Explore the beauty of South America during this exhilarating vacation to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and the Galápagos Islands. Visit its cosmopolitan and lively cities as well as its ancient treasures and scenic highlights, including the Amazon Jungle, where you’ll cruise along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the Amazon. Watch for the captivating native flora and fauna. Additionally, be amazed as you view the spectacular panoramic views of Iguassu Falls—with its clouds of spray, incessant roar, and surrounding tropical growth. Experience an once-in-a-lifetime thrill in the Galápagos Islands, where you’ll be able to see many species of animals and birds that call the Galápagos their home. On your 3-night cruise, watch for blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, sea lions, marine iguanas, giant tortoises, and more. For even more fun, consider swimming and snorkeling in search of sea life. And that’s just the start...there’s also Machu Picchu. About 1,000 people once lived there—in around 200 structures—but archaeologists still don’t know its true purpose. Regardless, the first glimpse of this city poised high above the jungle-covered ravines is one of the most majestic images in South America. On this tour, you’ll also discover South America’s fascinating cities—Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Lima. You’ll have sightseeing with a local expert and leisure time in each city to browse the shops, visit the sights, sip the local drinks, sample the local cuisine, and explore the many sights. Vibrant cities, amazing scenery, spectacular flora and fauna, and ancient structures—this vacation to South America has it all!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Manaus, Brazil. After arriving at your hotel, meet for guided sightseeing of Manaus to view vestiges of its glory days during the rubber boom. Your first stop will be the famous OPERA HOUSE, built in 1896 with materials imported from Europe. Next, visit a bustling LOCAL MARKET, abundant with local foods and wares. (D)
Day #2 Manaus–Amazon Jungle. Today your “Meeting of the Waters” tour passes by the impressive British-built Custom House and the floating port. CRUISE along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix! After lunch on the river, explore a JUNGLE ISLAND (if the water level is not too low) with fascinating native flora and fauna. Later this afternoon, arrive at the Ecopark Jungle Lodge, situated on the banks of the Rio Negro inside the Amazonian rainforest. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Amazon Jungle. Accompanied by a Naturalist, enjoy a guided WALK to see the flora and fauna that thrive in the Amazon. After lunch, depart the lodge and sail up the river to visit an AMAZON NATIVE CABOCLO VILLAGE to learn about their traditions, costumes, and culture. Also try your hand at piranha fishing! Later, visit the MONKEY JUNGLE RESERVE, where researchers work to rehabilitate primates like spider, squirrel, woolly, and capuchin monkeys and reintroduce them to the jungle. This evening, venture back out on canoe with your Naturalist to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, with the possibility to spot small alligators (or other night creatures). (B,L,D)
Day #4 Amazon Jungle–Rio de Janeiro. This morning, depart the Ecopark for a flight to Rio for an overnight. (B)
Day #5 Rio de Janeiro. Today is free in Rio to explore as you please. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and and fellow traveling companions for a drive along famous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city. Next, toast the start of a memorable vacation at a local restaurant with caipirinhas, a favorite Brazilian cocktail. Cap off the evening with a welcome dinner. (B,D)
Day #6 Rio de Janeiro. The city’s landmark, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowns CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. A scenic ride by cog railway leads to the top, where a breathtaking 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. From here, proceed to bustling downtown Rio, where modern office towers stand next to relics of the Portuguese colonial past. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. The afternoon is at leisure for you to experience this vibrant city on your own. Tonight, it’s a fun outing to a CHURRASCARIA for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style, followed by a SAMBA SHOW, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)
Day #7 Rio de Janeiro. A full day at leisure to savor Rio. Relax on one of the world-famous beaches or take advantage of the world-class shopping or fine dining. Alternatively, you may choose to join an optional Guanabara Bay cruise that delivers gorgeous views of Rio from the harbor. This afternoon, you might elect to discover historic Petropolis, a mountain resort and the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II. (B)
Day #8 Rio de Janeiro–Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fly to Buenos Aires, proud capital of the vast country that occupies most of the southern part of the continent. After arriving at your central hotel, an orientation walk acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. Spend an evening at leisure. (B)
Day #9 Buenos Aires. Your included sightseeing this morning starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking TOUR of this unique neighborhood at the mouth of the river and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and as a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, which houses San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching the CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous TANGO CLUB. Start with a [LF] DANCE LESSON followed by dinner of Argentine steaks and other local specialties and end with a show featuring flawless performances of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango! (B,D)
Day #10 Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to the pampas. Experience the atmosphere of Argentine country life as you visit an estancia (ranch). Get acquainted with the lifestyle of the gauchos and enjoy a barbecue lunch and the warm hospitality of your hosts before returning to the city. (B)
Day #11 Buenos Aires–Iguassu Falls. This morning, fly to IGUASSU FALLS. The spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour—with some cataracts as high as 250 feet—is nothing short of hypnotic. The clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Upon arrival, journey to the Argentinean side of the falls and take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN for a bird’s-eye view from the catwalks perched over part of the Devil’s Throat, where 14 falls drop over 300 feet into the Devil’s Gorge below. Continue to your hotel this evening for an included dinner. (B,D)
Day #12 Iguassu Falls–Lima, Peru. Today is dedicated to exploring the Brazilian side of the FALLS from a completely different vantage point than in Argentina. A walk along the pathway at the base of the falls takes you into the Devil’s Throat Canyon, with spectacular panoramic views of many of the 275 cataracts that make up Iguassu Falls. Have dinner in Iguassu before flying to Lima, Peru. (B,D)
Day #13 Lima. Your city sightseeing TOUR focuses on Lima’s rich colonial history as well as the modern city. See the 18th-century SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY with its unique cloisters, Government Palace, and the cathedral situated around the vast Plaza de Armas. Tonight, visit the [LF] LARCO HERRERA MUSEUM, which houses the largest private collection of pre-Colombian Peruvian art in the world. Enjoy dinner at the museum’s restaurant. (B,D)
Day #14 Lima–Cusco–Sacred Valley. Fly to Cusco, the impressive Andean city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Spend the day in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit the semi-circular KENKO Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages. See the ancient site of Puca Pucara before reaching the TEMPLE OF SACSAYHUAMAN, perched on a hillside overlooking Cusco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons—was built. While at the ruins, experience an [LF] El Pago a la Tierra, or MOTHER EARTH CEREMONY, performed by a local shaman. These ceremonies thanking Mother Earth and asking for good health and safe travels have been practiced in Peru since before the arrival of the Incas. Continue to PISAC, an old mountain village where you will have free time to shop for local wares such as alpaca sweaters and blankets, jewelry, or hand-painted ornamental dishes and vases. Stay in the Sacred Valley tonight, with dinner at the hotel. (B,D)
Day #15 Sacred Valley–Machu Picchu. This morning, visit the Inca Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO followed by the opportunity to visit a [LF] HOME, meet some of the locals, and experience their way of life in the Sacred Valley. Then, board a TRAIN for a scenic journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Upon arrival, ascend the mountainside to legendary MACHU PICCHU, the “Lost City of the Incas.” Your Local Guide will introduce this intact fortress with its temple remains, holy houses, and mile-long aqueduct, and will bring you closer to the mysteries still hidden in these amazing structures. Tonight, learn how to make the perfect Pisco Sour before your included dinner. (B,L,D)
Day #16 Machu Picchu–Cusco. A morning at leisure in Machu Picchu allows you to wake up early to see the sunrise over MACHU PICCHU with your second included entrance to the ruins. After lunch, return to the Sacred Valley by TRAIN and continue on to Cusco. (B)
Day #17 Cusco. On your guided sightseeing tour of Cusco today, learn more about the Inca and Spanish influence. Begin at the heart of Cusco in the Plaza de Armas (main square), with a visit to the imposing CATHEDRAL, where construction began in 1550 and was finally completed 100 years later. Continue to Koricancha and the SANTO DOMINGO MONASTERY, and see how the two sites have become one. The Temple of the Sun at Koricancha was once the most important Inca site, dedicated to the worship of the Sun. The walls, altars, and decorations were all said to be covered in gold—until the Spaniards looted the temple and then built the contrasting Baroque Santo Domingo Monastery on top of the temple’s foundations. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore on your own. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day #18 Cusco–Lima. A short morning flight returns you to Lima. For a special treat, make a stop at a [LF] LOCAL PERUVIAN FOOD MARKET to get a real taste of the life of the local people. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore on your own. (B)
Day #19 Lima–Guayaquil, Ecuador. Fly to Guayaquil, where the remainder of your day is at leisure. (B)
Day #20 Guayaquil–San Cristobal (Embarkation)–Galápagos Cruising. Take a morning flight to San Cristobal, one of the remote Galápagos Islands. Upon arrival, board the Galápagos Explorer II for your 3-night CRUISE. On SAN CRISTOBAL, visit Frigate Hill where magnificent and great frigatebirds can be found nesting along the trail in the same colony. These birds are easily recognized by their tails which look like a pair of scissors. At the top of the hill, take in the panoramic views of San Cristobal’s white sand beaches and other nearby islands. (B,L,D)
Day #21 Cruising: Española Island. Today, join your Naturalist for excursions to Gardner Bay and Punta Suárez on ESPAÑOLA ISLAND, one of the oldest islands in the archipelago. Here you will see the famous blowhole, as well as unique sea bird colonies, including the waved albatrosses (Apr.-Dec.), Nazca and blue-footed boobies, and Darwin’s finches. Also look for red, green, and black marine iguanas and a rookery of sea lions right at the landing site. (B,L,D)
Day #22 Cruising: Santa Cruz & South Plaza Islands. This morning, visit the CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION, established to help conserve the Galápagos’ natural habitats and protect the area’s famous giant tortoises. Spend some time in the town of Puerto Ayora before returning to the ship. At SOUTH PLAZA, wildlife includes sea lions, land iguanas, and hybrid iguanas, which are the result of a cross between male marine iguanas and female land iguanas. This is also a bird-watcher’s paradise, where you will see nesting swallow-tailed gulls, masked and blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, frigatebirds, pelicans, and Audubon’s shearwaters. (B,L,D)
Day #23 Cruising: Baltra (Disembarkation)–Quito. After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Baltra for your flight to Quito. (B)
Day #24 Quito. On an included city tour, see INDEPENDENCE SQUARE with its CATHEDRAL and SAN FRANCISCO PLAZA CHURCH, and the BASILICA. (B)
Day #25 Quito. Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. (B)