Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Peru – Bolivia – Chile
100% customisable for you
Passports at the ready: your 20-day Andean adventure begins today. Head to the airport, speed through security and enjoy a pre-flight tipple in the lounge before boarding the first of two flights to Peru’s capital, Lima. With a quick stopover, the journey will take around 16 hours, and you’ll touch down in Lima in the late afternoon.
When you land, you’ll be met at the airport and privately transferred to your airport hotel. Settle in and enjoy a tasty dinner in the hotel restaurant before flopping into bed, ready for the adventure to truly begin tomorrow.
Rise bright and early this morning and head back to the airport for your one-and-a-half-hour flight to Cusco. When you land, you’ll be privately transferred another hour-and-a-half to Urubamba, a small town set in the heart of the Sacred Valley. To make exploring a little easier, we’ll arm you with a Boleto Turistico, a tourist ticket that grants you access to all the local highlights.
This afternoon, your adventure gets properly underway with a visit to the Maras Salt Mines in the company of a private driver. Cameras at the ready: this fascinating Incan town is famous for its thousands of salty pools, which form an incredible patchwork landscape in the hills. You’ll also pass through the concentric terraces of Moray, a fascinating archaeological site that served as an open-air laboratory for Incan agricultural research.
After a delicious Andean-style breakfast at your hotel this morning, head out with a friendly driver to explore the best of the region’s local markets and cultural landmarks.
Begin in Pisac, a pretty colonial town overlooking the Urubamba River. Here, you’ll find fresh produce (think cheese, herbs, bread, vegetables and potatoes of all kinds) at the food market, while the bustling craft market offers a range of expertly woven textiles and colourful ceramics. Once you’ve bought your fair share of souvenirs, drive past centuries-old agricultural terraces to the Pisac Archaeological Park, an ancient Incan citadel featuring impressive stone structures and towering temples.
At the other end of the valley are the ruins of the village Ollantaytambo, a magnificent example of Incan town planning. Affectionately known as the ‘Living City of the Inca’, Ollantaytambo is home to numerous well-preserved ruins, ancient temples and colonial squares. For breathtaking views over the Urubamba River and Sacred Valley, head up to one of the town’s stone terraces. Cameras at the ready…
Today you’ll be privately transferred to Ollantaytambo Station for your scenic one-and-a-half-hour train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to magnificent Machu Picchu. Check into your new hotel and drop your bags before heading out to discover this incredible Incan citadel.
Alongside a private guide, travel up the mountain into the heart of Machu Picchu, unravelling the mystery and marvel surrounding this 500-year-old feat of engineering. As you explore the sprawling ancient city, your guide will fill you in on the myths and legends surrounding the UNESCO-listed site, whose scale, design and ingenuity earned it the title of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
Once you’ve been suitably wowed, head back to your hotel for a rejuvenating trip to the spa and some delicious tapas (accompanied by a pisco sour, of course) at the bar.
It’s back to Machu Picchu this morning for a different perspective of this iconic site. After another couple of hours exploring its dramatic ruins, begin the ascent up Montana Machu Picchu, a towering mountain set just southwest of the site itself. It’s 1,600 steps to the top, but it’s worth it, we promise: once you reach the peak, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the citadel along with its surrounding mountains, including Huayna Picchu and the Urubamba River.
When you’ve soaked up the spectacular views, grab your bags and settle in for a four-hour train journey to Poroy, a pretty town set just outside Cusco. From here, you’ll be privately transferred 30 minutes to Cusco, where you’ll be spending the next three nights. You’ll likely be knackered after a day of hiking and travelling, so drop your bags and spend the rest of the evening relaxing in your hotel before settling in for a good night’s sleep.
The next two days are all about exploring Cusco. Originally founded by the Killke people, the city later became a thriving Incan capital before being occupied by the Spanish, who constructed their own city on Incan remains. This combination of architectural styles and cultural influences makes Cusco a truly fascinating city.
To help you get your bearings, we’ve arranged a tour of the city with a private guide. Begin with a visit to Cusco Cathedral before moving on to Qorikancha. Once a sacred Incan temple dedicated to the Sun God, it’s now home to the Convent of Santo Domingo, a colonial church built by the Spanish on the temple’s foundations.
Next, head to Q'enco and Puka Pukara (the ‘Red Fortress’), two important archaeological sites just outside of the city. Finally, visit Tambomachay, a complex system of aqueducts, canals and waterfalls, and the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, an Incan citadel even bigger than the mighty Machu Picchu.
The rest of your time in Cusco is yours to enjoy. Travelling with a foodie? We can also arrange a cooking class, where you’ll prepare traditional dishes and immerse yourself in Peruvian cuisine.
Today, wave goodbye to Peru as you’re privately transferred to Cusco Airport for your one-hour flight to La Paz, Bolivia’s capital. Once you touch down, you’ll be driven three hours to Copacabana, a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Over the next two days, set off on a tour of the region’s highlights, beginning in Copacabana itself. Alongside your friendly guide, visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana, a 17th-century shrine to the country’s patron saint and a striking example of the Christianisation of the Andes.
Next, hop aboard a private motorboat and cruise toward two of Lake Titicaca’s most beautiful islands: Isla de la Luna and Isla del Sol. You’ll spend the rest of the afternoon and the next morning visiting the former’s Inaq Uyu archaeological site and the latter’s fascinating Pillkukayna temple and Inca Gardens, complete with an overnight stay on Isla del Sol in between.
On day two, after a traditional Apthapi lunch, return to Copacabana for your private transfer back to La Paz, where you’ll be staying for the next two nights.
Set almost 12,000ft above sea level, La Paz is a beautiful city set against the scenic backdrop of the snowcapped Cordillera Real mountains. To help you get your bearings this morning, we’ve arranged a tour of this exciting city alongside a local guide.
Begin at Palacio Quemado (meaning ‘burnt palace’ – named after it was set on fire during an uprising in 1875), before heading to La Paz Cathedral and the Basilica of Saint Francis to learn about their history and admire their beautiful facades. Next, follow your guide to the Witches’ Market, a popular market frequented by both tourists and the Aymara indigenous people.
Finally, venture outside the city to the Valley of the Moon, a lunar-like geological formation full of intricate clay structures and supernatural chimneys – perfect for some nature shots.
If you’re still raring to go, we can also arrange a visit to the Tiwanaku pre-Columbian ceremonial site.
This morning, you’ll be privately transferred to the airport for your one-hour flight to Uyuni, where you’ll begin a three-day road trip all the way to Chile via some of southern Bolivia’s most iconic sites.
When you land, your private driver-guide will be waiting to whisk you away to the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, which spans a whopping 4,085 square miles and contains 64 billion tonnes of salt. The shimmering salt acts as a natural mirror for the bright blue sky, making the expanse both dizzying and mesmerising (and very photogenic).
As you drive along, the dazzling white will be broken up by Incahuasi, a pretty island in the middle of the salt flat known for its giant cacti. You’ll then continue west to the small village of San Pedro de Quemes, where you’ll spend the night in a comfortable lodge built from volcanic stone.
This morning, meet your private driver and hop in the car for the journey through the Chilean section of the Andean Altiplano, one of the highest regions on Earth. Along the way, you’ll pass the scenic Paseo del Leon canyon, known for its vibrant green Yareta shrubs and striking ochre rock, and high-altitude lakes, complete with vibrant and colourful waters.
Later, arrive at the Siloli Desert, located at a whopping 15,000ft above sea level. Part of the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, this high-plateau desert is renowned for its distinctive mountainous landscapes, so check into your lodge and spend the rest of the afternoon admiring the incredible rock formations and volcanic terrain.
Description Rise bright and early this morning and hop back in the car for the journey into the heart of the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve. Stop at the Sol de Manana geothermal field, where impressive geysers, hot springs and mud pools release steam into the mountain air, then spend the rest of the morning hopping from one natural spectacle to another, including the Salvador Dali Desert, the Licancabur Volcano and Laguna Colorada, home to vast colonies of flamingoes.
Later, continue on to Hito Cajon, a mountain pass on the Bolivia-Chile border. Once we’ve whisked you through customs, you’ll be driven across the border to Chile’s San Pedro de Atacama, the gateway to the Atacama Desert.
You’ll be staying here for the next four nights, so spend some time settling in before an excellent dinner at the hotel restaurant (accompanied by some equally excellent wine, of course).
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest in the world, known for its vibrant red rock and clear blue skies. Armed with a trusty hire car, spend the next three days exploring this incredible region at your own pace.
Be sure to visit the Valley of the Moon, an iconic lunar-like landscape complete with ruby-red dunes, mountains and rock formations. For even more spectacular scenery, rise early and head to El Tatio, a geothermal area complete with hissing geysers and steam columns.
For a change from the aridity, visit the region’s salt lakes, including Laguna Cejar, a lagoon so salty that you can float effortlessly on its surface (just watch out for flamingoes).
Away from the desert, spend some time strolling San Pedro de Atacama itself. Some must-see sites include the San Pedro Church, Quitor Fortress and Tulor archaeological complex, as well as the R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, which documents the heritage and culture of the native Atacama people.
While you’re here, we’ll also arrange for you to spend an evening stargazing with an astronomy expert, taking advantage of the desert environment to truly appreciate the magnificent starry skies.
Today, hit the road and drive for just over an hour to Calama’s airport, where you’ll return your hire car and board your two-hour flight to Santiago.
When you land, you’ll be privately transferred to your new hotel in Valparaiso, a one-and-a-half-hour journey away. Spend the rest of the day relaxing after your time in the desert, whether you’d rather snooze in the sun or take a quiet stroll into town.
A legendary Chilean port city, Valparaiso is known for its colourful houses, steep streets and historic ascensores (funiculars), the first of which was built in 1883.
After a hearty breakfast, head out on a guided walk along the vibrant streets to take in some of the city’s vibrant street art. As you wander from the hills of Alegre and Concepcion to the popular old port district, your guide will point out the work of local artists and fill you in on some of the stories behind the city’s most beautiful murals, before ending the tour with a visit to a few of the main art galleries.
This afternoon is yours for the taking. Ride the funicular to some stellar viewpoints, stroll the city streets and, come evening, sample some fresh seafood and sip on a craft beer overlooking the ocean. Does it get any better than this?
Your epic Andean adventure has sadly come to an end. Today, you’ll be privately transferred to Santiago airport for your return flight. With a quick stopover, the flight will take between 14 and 17 hours, and you’ll arrive back in the UK the following day, armed with a golden tan and a camera roll full of memories.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
