Holidays with Downtown

This one-of-a-kind tour will take you from Buenos Aires, Argentina up through Bolivia, and on to Lima, Peru, in a 21-day, once-in-a-lifetime adventure! You’ll experience thrilling train rides, majestic mountain landscapes, the largest salt lake in the world (Uyuni), the highest freshwater lake in the world (Lake Titicaca), and one of the most important archaeological sites of all time–Machu Picchu.

Day 1 – Sun: Buenos Aires

Arrival in Buenos Aires. Our driver will welcome you to Buenos Aires at Ezeiza International Airport and drive you to your hotel in the city. After check-in, the entire tour group will meet for a short coordination meeting to receive the latest updates for our tour program. The rest of the day is free time.

 

Day 2- Mon: Buenos Aires

Discover the most famous neighborhoods and landmarks in Buenos Aires during a half-day city tour. Admire the Obelisk, the symbol of Buenos Aires, and the many open squares of Spanish colonial descent. Enjoy a drive on the widest street in the world, containing 22 lanes! Other highlights include a visit to La Boca neighborhood and a walk along “Caminito Street.” That evening, we’ll enjoy a festive welcome dinner and Tango show at “El Querandi” before returning to our hotel in Buenos Aires for the night. [B/D]

 

Day 3 – Tue: Buenos Aires (Tigre Cruise)

We will board the boat at Puerto Madero and cruise to Tigre along the “Costanera Navigation Canal,” parallel to the Buenos Aires shoreline. Along the way we’ll pass River Plate Stadium and the University of Buenos Aires. Then, our vessel will traverse the canals of the Rio de la Plata Delta, one of the largest in the world. After exploring Puerto de Tigre, a favorite spot for taking photos, we’ll have lunch in a local restaurant accessible only by boat. Finally, we’ll head to the Tigre train station, where we’ll return to Buenos Aires by train. [B/L]

 

Day 4 – Wed: Buenos Aires, Tucuman, Cafayate

This day we’ll take a flight from Buenos Aires to Tucuman in Northwestern Argentina. From Tucuman, we’ll journey through the scenic Calaqui Valley to Colalao del Valle. In the late afternoon, we will check in to our hotel for an overnight stay in Cafayate. [B/L]

 

Day 5 – Thu: Cafayate (Wine Route)

Under the expert guidance of a local wine specialist, we’ll tour a winery in the Cafayate Valley, where we’ll discover the famous Malbec, Tannat, and Torrontes grapes and enjoy beautiful views of the valley. Following a fascinating wine tasting, we’ll lunch at a magnificent country house surrounded by vines, within walking distance of our hotel. The rest of the afternoon you’ll have at your leisure. That night we’ll stay at our hotel in Cafayate. [B/L]

 

Day 6 – Fri: Cafayate, Salta

We’ll leave Cafayate in the morning and follow the breathtaking “Rio de las Conchas Valley” towards Salta, stopping several times to take photos at scenic spots along the way. We’ll also stop for lunch before reaching Salta. Once we’ve checked in to our hotel, we will visit the main attractions of the city of Salta, including the “Plaza 9 de Julio” the famous cathedral, the municipality, the Convent of San Francisco, and San Bernardo Hill. We’ll stay overnight in Salta. [B/L]

 

Day 7 – Sat: Salta (Alfarcito, Quebrada de las Cuevas, San Antonio de los Cobres, Tren a las Nubes)

This morning we’ll travel from Salta to the small village of Alfarcito, after which our journey continues through the “Quebrada de las Cuevas” to San Antonio de los Cobres. There we’ll embark on the “Tren a las Nubes” and travel by rail to the Polvorilla Viaduct. This trip to the viaduct takes an hour and carries us 4,200 meters (13,780 ft) above sea level. The train will stop for 30 minutes at the bridge, at which time you are free to take photos and buy souvenirs for family and friends back home. We’ll have lunch in San Antonio de los Cobres before returning to Salta in the evening. We’ll stay overnight once more in Salta. [B/L]

 

Day 8 – Sun: Salta, Quebrada de Umahuaca, Purmamarca

North of Salta lies the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO-listed valley which features steep rock faces that change their color depending on the hour of day and angle of view. Ancient traders used this route through the canyon over 10,000 years ago. There we’ll enjoy an easy hike beneath the colored rocks in the picturesque village of Purmamarca, which you’ll have the opportunity to explore on your own in the afternoon. We’ll stay overnight in Purmamarca. [B/L]

 

Day 9 – Mon: Purmamarca, Villazon, Wara Wara Express, Uyuni

Early in the morning, we’ll begin traveling northward on Route 9. Along the way you’ll see many dusty, authentic indigenous villages. We’ll reach the Bolivian border before midday and have lunch in Villazon. Mid-afternoon we’ll board the “Wara Wara Express” to Uyuni, viewing many fascinating landscapes along the way, especially before we reach the railway station of Tupiza. The train will make an early morning arrival in Uyuni, where a local guide will welcome us at the railway station and take us to the Hotel Palacio de Sal, where we’ll spend the rest of the night. [B/L/D]

 

Day 10 – Tue: Uyuni

We begin our first day in Uyuni by visiting the Uyuni Salt Flat in Colchani, where we’ll tour an artisanal salt processing plant and witness traditional salt extraction methods. At the Incahuasi Island in the middle of the world’s largest salt flat, we’ll discover incredible giant cacti, and those who are able may hike to the highest point of the island for fantastic views out over the salt flat and of the surrounding mountains. For lunch, we’ll picnic in the middle of the salt flat. That night, we’ll stay at the Hotel Palacio de Sal. [B/L/D]

 

Day 11 – Wed: Uyuni, La Paz

In the morning, we will drive out to a spot to witness how salt is excavated and how locals produce salt bricks for construction. Then we’ll visit an outlook above Coquesa Village from which we’ll have fantastic views over the salt flat. Lunch will be a picnic near Coquesa, after which we’ll drive across the salt flat to the small city of Uyuni, where we’ll take time to explore the famous train cemetery. Numerous oxidized steam engines and wagons are found at this spectacular site, which is surrounded by extraordinary salt desert scenery. We’ll enjoy an early dinner in town and take the evening flight from Uyuni to La Paz, where we’ll stay overnight. [B/L/D]

 

Day 12 – Thu: La Paz

On our tour of this fascinating city, we’ll visit the Witches Market (which showcases the mystical rituals of the indigenous people), the Cathedral, and the historic district around the “Plaza Murillo” containing the legislative buildings and the Government Palace. In addition to breathtaking views of La Paz from the Killi Killi outlook, this afternoon we’ll take in equally lush views of the city and the surrounding mountains while on an extensive cable car tour of La Paz, where this type of transportation (Telefericos) makes up the primary mode of public transport. We’ll return to the hotel later in the afternoon. [B/L]

 

Day 13 – Fri: La Paz

You have a free day. We’ll stay overnight again in La Paz. [B]

 

Day 14 – Sat: La Paz, Sun Island, Copacabana

On this day we will travel from La Paz to Copacabana, a small town with a delightful name on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. We’ll board a boat in Copacabana and cruise over to nearby Sun Island, where we’ll have an “Aptapi,” a typical lunch featuring a variety of potatoes. After lunch we’ll cruise around Sun Island and visit the ruins of the Pilkokaina Incan temple before we return to Copacabana. We’ll stay overnight in Copacabana. [B/L]

 

Day 15 – Sun: Copacabana, Puno

In the morning you will have free time in Copacabana. You’ll have the option of participating in a tour with our guide, where we’ll visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana, one of the most important religious figures in South America (the most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro was named after her, and pilgrims from all over South America come to the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca to worship her). We’ll have lunch at the hotel and, in the afternoon, we’ll cross the border to Peru. After a two-hour journey, we’ll arrive at the city of Puno, and the rest of the day will be free time. We will stay overnight in a hotel on the outskirts of Puno. [B/L]

 

Day 16 – Mon: Puno, Cusco (Titicaca Train)

Early in the morning, we’ll head to the Puno Railway station and board the “Perurail Titicaca Train” that will carry us to Cusco through 390 km (242 miles) of dramatic high-Andean scenery in approximately 11 hours. At La Raya, the train reaches its highest point of 4,321 meters (15,177 ft.) above sea level. The descent to Cusco from that point follows the Urubamba River and passes at various remote villages, reaching Cusco in the evening. Our driver will await us at the railway station and take us to the hotel in Cusco for our overnight stay. [B/L]

 

Day 17 – Tue: Cusco (Sacred Valley of the Incas)

This day, we’ll visit the picturesque small town of Pisaq. There you can walk on cobblestone streets and buy souvenirs before having lunch in the valley. On the way back to Cusco, we’ll stop at the fascinating Incan sites of Moray and Maras. We’ll arrive back at Cusco in the afternoon, where we’ll stay again overnight. [B/L]

 

Day 18 – Wed: Cusco (Machu Picchu – Belmond Hiram Bingham Train)

This morning we’ll take the four-hour trip on the Incarail First Class Train from Cusco’s San Pedro Station to the historic Incan site of Machu Picchu, having lunch on the train. At Machu Picchu, we’ll explore the famous Lost City of the Incas with an expert guide. That evening, we’ll depart from the railway station in Aguas Calientes aboard the “Belmond Hiram Bingham Train” to Porroy. There will be a gala dinner on the train. From Porroy, we’ll return to Cusco on our private vehicle and spend the night in Cusco. [B/L/D]

 

Day 19 – Thu: Cusco

In the morning, we’ll tour Cusco, one of the highlights of which is the Santo Domingo Convent, which the Spanish built over an ancient Incan Palace. Outside of Cusco, we’ll visit the Inca military fortress Sacsayhuaman and have a look at a textile factory, where we’ll learn about the different qualities of wool and various weaving technics. You’ll have the afternoon free for shopping and relaxing. We will stay overnight again at our hotel in Cusco. [B]

 

Day 20 – Fri: Cusco, Lima

We’ll board a flight to Lima, then transfer to our Hotel in Lima’s Miraflores district. Afterward, we’ll go on an exciting tour of Lima’s colonial past and discover the Plaza San Martin, the Plaza Mayor (containing the Government Palace), the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Cathedral. We’ll also drive through the modern district of San Isidro and Miraflores on our way back to the hotel, followed by a “Farewell Lunch” in one of Lima’s famous restaurants. We’ll stay overnight in Lima. [B/L]

 

Day 21 – Sat: Lima, USA

At the agreed time, our driver will take you to the international airport in Lima to board your international flight. [B]

 

[B] = Breakfast | [B/L] = Breakfast and Lunch | [B/D] = Breakfast and Dinner | [B/L/D] = Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner