Highlights of Southamerica 12 days / 11 nights
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Day 1 Arrival Rio de Janeiro
Welcome to Rio, wonderful beach city, main tour attraction in Brazil. You will be escort to your hotel. Free time. Accommodation.
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Day 2 Rio de Janeiro
Today we will do a half day city tour: Corcovado and floresta d´Tijuca. Get an overview of the city today as we tour Rio's best-known landmarks. The city is divided into a north zone and a south zone by the Serra da Carioca, steep mountains that are part of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca. These mountains descend to the edge of the city center, where both zones meet. Corcovado Christ statue on one of these mountain peaks offers the best way to become familiar with the city’s geographic, as you have views of both zones from the mountain top. The statue Christ the Redeemer with his outstretched arms, gazes down on the Bahia da Guanabara and a favorite on Rio's postcards the Sugar Loaf. We enjoy a sightseeing ride along Rio’s famous beaches Ipanema and Copacabana Accommodation.
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Day 3 Rio de Janeiro / Iguazú Falls
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Iguazu. At proper time you will be pick up to do the Brazilian falls Tour. Arrive and transfer to the hotel. We will do a Half-day tour to admire the waterfalls from the Brazilian territory. End of the tour transfer back hotel. Accommodation.
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Day 4 Iguazu
08:00 Breakfast. At proper time you will be pick up to do afull day Argentinean falls tour. We will make the tour to the waterfalls, covering them from the Argentine side. After entering the National Park Iguazu, we will make a long walk along the lowest part of the waterfalls, to later visit the upper part of the footbridges. Accommodation.
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Day 5 Iguazu / Buenos Aires
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to take a flight. Welcome to Buenos Aires, beautiful City, capital of Argentina. You will be privately escorted to your hotel. Free time. Accommodation.
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Day 6 Buenos Aires
During this day, we will make a city tour over the Buenos Aires city, showing its different districts, communities and architectural styles. You will visit the outstanding building of the National Congress, the ancient Council, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Capitol (better known as "Pink House").We will visit Recoleta and San Telmo area, one of the most antique districts of the city, as well as the Boca district, with its "caminito"- a picturesque pedestrian street, where you will find its colorful metal sheet tenements. Finally, the tour will lead us to the recently recycled district of Puerto Madero, old area of the Buenos Aires port.
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Day 7 Buenos Aires / Lima
Full day free at leisure. We recommend to book and optional tour. Afternoon transfer to the airport to fly to Lima. Welcome to Lima, the 'City of Kings'. Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Free time and accommodation.
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Day 8 Lima / Cusco
At proper time transfer to the Airport to board the flight to Cusco (only transportation). Welcome to Cusco, Capital of the Inca Empire. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the morning free to acclimatize to the altitude.
12:50 This afternoon we visit the major sites of interest in Cusco. The tour starts with Sacsayhuaman, a hilltop fortress that overlooks the city of Cusco. The largest stones used in its construction are nearly 8.5 m (28 ft.) high and weigh 360 tons, fitting so perfectly together that a single piece of paper would not fit between two stones. Then we are driven to Qenqo, the temple dedicated to Mother Earth (pacha mama). Once back in the city of Cusco we visit the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun, a fine example of the fusion of Inca and colonial architecture. Just within walking distance in the city we will enter the cathedral with its magnificently carved woodwork, ornate altar and many hundreds of canvases from the 17th-century Cusco Painting School.
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Day 9 Cusco / Sacred Valley (Urubamba)
07:30 This morning we leave Cusco to head east for a comprehensive exploration of the Sacred Valley. This tour with a max. of 16 participants allows for a more leisurely pace, considering stops en route to capture landscapes and Andean villages. We arrive to the archaeological complex of Pisaq where you will have a privileged view of the magnificent Inca agricultural terraces. After a short walk we reach K’itamayu cemetery. But Pisaq is famous too for its souvenir market. After having some time on your own to stroll up the market, we have the chance to experience a genuine market in the countryside once we arrive to Urubamba. After lunch (NOT INCLUDED) we drive to Ollantaytambo Fortress, where the Temple of the Sun (formed of six gigantic monoliths, whose total weight exceeds 50 tons) and the Terrace of the Ten Niches stand out.
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Day 10 Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu / Cusco
Morning transfer to Ollanta train station. A ½ -hour train ride takes you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas up to Machu Picchu. On arrival a small coach takes you up the steep roads to the entrance of the citadel. Machu Picchu remained for centuries undiscovered by the Spaniards, only to be found in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. The uniqueness of its location and the genius that went into its construction make this Inca archaeological site truly one of the great wonders of the world.
In the afternoon you will return to Poroy station, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Cusco (only transportation).
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Day 11 Cusco / Lima
09:00 Check out. At proper time transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima. Welcome to Lima, the 'City of Kings'. Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel.
14:00 Check in
Afternoon Panoramic city tour. This excursion is a little different from the conventional city tour in Lima. Beside the classics of the Peruvian capital like the beautiful colonial buildings in the city center, you will discover some rather unknown places and interesting facets of Lima. After a stop at two of the most emblematic squares - the Main Square and Plaza San Martin - we stroll along Chinatown. This is a perfect spot for an insight into the influence of different waves of immigration to the Peruvian culture and its cuisine. Then we make our way to Barranco. For many years a seaside resort where wealthy ‘Limenos’ spent the weekend at the beginning of the 20th century, today Barranco is Lima’s bohemian district and home of Peru’s most renowned art galleries. Then we head to the upper class district of San Isidro to pass by the Olive Grove Wood whose seeds were brought from Seville in the 16th century. The last stop is at the Park of Love for a stunning view over the seemingly endless Pacific Ocean.
*This tour does not include entrance fees -
Day 12 Lima / End of the Tour
Transfer to the airport to fly back home. End of our services