Andino (Quito to Santiago)

Day 1 to 1

Arrive Quito

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. The tour begins in Quito, Ecuador – the second highest capital city in the world at 2,850 metres above sea level. It was founded in 1534 by the Spanish and was originally an Inca stronghold. It is situated in a hollow at the base of the live Volcano Pichincha and the whole length of the city can be seen from atop Panecillo Hill where the enormous Statue of the Virgin of Quito stands. The city has two main sections, the old and the new city, the latter is the main commercial area and has all the good restaurants and bars, whereas the old city is the colonial sector with steep calles, busy plazas and Indian markets. You may want to arrive early to acclimatize and get the most out of your stay in Quito. There is an Equatorial Monument just 23 kilometres north of the city, which also houses an excellent museum displaying clothing, other wares and photos of the diverse and colourful Ecuadorian people.

Day 2 to 8

Otavalo - Misahualli -Amazon- Basin - Banos - Ingapirca

Our first stop is Otavalo, the famous market town. The local population is made up of a mixture of European descent, mestizos and people of indigenous descent, known as indígenas, who dress mainly in traditional clothes. The men keep their hair in long braids down their backs and wear calf length white trousers, blue ponchos, dark felt hats and sandals while the women traditionally wear white frilly blouses with flared lace sleeves and black skirts with layers of gold and coral necklaces twirled around their necks. Every Wednesday and Saturday you can visit one of the best markets to be found anywhere in South America. People come from remote villages to sell their livestock, produce and colourful textiles. The market offers fantastic photo opportunities and wool handicrafts, and you may also find good quality wood carvings, polished leather products made by artisans from nearby villages. We drive over the Eastern Cordillera to descend into the humid Amazon Basin on the banks of the Rio Napo, our final destination being Misahualli. There is an optional excursion from Misahuallí where we take motorised dugout canoes downriver to enter the jungle by foot, led by our local guide who gives details about the plants, creatures and people of the region. He will also show us how to find hidden food and water in trees; and even introduces us to the local monkeys! We stay overnight in rustic huts made of bamboo and leaves before travelling on from the jungle towards Baños. Along the edge of the rainforest we ascend back into the Andes along a spectacular route to Baños, a health resort renowned for its hot thermal springs. Besides soaking in the hot pools, there are paths where you can walk or ride horses into the hills, or for the more athletic, there is the opportunity to go bridge swinging, canyoning, white water rafting & mountain biking. (optional). If you’re more interested in chilling out, you can spend your time relaxing in cafés or buying souvenirs or perhaps a massage or try your hand at salsa dancing. This is also the best place to buy beautifully painted balsa wood animals. Moving southward, we visit the Inca and Cañari ruins at Ingapirca, the country's most important archaeological site. The fortress complex has a central platform where the Incas worshipped the sun. The Cañari people built the original structures and you can still see the place where these pre-Inca people worshipped the moon at their temple observatory Cashaloma, which means “place where the stars pour from the heavens.”

Day 9 to 15

Cuenca - Punta Sal -Lambayeque - Huanchaco - Chan Chan - Lima

We continue on to the old colonial market town of Cuenca, Ecuador's third largest city, which was founded in 1557. Cuenca is where the Panama hat originates so why not visit a factory where you can see the entire hat-making process? It is also the place to buy cheap, high quality gold and silver. After the banana plantations in the tropical lowlands, we cross into Peru and quickly the landscape changes to arid desert where vegetation is sparse. We pass through villages with fishermen working with their small hand nets, and onwards through the oil region of the derricks pumping out ‘black gold’. We camp at Punta Sal, a semi-circular beach fringed by sand dunes and groves of carob trees, with warm water and gentle waves for three nights before entering the Sechura Desert, where the barren land is irrigated creating fertile fields of rice, sugarcane and other cereal crops. Today we stop off en route at the Lambayeque Museum. One of Peru’s finest museums, it displays artefacts found at the tomb of the lord of Sipan, one of the richest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Before continuing on to the small coastal town of Huanchaco, where the fishermen still ride the surf in traditional reed boats, and where we offer you the opportunity to rent one of these reed boats for a paddle or race through the waves! It is from here, Huanchaco that we visit the largest mud-city in the world at Chan Chán. Featuring ten walled citadels covering 26 square kilometres, the city is decorated by ‘realistic’ representations of marine life. Built by Chimú Kings, Chan Chán once housed 30,000 people and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While here, we take the opportunity to visit the Moche built pyramids known as Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna (temples of the sun and moon). There is also an excellent museum in Trujillo (optional); the Cassinelli Museum which houses one of the best private collections of pottery (including erotic pottery), as well as a mummified baby in a bell jar. We enjoy another free day in Huanchaco where you can take another opportunity to go surfing, before making our way to the capital. We’ll stop over at Sechín Alto, another important ruin with temples dating back to 1500 BC, with over 500 carvings gruesomely depicting warriors and their captives. We’ll then stop again at Paramonga, a well preserved temple by the side of the highway. From the Paramonga ruins we continue travelling to Lima, the capital of Peru.

Day 16 to 18

Lima

We travel on and spend 3 nights in Lima with the opportunity to enjoy two free days in this busy city. Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 and was the capital of the Spanish conquistadors until its independence in the early 19th century. Here you will find some of the finest museums in South America, such as the Gold Museum and the Museum of the Inquisition, to name but a few (optional). Our hotel is in close proximity to the main Plaza de Armas where you’ll discover fine old buildings with intricately carved wooden balconies and ceilings, a marvellous place for the culture vultures among us. The Government Palace facing the Plaza de Armas is beautiful in white marble, as is La Cathedral, built in 1555, which also faces this square. You’ll see an elegant bronze fountain at the centre of the square and standing tall behind the palace is the Cerro San Christobal Mountain, from which you can get great views of the city and the ocean. San Francisco Monastery is a must see with its splendid interior, fine and detailed mosaics covering the walls, and the stunningly macabre catacombs with their thousands of bones – this display is certainly not for the faint hearted! With an estimated population of 8 million inhabitants, Lima is a melting pot of Peruvians, so you’ll see a good cross section of the population. Lima has an array of churches, markets and other grand plazas plus an assortment of modern suburbs to visit.

Day 19 to 21

Pisco - Paracas - Ballestas Islands -Huacachina - Nazca - Puerto Inca

Continuing south we arrive at Pisco. Peru’s national drink, the ‘pisco sour’, was named after this town. We spend the night in Pisco where you will have the opportunity to try some wonderful local seafood. In neighbouring Paracas, we will travel by boat to the Ballestas Islands the following morning – sometimes known as the ‘poor man’s Galapagos’ because of the excellent opportunities to view wildlife such as boobies, pelicans and penguins. The trip takes us past the giant “Candelabra” figure engraved on the side of a mountain. After our visit to the colonies of seabirds and sea lions basking on the rocks, we have time to sample one (or two) of the finest pisco sours to be found in Peru. Ashore once more, we’ll head deep into the desert towards the Huacachina oasis where you have the chance to try your hand sand-boarding or a ride in a dune buggy down the enormous dunes for an exhilarating ride. The brave can go for a dip in the murky lagoon, which is said to have therapeutic properties. Nazca, an oasis town, is famous for a set of strange parallel lines and geometrical figures etched into the desert floor. Although there is a viewing tower, these giant designs can only be fully appreciated from the air. You can take a fascinating flight (optional) over enormous lines and shapes, which include a monkey, hummingbird, condor, spider and even a spaceman. The designs are thought to have been made by three different groups of people: the Paracas (900-200 BC), the Nazca (200BC-600AD) and then new migrants from Ayacucho around 630AD. Other attractions around Nazca include a visit to a gold extraction and ceramic workshops where you will receive a demonstration of their art. On our way out of town, towards Puerto Inca, we visit the incredible Chauchilla cemetery. The sites have been excavated so you can see ancient mummies with skin and hair still intact. We travel along the rugged coastline to Puerto Inca, the Inca port which connected the coast with Cuzco in the mountains. Just five minutes walk away are the preserved ruins, which once stored sea produce for trading with wares brought down from the Andes. In Inca times, messages and fresh sea fish were sent 240 kilometres to Cuzco using a series of relay runners each doing 7 kilometres, taking 24 hours to complete the journey.

Day 22 to 27

Arequipa -Colca Canyon - Cuzco

We wind our way into the foothills of the Andes to the stunning colonial city of Arequipa, overshadowed by the massive volcano "El Misti". This city has some of the best examples of colonial architecture and the main plaza is quite magnificent, decorated with archways and dominated by the splendid cathedral, which was completed in 1612. Although an earthquake in 2001 damaged the cathedral, it has not diminished any of the splendour of this charming square. The other main attraction here is the vast Santa Catalina Convent (optional), a maze of cobbled streets, cloisters and other decorative buildings, it has only been open to the public since 1970 and it is certainly well worth visiting. Enjoy a free day in Arequipa to explore at our own leisure. Our next destination is the Colca Canyon, the deepest in the world. The drive takes us through a high Andean desert, with amazing scenery all the way. We pass ghost towns destroyed by earthquakes and with luck we will see a condor or two soaring out of the canyon from our vantage point, 1,200m above the canyon floor! In the evening we have time to soak in the thermal springs near Chivay, where we spend the night. A lengthy drive crossing the Andean flats takes us to the fabled Inca capital of Cuzco. The oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, the city was the hub of the Inca empire and features a population of around 300,000, mostly indigenous Indians. This marvellous colonial city is situated at 3,310 metres and has numerous churches, some of which were built with recycled Inca stonework, as were many other buildings in Cuzco. The main square is called the Plaza de Armas, which has the beautiful cathedral on one side, which took a century to build, and the church of La Compañia de Jesus on the other. The colonial arcades, which occupy the remainder of the plaza, are full of restaurants and shops. Enjoy a cup of coca tea at one of the local cafes and take your time to acclimatise. There are also many fascinating markets in Cuzco, the most famous being San Pedro where all kinds of textiles and artisan merchandise are sold. Enjoy a day to yourself, wander the streets, visit the many markets and soak up the friendly atmosphere. If you’re in the mood for a cultural experience, take a peek inside the 14th-century Inca palace which was later converted into the city's Museo de Arte Religioso (Museum of Religious Art). The following day you have free time if you wish to visit some of the nearby Inca ruins; Kenko, Tambo Machay and Puka Pukara.

Day 28 to 29

Sacred Valley

On our full day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas we take a trip up to a hill overlooking Cuzco which is where we will explore the ancient archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, which has the largest and most impressive Inca stonework of all. We then continue to the Pisac ruins perched on a hill high in the mountains and visit the famous Indian market of the same name in the valley below. This is a great place to buy textiles, pottery and jewellery and a great place to admire the fantastic view. After some time at both the ruins and the markets, we move down the valley to the temple fortress of Ollantaytambo, with its enormous terraces climbing up the hillside. Here we will spend the night and those who are trekking the Inca Trail will have a briefing to prepare for the next few days. For those who have chosen not to trek the trail a trip to Machu Picchu by train is included. The 3 other days are spent in Cuzco where you have free time to enjoy this great city. There are plenty of other optional excursions available including white water rafting down the Urubamba River, horse riding through native villages.

Day 29 to 32

Inca Trail

Inca Trail (or free time) – Machu Picchu Please ask your agent or download our ‘Inca Trail Information Sheet’ or ‘Lares Trek Sheet’ for a day to day itinerary of your trek. The Lost City of Machu Picchu was originally completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs. Located high above the fast flowing Urubamba River, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation that will simply take your breath away. The ruins were forgotten and never revealed to the Spanish conquerors, and were only discovered by the outside world in 1911, when American explorer Hiram Bingham found them while looking for another “lost city” called Vilcabamba. Due to their isolation many of the buildings are still quite intact and you can’t help but admire Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”), which towers above the ruins. It is a hard climb to the top of the mountain (it takes about 50 minutes) but you are rewarded with spectacular views over the whole site.

Day 33 to 34

Cuzco

After the Inca Trail (or free time) we have two free days in Cuzco where you can spend your time exploring this wonderful artistic town. Of course there is much to see during the daylight hours but once the sun goes down, Cuzco's lights come on and around the plaza the nightlife is spectacular with bars, nightclubs and every type of restaurant imaginable.

Day 35 to 40

Puno - Lake Titicaca -Uros, Amantani & Taquile Islands - La Paz

Time to leave the excitement of Cuzco with an early start, destined for the little town of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The journey takes us alongside majestic snow-capped mountains before reaching the La Raya pass at 4,321 metres. There is a research station, which studies high altitude animals such as llamas, alpacas and vicuñas. From Puno we visit the floating reed Islands of the Uros Indians and see their way of life. We’ll take a ride in a traditional reed boat made of totora plants, which also form a staple part of the Indians’ diet and medicine. We then make our way to Amantani Island to spend the night in the home of local families. This beautiful traditional island is home to Aymara Indians and is situated in the centre of Lake Titicaca. The following morning we’ll stopover at Taquile, where the men stand, knitting typical woollen hats, while the women tend the fields. We return to Puno in time to do more shopping, Puno is one of the best places to bargain for alpaca sweaters. We cross into Bolivia and our next stop is the highest capital city in the world, La Paz, at 3,636 metres. Just about every building is built on some sort of hill, so sightseeing will literally take your breath away! Our hotel is close to the fascinating Indian markets. One is called the ‘witches market’ because the bowler-hatted women sell dead cats, llama foetuses (these are placed under the buildings to keep evil spirits away) and other strange potions. The main square is the Plaza Murillo, where a president of the Republic was once lynched from a lamppost. One of the evenings here can be spent at a peña listening to locals playing “Andino” music on zampoñas and charangos. Nearby are a variety of optional excursions including the Moon Valley with its strange rock formations shaped by the weather and Mount Chacaltaya, the world's highest ski resort , which is certainly worth a visit. At 5,221 metres the views are incredible! Another exciting option is the trip to the gateway of the Bolivian Amazon, Coroico, where you can climb a 5,000 metre high pass before descending down to 1,300 metres, passing sheer drops of more than 1,000 metres in narrow single lane mountain roads. This is not for the faint-hearted!! While in Coroico you can have lunch by a swimming pool and admire the snow-capped mountains in the distance. This option can also be done by mountain bike.

Day 41 to 51

Potosi - Salar de Uyuni -Humahuaca Canyon - Salta - San Pedro de Atacama - Bahia Inglesa

From La Paz we travel across the Altiplano to Potosí, the highest city of its size on earth at 4,070 metres, with a population of 110,000 people. The history of Potosí, its fame and splendour, and tragedy and horror, is closely linked to silver. The city was founded in 1545 soon after the discovery of silver in a nearby hill, the Cerro Rico (or “rich hill”). The veins proved to be so prolific that they quickly became known as the world’s richest source of the precious metal. Silver from Potosí underwrote the Spanish economy, particularly its monarchy's extravagance, for over 2 centuries. Millions of Indians, and later, African slaves, were to work in the mines where conditions were so appalling and dangerous that miners died in astronomical numbers, either in accidents or from silicosis pneumonia. During the three centuries of colonial rule, it is estimated that eight million Africans and Indians died in the Potosí mines. Reminders of the grand colonial city are still evident in the narrow streets, formal balconied mansions and ornate churches. We offer you the opportunity to visit one of the mines (optional) where you will learn from first-hand experience some of the hardship that miners still suffer. You soon realise that the mines are worked today in much the same way as they were under Spanish rule. Travelling along scenic passes we come to the desolate town of Uyuni in the south of Bolivia. From here we visit what is claimed to be the largest salt flat in the world, the brilliant white vast Salar de Uyuni, which covers some 10,500 square kilometres and estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt. A 4WD excursion across the lake takes us to a hotel made entirely of salt and then surrounds you with a world of white and blue. Fisherman’s Island stunning views of the lake prove quite otherworldly as giant cacti and wandering llama punctuate the scene and provide perfect photo opportunities. The fantastic contrast of the brilliant blue sky (weather permitting of course) and the pure white of the salt flats will take your breath away. We wind our way along the dusty roads of Bolivia, to the Argentine border passing through Tupiza and Villazon. Our first night in Northern Argentina is spent free-camping in the arid landscape of giant cacti and unusual rock colorations in the Humahuaca Canyon, a deep 155 km long ravine which has been professed as Humanity Heritage by UNESCO. Our next stop is the attractive city of Salta in the Lerma Valley, established in 1582. Salta has many old colonial buildings, a Cathedral with ancient statues of Cristo del Milagro (Miracle of Christ) and the Virgin Mary, which were brought over from Spain in 1592. You will also find pavement plaques, which will guide you on an interesting walking tour of the city. We head due west and cross the mighty Andes before entering Chile via the border at Jama. Over the Jama Pass, we drive by way of salt lakes and volcanoes, and, if we’re lucky, we may see pink flamingos and a variety of other wildlife before our descent into the arid Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world (it hasn’t rained for over 250 years). Here our first camp is the quaint little town of San Pedro de Atacama. From here you have the option to visit the excellent archaeological museum at San Pedro de Atacama, housing a good selection of mummies and other ancient artefacts. We visit the Valley of the Moon with its eerie landscape and eroded salt mountains as we drive south we pass through the mining town of Calama. After passing by Antofagosta, we stop for a group photo at a strange figure of a gigantic hand rising from the desert. Then we arrive on the coast where we camp by the beach at Bahía Inglesa (English Bay).

Day 52 to 55

La Serena -Santiago

The next day we make our way to La Serena, a pleasant little town founded in 1544. The surrounding district is one of the most important astronomical centres on earth, with observatories dotted among the hills. We have another full day in La Serena where we can laze around on the long beach, visit the interesting town or stroll to neighbouring Coquimbo along the bay. In the evening you can enjoy a barbeque or a night out at one of the many nightclubs (optional). We enter the fertile region of the Chilean heartlands and head towards the capital. Pedro de Valdivia established Santiago in 1541 but not much remains of its original glory. At Santa Lucia Hill where the original fortress was constructed, there are excellent views of the city below. However, for even better photo opportunities, take a funicular railway to the top of San Cristobal where the Statue of the Virgin overlooks the capital and the distant Andes. At this very pleasant viewing area you’ll find wine-tasting facilities and a couple of beautifuly situated swimming pools. Santiago is a very clean modern city with fountains, parks and imposing buildings. In the Plaza Constitución at the Palacio de la Moneda you can see the changing of the guard on most days or you can take an optional excursion to the port of Valparaiso and the resort of Viña del Mar. Note: No food is allowed to be taken into Chile so please ensure you have eaten or dispose of any snacks you may have with you before we cross the border.

Day 56 to 56

Depart Santiago

Our tour concludes after breakfast on day 56.