South America Highlights

There are times to dip a toe in, and there are times to dive in headfirst – and this 44-day adventure is just that. Travelling through five countries, this trip will have you trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, swaying to samba in Rio, seeing the mighty Iguazu Falls, and experiencing life on traditional ranches and floating islands. And the food? Get ready to feast on everything from Uruguayan barbecue and pachamanca (earth oven meals) to crispy empanadas and Pisco sours. Explore this incredible part of the world at a pace that allows you to do as much as you want.

There are some long travel days and five overnight bus journeys on this trip. Although the buses feature  reclining seats, they are not beds. There’s also usually a toilet on-board, and some of the buses make toilet stops. These trips can be tiresome, but an adventure trip around South America wouldn’t be complete without an overnight bus journey., You’ll be staying in some very basic group accommodation with shared facilities, especially along the Inca Trail and on Lake Titicaca (where there are drop toilets and no showers). This is all part of the adventure of being among nature., There will be a lot of hiking and walking on this trip (especially on the Inca Trail which can be quite challenging), so this requires a moderate level of fitness. There are a few different trail options to suit your interests and physical capabilities. Please bring durable footwear suitable to hiking. See the ‘What to Take’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details., This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail., Travellers who choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), will not follow the same routes within Machu Picchu. This means that you may not be able to have photos together, overlooking Machu Picchu. This applies to travellers on the same booking or separate bookings., Making your way across the Salar de Uyuni isn’t exactly luxurious. There will be long travel days spent in 4WDs which will likely have all seats occupied travelling on dusty and bumpy tracks. For the 4WD excursion you may share with people outside your group depending on your group composition. Temperatures can be very cold, especially at night, so bring warm clothes. Meals are simple, toilet facilities are basic, showers can be cold, and the multi- share accommodation is dormitory style. This is all part of the adventure. Without a doubt, this experience will be one of the highlights of your trip., According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations all visitors to Machu Picchu must follow a pre-determined circuit within the site as a way to relieve crowding. The circuit-based entrance tickets are available on a first come first serve basis. We will do all that is possible to get everyone traveling in a group on the same route, but be aware that it is possible that members of the same group might be visiting Machu Picchu on a different circuit and not be together during this visit. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted.