of the Americas', today we tour Cusco, delving into the city's colonial Spanish history and its ancient indigenous past. One of the most impressive attractions is the incredible Inca walls, created from enormous granite blocks carved to fit together without the aid of mortar beds. We also see the Plaza de Armas in the historic centre and the San Pedro market.

Next, we visit the Temple of Koricancha, or 'Temple of the Sun'. One of the most important in the Inca Empire, it was originally built around 12000 AD but was brought to ruin during a war with the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Today, a Spanish cathedral sits on top of the original stone foundations where we find an underground archaeological museum displaying relics from the site. This evening, we dine at a local restaurant, where we enjoy a time-honoured folk show with our food.

Day 7 - To Buenos Aires

We fly to the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, checking into our hotel on arrival.

Day 8 - Discovering Buenos Aires

Today's guided tour takes us to Recoleta, an upmarket suburb with a distinctly Parisian atmosphere where elegant townhouses and chic boutiques line the streets. We visit the resting place of Eva Perón, an icon of Argentina, who's buried at the local cemetery known as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. We continue to the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral - the main Catholic Church in the city - and San Telmo, the city's oldest neighbourhood home to quaint cobbled streets and antique shops. This evening, we get an authentic taste of South America as we attend a local tango show.

Day 9 - Free time in Buenos Aires

With a free day today, you could visit some of the other city districts, each with a unique style and distinct atmosphere. The most colourful of these has to be La Boca, which has been a favourite of artists for generations. Here, you could explore the Caminito Street Museum, a vibrant pedestrian-friendly area that's functioned as an open-air museum and art market since 1959. You could also head to a cosy restaurant and experience two of the things Argentina is particularly well known for - red wine and steak. Another choice is the optional excursion to Santa Susana Estancia, a gaucho ranch located just outside the city.

Day 10 - To Iguazu Falls

On the border between Argentina and Brazil lies the thundering waterfalls of Iguazu. We fly to the falls themselves this morning, checking into our hotel for two nights on arrival.

Day 11 - Iguazu Falls

Exploring the Argentine side of the falls today, we wander along the elevated wooden walkways. As we snake through the national park we experience sublime views over the different offshoots of the falls and their bubbling pools of water below. We also see the torrent that is the Devil's Throat, a spectacular U-shaped cascade once poetically described as 'an ocean plunging into an abyss'.

Day 12 - To Rio de Janeiro

We cross into Brazil for a better view of the main source of this epic waterfall system, the Iguazu River. On a half-day tour, we admire the dramatic landscapes with a local expert who's able to point out the fascinating flora and fauna that flourish in this rainforest environment. Afterwards, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Rio de Janeiro.

Day 13 - Exploring Rio

We discover the vibrant Brazilian metropolis of Rio on a sightseeing tour. To start, we board the Corcovado Rack and Pinion Mountain Railway to ascend Corcovado Mountain - home to the astonishing statue of Christ the Redeemer. On a clear day, we're able to admire sensational views over the sprawling city and the turquoise waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. The statue itself is equally remarkable, standing at 98 feet tall with an arm span of 92 feet. Back in the city, we sit down to a typical Churriscera-style barbecue lunch before visiting the botanical gardens to see a wide variety of both Brazilian and international plants.

Day 14 - Sugarloaf Mountain

We journey by cable car up the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain. This distinctive peak soars almost 1,300 feet into the air and is said to resemble a concentrated refined loaf of sugar. From our spectacular vantage point, we enjoy breathtaking panoramic views across the harbour area and Guanabara Bay. We continue exploring in the afternoon, visiting the Sambadrome where Rio's famous carnival is held as well as the beautiful Metropolitan Cathedral and the Municipal Theatre - an elegant opera house built in an Eclectic Art Nouveau style.

Day 15 - Leaving South America

Enjoy a relaxing morning at your own pace before our afternoon transfer to the airport where we begin our journey home. We fly to São Paulo where we connect with our flight to London Heathrow.

Day 16 - London

We land in the UK today and our South American adventure comes to an end.

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

NH City Hotel, Buenos Aires

NH City Hotel, Buenos Aires

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Costa del Sol Wyndham Hotel, Cusco

Costa del Sol Wyndham Hotel, Cusco

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Casa Andina Private Collection hotels, Peru

Casa Andina Private Collection hotels, Peru

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02 Iguazú, Puerto Iguazú

02 Iguazú, Puerto Iguazú

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Windsor Leme Hotel, Rio de Janeiro

Windsor Leme Hotel, Rio de Janeiro

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Hilton Garden Inn Cusco, Cusco

Hilton Garden Inn Cusco, Cusco

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Train

Corcovado Rack Railway

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

Flight upgrades
London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.3 stars4.3 / 5 · 6 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (3)
  2. 4 stars
    (2)
  3. 3 stars
    (1)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Lynda Robins

5 stars

Submitted 28 Oct 2023

Itinerary was great. Tour manager excellent. the only thing that didn’t live up to expectations was the ranch excursion, it was ok but expensive for what it was.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mrs Janet Mountford

5 stars

Submitted 28 Oct 2023

One of the best trips we have done with Great Rail. There are a lot of flights but totally worth it, to see everything that we did.

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ian davis

5 stars

Submitted 27 Oct 2023

Fantastic experience

Collected by Trustpilot

Clive

4 stars

Submitted 27 Oct 2023

If you want to explore the culture, history and sights of three South American countries this is the trip for you. Explore the mist covered site of Macchu Pichu and the wonderful city of Cusco in Peru, then move on to Argentina and enjoy a tango show, the bustling streets of Buenos Aries, and the Iguazu falls, then complete the set with a trip to the Brazilian side of the falls before flying into the home of Carnival, Rio de Janeiro and marvel at Sugarloaf Mountain, gaze up at Christ the Redeemer, or walk along Copacabana beach, this tour has it all, and has knowledgeable and passionate local guides to enhance your stay. Book this tour, you won't regret it.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr Ellis

3 stars

Submitted 10 Jun 2023

If you are after a holiday where the pace is relatively slow, an itinerary done to make sure you have 3 meals in the day at "normal hours": this is probably for you. We did go to all the most famous sights in each place and our guides in Buenos Aires, Iguazú and Rio were great, knowledgeable and taking the time on the coach to explain what we were going to visit, giving us the freedom to explore at our pace the sight. I wish the guides in Peru had done the same For me Lima was a waste of time; in general the time could have been optimized better by spending less time in airports and also flying in the evening, rather than spending the next morning/day travelling.

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Brian Mclean

4 stars

Submitted 09 Jun 2023

A place I have never been before which was quite exciting in many ways

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Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2024

Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2024

Long haul rail holidays to Scandinavia, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

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