Days
16
Price from
Dine, dance and discover in Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
Immerse yourself in three bold and rugged destinations on this tour. This 16-day adventure through South America will have you exploring the lofty ruins of Machu Picchu, perfecting your steps at a private tango class in Buenos Aires and sipping a caipirinha in Rio de Janeiro.
- Code
- PSBAC
- Physical rating
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1, Max 12
Why you'll love this trip
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Marvel at the scale and design of Machu Picchu on a guided tour of the ruins and during free time
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Stop in at the incredible floating Uros Islands, constructed by the Uros people as a form of protective isolation in ancient times
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Discover Buenos Aires, Argentina's ostentatious capital, and enjoy a private tango lesson from a professional dance couple
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See the marvellous and breathtaking Iguazu Falls from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides
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Walk cobbled streets in Santa Teresa and gaze down at the city from the feet of Christ the Redeemer during a guided tour of Rio de Janeiro
Is this trip right for you?
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This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Health’ section of the trip notes for more important information on this.
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There are several orientation walks and city tours during this trip, so there will be quite a lot of walking. It’s important to always bring plenty of water, wear comfortable walking shoes and ensure you use adequate sun protection. Wearing layers is a good way to tackle the heat.
Gallery
Itinerary
Welcome to Peru. On arrival to Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport you will be transferred to your hotel. Meet your leader and fellow travellers for a pre-trip briefing, usually held at 2 pm. Please check the noticeboard near the hotel reception for confirmation of the location and exact of the meeting. You will be required to provide your next of kin and insurance information during this meeting, so please make sure you have these on hand. After the meeting, your leader will take you on a brief orientation tour of the Miraflores area. Your in-depth city tour will be tomorrow morning. Lima has some of the best cuisine in South America and is especially renowned for its seafood. Perhaps sample Peru's national dish of ceviche this evening, raw fish marinated in lime juice and often served with hot peppers.
Accommodation
- Hotel Antigua Miraflores or Similar (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.Special Information
Note: As this trip takes you to locations at high altitude, it's possible that some travellers may experience adverse health effects due to altitude sickness. Please see the 'Is this trip right for you?' and 'Health' sections of the trip notes for important information about this.
Take a flight from Lima to lofty Cusco today, then make a two-hour minivan journey to Urubamba. Set in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Inca, Urubamba is a small town named for the river that cuts through the mountains and mainly functions as a transport hub and base from which to explore the surrounding ruins.
Accommodation
- Hotel Hacienda del Valle or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Some of the region’s most captivating historical sites are on the itinerary today. First up is the small town of Maras. Known for the thousands of individual salt pools set into the surrounding hillside that date back to Inca times, these white terraces stand out even in an environment known for its physical and man-made beauty. From here, continue to Moray, an Inca archaeological site on a high plateau featuring a series of concentric terraces that are sure to stun in their design and scope. Enjoy lunch at the small community of Chichbamba, then continue by train to the town of Aguas Calientes in preparation for tomorrow's visit to mighty Machu Picchu.
Accommodation
- Hotel Hatun Inti Classic or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Rise early for a 5.30 am for a 30-minute bus ride along the winding road to Machu Picchu. The first views of Machu Picchu against a backdrop of forested mountains will likely stun even experienced and worldly travellers. Enjoy a 1.5- to 2-hour guided tour through the magnificent ruins and learn about the site’s known history and the ancestral people of the region. The true purpose behind Machu Picchu may always be a mystery, since no historical records of the complex exist. In fact, none were made in the first place, since the Inca had no written language. Some historians have argued it was a place of spiritual worship; others, a military stronghold, and some even think it was a prison. Most archaeologists, however, believe it to be the 15th-century headquarters of ‘he who shook the earth’, Emperor Pachacuti. Later return by bus and train to Cusco, where you'll spend the night. At 3450 metres (11,150 feet) above sea level, it’s important to take time to acclimatize to the city’s altitude, so perhaps take it easy this evening.
Accommodation
- Hotel San Agustin Plaza or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
Notes: Due to Peregrine's internal safety policy, our leaders are specifically prohibited from recommending or assisting with booking trips to the mountaintop ruins of Wayna Picchu.
Today, enjoy a comprehensive guided tour of Cusco. This city is South America's oldest continuously inhabited city, and was the home of the Inca for two centuries before the Spanish invaded and built their first capital here. Today Cusco is a fascinating combination of both cultures. This tour includes a visit to the Cusco Cathedral with specialist guide, Professor Alfredo Hinojoza Galvez, a born and raised Cusconian and academic considered an icon in the colonial art and tourism world. Alfredo is uniquely placed to offer special insight into Cusco Cathedral, which is also a World Heritage site. Following the tour, perhaps ask you leader for a restaurant recommendation or seek out aji de gallina (creamy chicken) or Quechan classic causa (potato casserole).
Accommodation
- Hotel San Agustin Plaza or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your own pace. Perhaps visit the San Pedro market in the morning and wander among the colourful produce and early-bird crowds. You could pick up some fruit and other snacks and make the 45-minute walk to Sacsayhuaman. Another incredible example of Inca ingenuity, Sacsayhuaman was an important religious site that features imposing stones stacked together to form a wall complex. Photographs do not do these towering walls justice. If you are still struggling with the altitude or simply prefer to relax, maybe take a seat at a cafe overlooking the Plaza de Armas and watch the world go by with a pisco sour or two.
Accommodation
- Hotel San Agustin Plaza or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Depart today for Puno, the ‘Folklore Capital of Peru’, which lies on the shore of vast Lake Titicaca. The journey will take around seven hours, though there will be a stop en route at Juliana, a lively town known for its traditional street dancing. Upon arrival in Puno at around 3.30 pm, take a lead-led orientation walk around town. Puno is known for the vibrant celebration of many festivals, particularly February’s Virgen de la Candelaria, a blend of town-wide feasting, Catholic devotion and flamboyant carnival. Even if your visit does not coincide with a festival, Puno is sure to delight with boundless joviality and good cheer year-round. In the evening perhaps head out for dinner with the group, your leader will be able to recommend some fantastic places to eat.
Accommodation
- Hotel Hacienda Plaza or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Depart the hotel before 7 am and set off to explore Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water in the world. Be enchanted by the striking scenery and encounter waterfront communities on a cruise around the lake today. Stop in at the incredible floating Uros Islands, constructed by the Uros people as a form of protective isolation in ancient times. Built completely from multiple layers of totora reeds, the structures are constantly replenished with fresh material as the reeds beneath rot away. Next call into Taquile Island, where knitting is a strictly male pursuit and women do the spinning, resulting in famed woollen handicrafts. Return to Puno for a final evening in the Altiplano.
Accommodation
- Hotel Hacienda Plaza or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Special Information
Please be aware that the altitude means the sun can be extremely strong, so make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen, even on cloudy days.
Today, on the way to the airport, visit the crumbling chullpas (funerary tours) of Sillustani, the tallest of which is 12 metres. Spend some time wandering among the remnants of this pre-Inca cemetary and look closely for the ancient carvings that are still visible on many of the structures. Later, catch a flight to Lima. Perhaps head out for a final meal with your fellow travellers and toast to the adventure that has been.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Bienvenidos. Welcome to Argentina. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting for the entire group so you can all get acquainted at 6pm. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask reception where it will take place. We'll be collecting everyone's insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so ensure you bring these details to provide to your leader. If you're going to be late, please inform hotel reception. Head out tonight and be swept away by the dance of love at an optional tango show.
There’s a lot to see if you arrive early into the city. Explore the antique markets of San Telmo or browse the museums in the well-to-do neighbourhood of Recoleta. If you’re a foodie or a wine connoisseur, take part in the Malbec Trail of Palermo or Gourmet Buenos Aires Food Urban Adventure day tour.
Notes: If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend the welcome meeting. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
There’s a lot to see if you arrive early into the city. Explore the antique markets of San Telmo or browse the museums in the well-to-do neighbourhood of Recoleta. If you’re a foodie or a wine connoisseur, take part in the Malbec Trail of Palermo or Gourmet Buenos Aires Food Urban Adventure day tour.
Notes: If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend the welcome meeting. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.Special Information
Please advise us of your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to departure for the complimentary airport transfer. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).Some departures of this trip are part of a combination trip. As such, some of your fellow travellers may have started their trip 9 days ago in Santiago on Chile, Argentina & Brazil (PSCAC), or 24 days ago in Lima on Rhythms of South America (PSRSC), or 32 days ago in Quito on South America in Depth (PSSIC).
Enjoy a morning exploring some of Buenos Aires sites with your guide, including the Recoleta Cemetery – the final resting place of some of the city’s most famous residents and walk among the tombs and monuments. Walk around La Boca and its well-known ‘Caminito’ district, before moving on to the lesser-known side of this colourful neighbourhood to visit an artist's gallery. Next, wander the cobbled streets of San Telmo and finish the tour getting to know the most iconic place of Buenos Aires and maybe even Argentina: 'Plaza de Mayo'. Stop for a group lunch at a local NGO, Abriendo Caminos, a social project dedicated to empowering local women by teaching them how to make alfajores (a local delicacy) and employing them in the factory and selling Empanadas since 2001. After lunch, get ready to be captivated by Argentina’s most famous dance; the Tango. In a private space a professional Tango couple will explain the dance’s origin and history, as well as demonstrating the intimately fluid movements for you. You will then be invited to join an hour long beginner’s class to learn some of the basic techniques and understand the rhythm.Â
Included Activities
- Buenos Aires - Full-day guided tour
- Buenos Aires - Tango demonstration by professional dancers
- Buenos Aires - Tango dance lesson
Optional Activities
- Buenos Aires - Football game (ticket price depends on the game) - USD80
- Buenos Aires - Tango show (ticket price depends on the location and inclusions) - USD60
- Buenos Aires - Malbec Trail of Palermo Urban Adventures - USD111
- Buenos Aires - Polo Day - USD170
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Today, in the morning or late morning, fly to Puerto Iguazu in Argentina (2 hours), gateway to the mighty Iguazu Falls. Spend the next two days exploring the falls in depth, seeing them from both the Argentinean and Brazilian sides. The falls are two kilometres in length, and are made up of 275 waterfalls in total, some of which stretch up to 80-metres-high. This makes them both higher than Niagara and wider than Victoria Falls. The Brazilian side of the falls offers great panoramic views of them. For birds-eye views of the falls, you can take an optional helicopter flight over the top of them.
Accommodation
- Hotel El Pueblito or Similar, Feature Stay (1 night)
Included Activities
- Iguazu Falls - Entrance and tour of the Brazilian side of the falls
Optional Activities
- Bird Park Entrance Fee - BRL45
- Helicopter ride (min 3 people) - BRL430
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
For visa information purposes: You will be visiting the Brazilian side of the falls on Day 3 and returning to the Argentinean side to spend the night. You visit the Argentinean side of the falls on Day 4. Then on day 5 you cross back to the Brazilian side in order to take a domestic flight to Rio de Jainero.
Make an early start, 7.30 am, to visit the Argentinean side of the falls today, which has boardwalks allowing you to get up close and personal with these towering rapids. Choose to get an even more exhilarating look at Iguazu with an optional zodiac boat ride below the falls. Later, at about 3 pm, you'll have to chance to accompany your leader on a visit to a Guarani community. Return to the hotel at approximately 5 pm.
Accommodation
- Hotel El Pueblito or Similar, Feature Stay (1 night)
Included Activities
- Iguazu Falls - Entrance and tour of the Argentinian side of the falls
- Iguazu - Guarani community visit
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today cross the border into Brazil and take an included flight (two hours) from Foz do Iguacu to Rio de Janeiro. Witness the intense green of Guanabara Bay and the beauty of the surrounding slopes of the Corcovado and Sugarloaf that make Rio such a majestic place. Take in the ever-present Portugese influence here, which is especially apparent in the opulent buildings constructed when the Portuguese monarchy fled Europe under the threat of Napolean and took up residence here. Be struck by the contrast between this extravagance and the destitute poverty of the favelas. The white sands of Cobacapana and Ipanema beaches offer an equally interesting snapshot of local life. For some world-renowned live music, Lapa is the place to go and join the locals for some serious dancing.
Accommodation
- Hotel Arena Copacabana or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
It's an early start this morning, as we embark on a full-day guided tour of Rio. Starting at Corcovado Mountain for sweeping views over Rio from the base of the Christ the Reedemer statue before the crowds arrive. Discover the eclectic architecture, restaurants and art galleries of the artistic neighbourhood of Santa Teresa. Then continue on to by the famous Selaron Steps to see artist Jorge Selaron’s gift to the Brazilian people. We then stop for lunch at "Gastromotiva", an NGO that provides culinary training to those that would otherwise be unable to afford to attend a culinary school as well as preparing food for around 100 people per day who are living on the streets or in local shelters.We finish the day with a a walking tour of the Port area. This area, a little more off the beaten track, has been recognized for its cultural and historical importance as it was a main Port for the slave trade in Brazil. We will be joined by a local guide from the Pretos Novos institute, which aims to preserve the cultural heritage found in the Port area. On the walk, learn about the story of how the African slaves arrived to Brazil, the horrific conditions they endured on the journey over, how they were sold and, eventually, how they resisted and became free. Their story is intrinsically connected with the history of samba and Brazilian culture. Expect to be finished around 4 pm.Â
Accommodation
- Hotel Arena Copacabana or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Rio de Janeiro - Guided tour including Santa Teresa, Selaron Steps, Christ the Redeemer statue and Rio downtown
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Your trip comes to an end after breakfast this morning. Please note that you are required to comply with any internal hotel check-out rules before departing.
Optional Activities
- Rio de Janeiro - Total Rio Bike Tour - Urban adventure - USD59
- Rio de Janeiro - Pao de Azucar (Sugar Loaf mountain) - BRL110
- Rio de Janeiro - Football game (ticket price depends on the game) - USD50
- Rio de Janeiro - Carnaval rehearsal (only available from June to Carnaval) - BRL90
- Rio de Janeiro - Samba show - BRL200
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Meals
13 breakfasts, 4 lunchesTransport
Boat, Bus, Private vehicle, Plane, TrainAccommodation
Hotel (15 nights)Included Activities
- Buenos Aires - Full-day guided tour
- Buenos Aires - Tango demonstration by professional dancers
- Buenos Aires - Tango dance lesson
- Iguazu Falls - Entrance and tour of the Brazilian side of the falls
- Iguazu Falls - Entrance and tour of the Argentinian side of the falls
- Iguazu - Guarani community visit
- Rio de Janeiro - Guided tour including Santa Teresa, Selaron Steps, Christ the Redeemer statue and Rio downtown
Important notes
Essential trip information
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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