Explore the beauty of South America during this exhilarating vacation and experience its vibrant cities, visit its ancient ruins, witness its scenic treasures, and learn about new cultures. Start in the Amazon Jungle, where you’ll cruise on the river and watch for captivating native flora and fauna. You’ll also visit a monkey rehabilitation reserve, where researches work to rehabilitate primates like spider, squirrel, woolly, and capuchin monkeys. Then, discover some of South America’s magnificent cities. The birthplace of Samba, Rio’s vitality comes alive as you experience its sights, sounds, and flavors. In Lima, your sightseeing focuses on its rich colonial history and includes a visit to the Larco Herrera Museum, which has a large collection of pre-Columbian Peruvian art. Buenos Aires is regarded as the “Paris of South America” with its chic shopping, French architecture, outdoor cafés, legendary nightlife, and cosmopolitan cuisine. It is famous for its sensuous Tango dance, and you’ll see a Tango show—you’ll even get a Tango dance lesson! Be amazed as you view the spectacular panoramic views of many of the 275 cataracts that make up Iguassu Falls—with its clouds of spray, incessant roar, and surrounding tropical growth. Of course, no vacation to South America is complete without a visit to the marvelous structures built by the Incas, including the semi-circular Kenko Amphitheater and Puca Pucara. You’ll visit Machu Picchu, where you’ll stand in awe as you witness the ancient ruins surrounded by soaring peaks—one of the most majestic images in South America! You’ll also visit the Temple of Sacsayhuaman, a fortress built in the early 12th century with stones weighing more than 350 tons. While at the ruins, experience a Mother Earth ceremony by a local shaman to thank Mother Earth and to ask for good health and safe travels. But that’s not all…you’ll also travel to Easter Island, one of the most isolated islands on earth. Here, be amazed as you explore the “world’s largest open-air museum” with its giant stone head statues—called moai—that pepper the island. You’ll have an opportunity to see the moai as well as visit the volcano and caves. Vibrant cities, ancient structures, amazing scenery, new cultures, beautiful beaches, and more—all await you on this fabulous trip to South America!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Manaus, Brazil. After arriving at your hotel, meet for guided sightseeing of Manaus to view vestiges of its glory days during the rubber boom. Your first stop will be the famous OPERA HOUSE, built in 1896 with materials imported from Europe. Next, visit a bustling LOCAL MARKET, abundant with local foods and wares. (D)
Day #2 Manaus–Amazon Jungle. Today your “Meeting of the Waters” tour passes by the impressive British-built Custom House and the floating port. CRUISE along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix! After lunch on the river, explore a JUNGLE ISLAND (if the water level is not too low) with fascinating native flora and fauna. Later this afternoon, arrive at the Ecopark Jungle Lodge, situated on the banks of the Rio Negro inside the Amazonian rainforest. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Amazon Jungle. Accompanied by a Naturalist, enjoy a guided WALK to see the flora and fauna that thrive in the Amazon. After lunch, depart the lodge and sail up the river to visit an AMAZON NATIVE CABOCLO VILLAGE to learn about their traditions, costumes, and culture. Also try your hand at piranha fishing! Later, visit the MONKEY JUNGLE RESERVE, where researchers work to rehabilitate primates like spider, squirrel, woolly, and capuchin monkeys and reintroduce them to the jungle. This evening, venture back out on canoe with your Naturalist to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, with the possibility to spot small alligators (or other night creatures). (B,L,D)
Day #4 Amazon Jungle–Rio de Janeiro. This morning, depart the Ecopark for a flight to Rio for an overnight. (B)
Day #5 Rio de Janeiro. Today is free in Rio to explore as you please. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and and fellow traveling companions for a drive along famous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city. Next, toast the start of a memorable vacation at a local restaurant with caipirinhas, a favorite Brazilian cocktail. Cap off the evening with a welcome dinner. (B,D)
Day #6 Rio de Janeiro. The city’s landmark, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowns CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. A scenic ride by cog railway leads to the top, where a breathtaking 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. From here, proceed to bustling downtown Rio, where modern office towers stand next to relics of the Portuguese colonial past. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. The afternoon is at leisure for you to experience this vibrant city on your own. Tonight, it’s a fun outing to a CHURRASCARIA for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style, followed by a SAMBA SHOW, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)
Day #7 Rio de Janeiro. A full day at leisure to savor Rio. Relax on one of the world-famous beaches or take advantage of the world-class shopping or fine dining. Alternatively, you may choose to join an optional Guanabara Bay cruise that delivers gorgeous views of Rio from the harbor. This afternoon, you might elect to discover historic Petropolis, a mountain resort and the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II. (B)
Day #8 Rio de Janeiro–Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fly to Buenos Aires, proud capital of the vast country that occupies most of the southern part of the continent. After arriving at your central hotel, an orientation walk acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. Spend an evening at leisure. (B)
Day #9 Buenos Aires. Your included sightseeing this morning starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking TOUR of this unique neighborhood at the mouth of the river and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and as a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, which houses San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching the CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous TANGO CLUB. Start with a [LF] DANCE LESSON followed by dinner of Argentine steaks and other local specialties and end with a show featuring flawless performances of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango! (B,D)
Day #10 Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to the pampas. Experience the atmosphere of Argentine country life as you visit an estancia (ranch). Get acquainted with the lifestyle of the gauchos and enjoy a barbecue lunch and the warm hospitality of your hosts before returning to the city. (B)
Day #11 Buenos Aires–Iguassu Falls. This morning, fly to IGUASSU FALLS. The spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour—with some cataracts as high as 250 feet—is nothing short of hypnotic. The clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Upon arrival, journey to the Argentinean side of the falls and take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN for a bird’s-eye view from the catwalks perched over part of the Devil’s Throat, where 14 falls drop over 300 feet into the Devil’s Gorge below. Continue to your hotel this evening for an included dinner. (B,D)
Day #12 Iguassu Falls–Lima, Peru. Today is dedicated to exploring the Brazilian side of the FALLS from a completely different vantage point than in Argentina. A walk along the pathway at the base of the falls takes you into the Devil’s Throat Canyon, with spectacular panoramic views of many of the 275 cataracts that make up Iguassu Falls. Have dinner in Iguassu before flying to Lima, Peru. (B,D)
Day #13 Lima. Your city sightseeing TOUR focuses on Lima’s rich colonial history as well as the modern city. See the 18th-century SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY with its unique cloisters, Government Palace, and the cathedral situated around the vast Plaza de Armas. Tonight, visit the [LF] LARCO HERRERA MUSEUM, which houses the largest private collection of pre-Colombian Peruvian art in the world. Enjoy dinner at the museum’s restaurant. (B,D)
Day #14 Lima–Cusco–Sacred Valley. Fly to Cusco, the impressive Andean city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Spend the day in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit the semi-circular KENKO Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages. See the ancient site of Puca Pucara before reaching the TEMPLE OF SACSAYHUAMAN, perched on a hillside overlooking Cusco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons—was built. While at the ruins, experience an [LF] El Pago a la Tierra, or MOTHER EARTH CEREMONY, performed by a local shaman. These ceremonies thanking Mother Earth and asking for good health and safe travels have been practiced in Peru since before the arrival of the Incas. Continue to PISAC, an old mountain village where you will have free time to shop for local wares such as alpaca sweaters and blankets, jewelry, or hand-painted ornamental dishes and vases. Stay in the Sacred Valley tonight, with dinner at the hotel. (B,D)
Day #15 Sacred Valley–Machu Picchu. This morning, visit the Inca Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO followed by the opportunity to visit a [LF] HOME, meet some of the locals, and experience their way of life in the Sacred Valley. Then, board a TRAIN for a scenic journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Upon arrival, ascend the mountainside to legendary MACHU PICCHU, the “Lost City of the Incas.” Your Local Guide will introduce this intact fortress with its temple remains, holy houses, and mile-long aqueduct, and will bring you closer to the mysteries still hidden in these amazing structures. Tonight, learn how to make the perfect Pisco Sour before your included dinner. (B,L,D)
Day #16 Machu Picchu–Cusco. A morning at leisure in Machu Picchu allows you to wake up early to see the sunrise over MACHU PICCHU with your second included entrance to the ruins. After lunch, return to the Sacred Valley by TRAIN and continue on to Cusco. (B)
Day #17 Cusco. On your guided sightseeing tour of Cusco today, learn more about the Inca and Spanish influence. Begin at the heart of Cusco in the Plaza de Armas (main square), with a visit to the imposing CATHEDRAL, where construction began in 1550 and was finally completed 100 years later. Continue to Koricancha and the SANTO DOMINGO MONASTERY, and see how the two sites have become one. The Temple of the Sun at Koricancha was once the most important Inca site, dedicated to the worship of the Sun. The walls, altars, and decorations were all said to be covered in gold—until the Spaniards looted the temple and then built the contrasting Baroque Santo Domingo Monastery on top of the temple’s foundations. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore on your own. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day #18 Cusco–Lima. A short morning flight returns you to Lima. For a special treat, make a stop at a [LF] LOCAL PERUVIAN FOOD MARKET to get a real taste of the life of the local people. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore on your own. (B)
Day #19 Lima. Today is free in Lima to explore as you please. (B)
Day #20 Lima–Easter Island, Chile. Fly from Lima to Easter Island, the “world’s largest open-air museum.” (B)
Day #21 Easter Island. Your first stop will be AHU VAIHU, where eight large moai lie in ruins, then on to AHU AKAHANGA, also known as the platform of the king. According to legends, this is where the first king of Easter Island is buried. Continue to RANO RARAKU, the volcano where 95% of all moai were carved. Today you’ll find 394 statues remaining in various stages of completion. Hike to the top of the volcano to reveal many statues and admire the spectacular view of the lake. Next, visit restored AHU TONGARIKI. This magnificent platform is the largest on the island, with 15 moai. Continue along the north coast through La Perousse Bay and stop at AHU TE PITO KURA, site of the largest moai ever transported and erected. Last stop is the beach of Anakena, where King Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui. (B,L)
Day #22 Easter Island. This morning, visit the volcano RANO KAU. Its caldera contains one of the island’s freshwater lakes. On to the nearby village of ORONGO, best known for its birdman cult celebration. Here, 47 houses have been restored. In AHU VINAPU you will see two major ahu where moai once stood. The next stop is ANA KAI TAGATA, a beautiful cave with wall paintings that depict the Manutara bird. Later, visit AHU AKIVI, with seven restored moai built in the middle of the island. Continue to the ANA TE PAHU CAVE, one of the biggest caves on the island, created by lava tubes. Finally, visit topknot-quarry PUNA PAU with its red scoria stone, where all the pukaos that were placed on top of the moai were made. (B)
Day #23 Easter Island–Santiago, Chile. After breakfast, fly to Santiago for connections to your homebound flight. Please schedule international flights after 10 pm. (B)
