Best of South America with Amazon and Galapagos Cruises

See Rio from above with a visit to Corcovado, the mountain famed for its Christ the Redeemer statue, the world’s largest art deco sculpture. From here, enjoy sweeping city views. Towards evening, board a cable car to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain to toast the sunset and incredible views with a drink. Tonight, dine at a local restaurant for Brazil’s famously delicious barbecue fare.

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FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

This morning is set aside for you to sail the waters of Guanabara Bay aboard a schooner sailing ship. If you’d prefer to stay on dry land, perhaps join a colonial walking tour, where the legends woven through the city’s narrow colonial-era streets are brought to life.

Today, join a Freedom of Choice activity to experience more of Rio.

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Enjoy a leisurely morning before lunch at Confeitaria Colombo, an ornate coffee house considered one of the most beautiful cafes in the world and an iconic landmark of downtown Rio. Afterwards, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your included flight to Lima. In Lima, we’ll meet and transfer you to your hotel.

Stay: Two nights, Country Club Lima Hotel

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Pay a visit to a private hacienda to enjoy lunch and a Peruvian Paso horse show.

Discover the Peruvian capital’s World Heritage-listed historic centre with an expert guide today. Afterwards enjoy a Signature Experience at a private hacienda.

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

See the glistening salt pools spill over the terraced slopes at the World Heritage-listed Salt Mines of Maras. Visit the circular Moray Inca terraces archaeological site.

Continue exploring the Sacred Valley with a guide, including today’s Signature Experience exploring the stunning landscapes of the Salineras de Maras. Then enjoy lunch overlooking the Andes and Huaypo Lagoon.

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SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Board Inca Rail’s First Class Train and travel through forested landscapes to the lost Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Enjoy a gourmet Andean-inspired lunch on board while taking in the view.

Today is set aside for a full immersion in the natural setting and incredible heritage of Machu Picchu. Board Inca Rail’s First Class Train for your Signature Experience. On arrival, set off on a locally guided exploration of the lost city of the Incas, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. An eight-hour hike to Machu Picchu is also available at an additional coast (must be pre-booked).

Stay: Machu Picchu, Sumaq Hotel

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This morning, relax at your hotel and perhaps join a culinary demonstration to learn the secrets of South American cuisine. Board the 360° train for your return trip to the Sacred Valley. Here, transfer by coach to Cusco and settle into your hotel in the heart of this historic city.

Stay: Two nights, Cusco, Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel

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A guided discovery of Cusco takes you to Plaza de Armas, a square at the city’s historic heart. You’ll also visit the sacred sites of Koricancha and Cusco Cathedral. This evening, dine on flavours of Peru at MAP Cafe, located in the central courtyard of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.

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Board an early flight via Lima to Iquitos, a city located on the banks of the Peruvian Amazon. Here, you’ll step aboard your boutique vessel and set off to discover the spectacular flora and fauna as you explore the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Naturalist guides will reveal the secrets of the rainforest and its inhabitants; taking skiff boats to hidden corners of the river, trail walks through the lush vegetation, or on a gentle kayak in calm creeks. This afternoon, embark on a skiff exploration along the Maranon River and listen to the rhythmic sounds of the jungle as you settle in.

Stay: Four Nights, Delfin III

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Spend the morning on the waters of the Samiria River on a skiff exploration. Travel on a stable and safe boat accompanied by an expert naturalist guide and learn about this part of the river. After lunch, relax back on board before you ascend to the canopy on a suspended walkway, one of the longest treetop walks in the world, to get a higher perspective of the rainforest. Encounter the birds and animals less visible from below on this spectacular excursion.

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Get even closer to the water on a kayaking trip in the calm waters of the Reserve at Yanayacu Pucate Then, search for more amazing creatures and vegetation, as your naturalist guide takes you deep into the rainforest on a jungle walk at Fundo Casual. Get an intimate view of the Amazon’s ecosystem and wildlife inhabiting this unique environment including frogs, snakes and insects.

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Today you have the chance to fish for piranhas on the Yarapa River and discover other exotic animals who call the river home. As you cruise, watch for scarlet macaws, Amazonian parrotlets, iguanas and squirrel monkeys.

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Your cruise ends with a transfer to Iquitos. On the way, stop off for a visit to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals. Learn about the rescue work achieved by volunteers at the centre, then hear about manatees and feed these majestic, endangered animals. Finally, board your flight to Lima.

Stay: Country Club Lima Hotel

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This morning fly from Lima to Guayaquil, Ecuador, the gateway to the Galapagos Islands. On arrival we’ll meet and transfer you to your hotel.

Stay: Two Nights, Guayaquil, Hilton Colon

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Today, in Ecuador’s second largest city, spend a delectable day at Hacienda El Castillo, visiting its cocoa plantation and chocolate factory. Upon arrival to the 90-hectare plantation, enjoy delicious fried plantains and cocoa juice before touring the expansive estate and its crops of cocoa beans, mangos and papayas. Learn how cocoa beans are harvested and processed, and then visit the hacienda’s chocolate factory and taste the scrumptious finished product. Afterwards, enjoy a local coastal lunch at the hacienda’s main house.

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This morning, fly to Baltra Island, in the heart of the Galapagos Islands National Park. Around 1,000 kilometres from continental South America, the Galapagos Islands are often referred to as a living museum that act as a showcase of evolution. This afternoon, travel to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz and learn about the biologists’ mission to preserve the archipelago’s ecosystems. Discover the breeding programs in place for endangered animals like the captivating Galapagos tortoises. Later, transfer to your luxury, twin-hulled catamaran, the M/C Elite to embark on your Galapagos Islands cruise adventure.

Stay: Four nights, M/C Elite

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Visit the sheltered bay of Buccaneer Cove in Santiago. Once a refuge for buccaneers, whalers and pirates, the bay is now a safe nesting site for turtles. Embark on a panga ride along the eroded shoreline and spot the different rock formations and species of nesting birds on your journey. Afterwards, discover Espumilla Beach, an exquisite stretch of white sand home to a colony of sea lions. Later, you will learn about the human history of the Galapagos Islands at Egas Port, a former salt mine, then venture inland on a trail past tidal pools, grottoes and more local wildlife.

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Begin the day at one of the most beautiful, pristine white sand beaches in the Galapagos, Bachas Beach in Santa Cruz. Keep an eye out for sea turtles, crabs and even pink flamingos that frequent the saltwater lagoon behind the beach. Later, visit a pair of crater-like sinkholes known as the ‘twins’ located in the Santa Cruz Highlands. Take a trail that leads up and around the rims of these empty lava chambers for the best viewpoint. Here, bask in the scenery of the surrounding lush highlands, an ideal spot for discovering an abundance of wildlife. See giant tortoises in their natural habitat, spot the distinct red feathers of Vermilion Flycatchers and with a bit of luck, an endemic short-ear owl.

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Take an early morning visit via a panga ride to Lobos Island, also known as Sea Lion Island, off San Cristobal. Here, you may wish to snorkel in the clear, calm waters to watch herds of local sea lions swim alongside green turtles and rays. Alternatively, take an inland trail to encounter blue-footed boobies and frigates. Then, it is time to farewell the majestic Galapagos Islands, depart from San Cristobal Airport and return to mainland Ecuador before a final dinner.

Stay: Guayaquil, Hilton Colon

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After breakfast, your South American adventure concludes with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

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