Lima to Buenos Aires (35 days) Peaks & Plains

Mountains, Salt Flats, and Dancing the Tango - this trip offers the best of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina!

Whatever your tastes, this trip has something for everyone! Hike the Inca Trail to the mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu, watch condors soar above Colca Canyon, stay with the local Uros Indians on Lake Titicaca, experience the disorientating vastness of the Bolivian Salt Flats, visit vineyards by bicycle in northern Argentina and take in a Tango Show or football match in the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires.  

 

Itinerary

Days 1 to 8

Peru

• Ballestas Islands - a boat trip takes us close to the Islands which are bursting with exotic & rare marine wildlife.
• Ica Desert & Oasis of Huacachina
• Optional Dune Buggies & Sandboarding on the giant dunes out in the desert. BBQ and camp overnight under the stars.
• Nazca Lines - huge figures and shapes carved into the stony desert, best viewed from the air.
• Chauchilla Cemetery - ancient eerie tombs.
• Ascend the Andes mountain range and drive past grazing Llama, Alpaca and Vicuna
• Arequipa - a magnificent colonial city with authentic Peruvian nightlife.
• Colca Canyon - accompanied by a local guide, you have the opportunity to view the majestic condors, which can be seen circling lazily on the thermals rising from the canyon floor.

Days 9 to 15

• Traverse mountainous passes of nearly 5000m within sight of active volcanoes
• Cusco (our base for the next week)
• Sacred Valley of the Incas
• Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu - 4 day hike on the Lares, Classic or Salkantay trail.
• Machu Picchu - finally on day 4 we reach the famous UNESCO World Heritage site - entrance and guide included.

Days 16 to 19

• Puno - Lake Titicaca - the world's highest navigable lake at 3800 metres.
• Floating reed islands - home to the Uros Indians - explore Titicaca by boat & spend a night with one of the local families.

Bolivia

• La Paz - highest capital city in the world, visit the colourful witches market!

Days 20 to 27

• Drive across the High Altiplano
• Potosi - option to enter a working silver & tin mine where techniques have remained unchanged for centuries.
• Uyuni Salt Lake - take a 1 day excursion out onto the vast salt flats.
• Tupiza - follow in the steps of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid.

Argentina

• Humahuaca Canyon and Purmamarca
• Salta - founded over 400 years ago and a great place for live music, mountain biking, mountain trekking, and horse riding.

Days 28 to 34

• Cafayate - wine growing region, visiting wineries by bicycle.
• Cross the pampas to Alta Gracia on the outskiers of Cordoba.
• Travel through cowboy country across the vast Pampas grasslands to Buenos Aires.

Day 35

• Buenos Aires - free day