Andean High Plains Grand Tour

Enjoy an evening in Peru's capital, taking advantage of its world-class restaurants, enjoying a pisco sour and getting a good night's sleep before your adventure in the Amazon.

Northwest of Cusco, the Sacred Valley is one of the most beautiful and historically important parts of Peru. The Valley was one of the bases of Inca civilization, the river that winds its way through believed to be aligned with the cosmos. The valley is also home to many indigenous people living the same way they have been for centuries and it’s possible to visit local markets and communities.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel in the Sacred Valley and take you on a full day private tour. Start at the Inca fortress town of Ollantaytambo. The site was built just as the Spaniards arrived and is one of the most important if not visible vestiges of how the Incas inhabited and functioned in their cities making it a fascinating place to explore. There is a fortress at the top of the hill (and quite a few steps) which is particularly interesting to investigate for the techniques the Incas used in its construction.

The Vistadome train takes you to the magnificent ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu in superb modern comfort. As per its name, the train has wide glass windows built into the roof and sides of the carriages so you really do get to see the rich Peruvian countryside rushing by. Large leather seats, air conditioning, heating, and good service reflects all the contemporary efficiency and standards of Peru Rail too.

Your private guide will take you on a comprehensive tour of the Machu Picchu citadel, really bringing it to life by detailing the history, significance and myths surrounding it as well as taking you to the hidden corners and best viewpoints. After your tour, you'll descend to Aguas Calientes for a delicious lunch at the rustically elegant Inkaterra hotel, before an afternoon at leisure. You can explore the areas around Machu Picchu or carry on exploring the ruins.

Return in the evening to overnight at your chosen hotel in the Machu Picchu area.

Discover the Machu Picchu citadel by climbing up either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. Both scenic sites offer incredible, sweeping views, but vary in route. Huanya Picchu is a steeper route for the confident hiker as you pass sheer drops and takes around two hours. Machu Picchu Mountain is a rewarding three-hour ascending hike taking you away from the larger crowds to enjoy the vistas.

Board the train for the journey back from Machu Picchu with refreshments served on board.

Enjoy this beautiful city and UNESCO World Heritage site. Capital of the Incan Empire from the early 14th century until its Spanish conquest, Cusco is a beautiful city where you can find Incan ruins next to (or underneath) but Spanish colonial architecture.

Your local expert guide will collect you from your hotel for a tour of the city, starting out at the Santo Domingo convent monastery. This former colonial monastery was previously the Koricancha Temple, one of the most important temples devoted to the worship of the sun. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Your next stop will be the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral. After touring the most interesting sites of the city, you will be driven by private vehicle to the countryside just outside Cusco to visit some of the remarkable Inca ruins in the area such as the cult centre of Sacsayhuaman, the temple and amphitheatre of Kenko, and the Red Fortress of Puca Pucara.

The best way to cross the Andes from Cusco to Puno. The PeruRail Titicaca Train features an open-air observatory car, allowing you to take in the majestic views while enjoying the typical music and dances of the Peruvian highlands. During your trip, which takes ten and a half hours, you will have the chance to take panoramic pictures of some of the quintessential Andean landscapes, be entertained by traditional musicians and enjoy gourmet Peruvian cuisine.

Set high up at an altitude of 3,860 metres (12,660 feet) the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca form the world’s highest navigable lake. The lake is set so close to the heavens that it’s a deeply spiritual place for the indigenous population of Peru and the founders of the Inca civilisation are believed to have risen from the waters of the lake. Spend your time exploring the lake and its surroundings - which are excellent for hiking - visiting the reed islands and their communities, and taking in life on the water.

This is the site of one of the oldest civilisations of the Americas, pre-dating the Incas, the Tiwanaku culture which spanned 1500 years until 1000AD. These are magnificent ruins and your private guide will help to unlock its secrets for you.

In the shadow of the immense triple snow-capped peaks of Mount Illimani and at altitudes reaching 4,000m, Bolivia’s cultural capital, La Paz has earned itself the moniker of the ‘Tibet of the Americas’ and life at these lofty heights is admirable if not spectacular. The city’s indigenous, colonial, and modern influences might be as jumbled together as the electrical lines between the houses, yet a majestic Hispanic church and a modern high-rise bookending a street illustrates how it all sits captivatingly and stoically side by side.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and together you will visit the Gold Museum, Pedro Domingo Murillo House, National Museum of Art and the Bolivian Metals Museum. Jaen street is very picturesque and a great place for walking and looking at the old colored houses.

Continue to Killi Killi lookout point to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and enjoy lunch at local restaurant, before heading to the Teleferico cable car.

During this experience you'll visit the Moon Valley, a clay formation located just outside La Paz which is famous for resembling the face of the Moon.

Arguably Bolivia’s most breath-taking experience, the shimmering Salar de Uyuni are the world's largest salt flats. Formed from the drying up vast prehistoric lakes, the salt flats stretch as far as the eye can see. When they flood each rainy season (November-March) the flats transform into a vast mirror which reflects the sky and seems to defy reality. During the dry season (April – October) the salt glistens until the horizon creating a surreal and magical atmosphere.

Yur guide will bring you to explore one of the most amazing natural wonders in the world, the Uyuni Salt Flats. You will stop in many different spots for amazing photo opportunities. Visiting the Ojos del Mar and Colchani sites before heading to Isla Pescado where you take lunch.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel in the morning for one of the most spectacular days of travel that you will experience. On the way to Chile, will visit the high altitude lagoons of Hedionda, Cañapa and Charcota nearby. Then, heading south, we will visit Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve to see Laguna Colorada, Sol de Mañana geyser, and Polques Hot Springs. Cross the border between Bolivia and Chile, then visit Laguna Verde and Licancabur volcano before driving down to San Pedro de Atacama.

The Atacama Desert ranks among the driest regions on earth, fifty times more arid than California’s Death Valley, with some regions having never had any recorded rainfall. Located in the far north of Chile, it is a place of truly other-worldly landscape of towering volcanoes, flamingo frequented lagoons, salt-flats, geysers and shifting sand dunes. Indeed, the Atacama has been used to test Mars-bound NASA rovers and, thanks to its utter lack of weather, high altitude and low-to-zero light pollution, it is a stargazing haven home to the world’s most advanced observatories.

Spend your days exploring the Atacama Desert with the many different excursions available. Depending on which lodge you are staying in, this may be in small groups or entirely private (speak to your travel designer so we can find the lodge that suits you best).

Enjoy a couple of days in bustling Santiago, Chile's capital city. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Andes, Santiago is considered to have an understated charm. Sleek glassy skyscrapers share space with perfectly landscaped gardens, fascinating museums and stylish art galleries. There's also an emerging culinary scene boasting fine dining establishments and a celebrated seafood market. You'll have our list of recommended tours, restaurants and attractions to make sure you make the most of your time here.

With your expert local guide you will explore Chile’s capital. This city mixes the country's Mapuche legacy (the natives that inhabited the region during the Pre-Columbian era), Spanish colonial past and the modernity of any thriving city of the world. With guide you will walk its streets, visit its museums, and engage with its architecture to see both the historical and contemporary features that make up the heart of Chile.