Chile, Bolivia & Peru — The Americas — Explore Worldwide 2009/10 online holiday brochure

THE AMERICAS Salt flats of Uyuni/John Carr CHILE * BOLIVIA * PERU BRAZIL * BOLIVIA * PERU Ref Flight inclusive From Atacama to Machu Picchu WONDERS 21 DAYS HOTELS/LODGE AN ANDEAN TRAVERSE AX Rio to Lima Explorer DISCOVERY Flight inclusive From Ref RLE Land only From Land only From £2995 £2095 £3315 £2395 29 DAYS HOTELS/HOSTAL/LODGE/SLEEPER BUS & TRAIN FROM ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC * * * Travel with us on an unparalleled adventure across the Andes Discover the generous spirit of the Andean people Explore ancient Inca sites & timeless natural wonders Atacama to Machu Picchu Ref AX AGUAS CALIENTES Machu Picchu Ollantaytambo * * * An incredible journey of incomparable contrasts Vibrant Rio; Pantanal wildlife; altiplano salt pans Colonial towns, Lake Titicaca & Machu Picchu Machu Picchu AGUAS CALIENTES Optional train Lake Titicaca Isla del Sol CUSCO Ancient Inca capital BOLIVIA hundreds of years. Staring down at this iconic stone citadel will seem a fitting end to our journey across the Andes. Rio to Lima Explorer Ref RLE BRAZIL MATO GROSSO Puerto Suarez LIMA CUSCO Fly to BOLIVIA LIMA Sacred Valley of the Incas Optional train FACTFILE Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Santiago de Chile. 2 Arrive Santiago; city tour. 3 In Santiago; optional trip to Valparaiso. 4 Fly Calama; drive San Pedro de Atacama; walk in Valle de la Luna. 5 In San Pedro; visit El Tatio geysers. 6 Drive to Hito Cajon; jeeps to Ojo de Perdez (Bolivia). 7 Drive via Uyuni salt flats to Tahua. 8 Continue across salt flats via mummies of Coquesa to Potosi. 9 In Potosi; city tour; drive to Sucre. 10 In Sucre; city tour. 11 Fly to La Paz; city tour. 12 Bus and boat to Isla del Sol; walks and free time. 13 On Isla del Sol; visit Island of the Moon. 14 Boat to Copocabana; drive Puno (Peru). 15 Bus (or train optional) via Cusco to Sacred Valley. 16 Optional white water rafting; train to Aguas Calientes. 17 Visit Machu Picchu; train and bus to Cusco. 18 Free day in Cusco. 19 Fly Lima; optional city tour. 20 Fly London. 21 Arrive London. Accommodation & Meals: 16nts hotels good standard of hotels throughout, 2nts lodge unrivalled views from our comfortable lodge on Isla del Sol; 18 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 5 dinners included. See insert p2 & tour dossier for details. Transport: Bus/On Foot/Train/Flights as itinerary. Comment & Activity Level: A spectacular and adventurous journey encompassing the highlights of Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Some of the travelling days are long although the rewards are great. The walks are easy to moderate and are all optional (except for the 1hr walk to our lodge on Isla del Sol). We are regularly over 4,000m so the effects of altitude are something to bear in mind. If you wish to take the train from Puno to Cusco, it must be reserved at time of booking. Tour Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), boatmen and some local guides. Group Size: Approx. 14 to 18. PERU PACIFIC OCEAN Lake Titicaca PUNO Copacabana PUNO COPACABANA LA PAZ SAMAIPATA Santa Cruz L A N O T I P A L ISLA DEL SOL LA PAZ San Francisco Church Murillo Square Gold Museum SUCRE POTOSÍ CORUMBA Silver mines PANTANAL LODGE Colonial port Miranda UYUNI Salt Plains Wildlife Reserve Campo BONITO Grande o l a n t i p A l PERU ma aca At P A C I F I C O C E A N PARATI PA R A G U AY Sao Paulo SUCRE Cathedral Tunapa 5400m CHILE km 0 RIO DE JANEIRO ARGENTINA 1000 ILHA mountain GRANDE Sugarloaf POTOSI Colchani ATLANTIC OCEAN Coquesa Uyuni Salt Flats mummies Calama TAHUA CHILE D esert Fly from OJO DE PERDIZ Siloli Desert Laguna Verde Hito Cajon SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA Valle de la Luna El Tatio Geysers km 0 SANTIAGO DE CHILE City tour 400 Atacama Desert & Geysers From Chile's cosmopolitan capital, we fly north to the Atacama and our first view of the high Andean peaks. We explore the remarkable Moon Valley on foot and take an early morning trip to watch one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the Americas; sunrise at El Tatio geysers. Bolivian Altiplano Crossing the Bolivian border, we climb aboard our four wheel drive jeeps that will carry us for several days through a dramatic landscape of coloured lagoons, barren desert and across the breathtaking salt flats of Uyuni until we reach the remarkable colonial city of Potosi. With stops to explore Sucre and La Paz, we take a boat from Copacabana out to the Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca. Here we have several days to relax. Venturing out to nearby islands by boat and on foot we discover the timeless way of life that endures here. Train to Machu Picchu From Puno, the altiplano gives way to deep valleys protected by craggy peaks. Continuing to the Sacred Valley, we take the train to Machu Picchu, where the forbidding landscape of high passes and hidden valleys meant this great Inca legacy remained undiscovered for Rio de Janeiro & Pantanal From the carnival city of Rio we head south to the tropical island of Ilha Grande. Here we can explore jungle trails or snorkel from the island's wild and unspoilt beaches. Continuing to the colonial port of Parati, we discover a charming town of cobbled streets, fine houses and flower-filled courtyards. We then fly west into the heart of the Pantanal, a vast area of wetland and one of the best places to see wild mammals and exotic birds in the whole of the Americas. Potosi Silver & Salt Plains Leaving Brazil behind us, we fly into the lush foothills of the Bolivian Andes and to the sleepy but captivating town of Sucre. From here, our route takes us on an incredible journey to Potosi where we will visit a mine in Silver Mountain' and wander through splendid colonial buildings. The Altiplano beckons and at Uyuni we drive out to the largest salt lake on the planet an astonishing, icy-looking pan with distant mountains and rugged volcanoes suspended beneath intense blue skies. Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu There's chance to explore Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water in the world, and we spend time in Copacabana before continuing to Puno. Driving via Sillustani and Raqchi Temple, our route crosses high passes and traverses valley bottoms before arriving in Cusco, the ancient Inca capital. Our final days can be spent exploring the sites and markets of the Sacred Valley and fittingly concludes at the fabled lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. FACTFILE Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Rio de Janeiro. 2 & 3 In Rio; tour and cablecar to Sugar Loaf, time at leisure. 4 Drive and boat to Ilha Grande. 5 Optional boat trip and snorkelling. 6 Boat and drive to Parati. 7 Drive Sao Paolo; fly Campo Grande, drive Bonito. 8 In Bonito; optional Blue Lake Cave. 9 Drive to the Pantanal and boat trip on Miranda and Negro Rivers. 10 Full day exploring the Pantanal. 11 AM in the Pantanal; PM drive to Puerto Suarez (Bolivia), overnight train to Santa Cruz. 12 AM Arrive Santa Cruz; bus to Samaipata and visit El Fuerte. 13 Drive Santa Cruz; fly to Sucre. 14 Day at leisure, optional trip to Bolivian countryside. 15 Drive to Potosi, city tour. 16 Visit silver mines; drive to Uyuni. 17 Full day exploring salt plains; public bus to La Paz. 18 Arrive La Paz; city tour. 19 In La Paz; optional visit to the Yungas. 20 Drive Copacabana, optional visit to Isla del Sol. 21 AM free in Copacabana; PM boat and drive to Puno (Peru). 22 Bus via Sillustani and Raqchi Temple to Cusco (or train optional). 23 Optional visit to Sacred Valley and Pisac Market. 24 Train to Aguas Calientes; visit Machu Picchu. 25 Revisit Machu Picchu; train and bus to Cusco. 26 Day at leisure in Cusco. 27 Fly Lima, optional city tour. 28 Fly London. 29 Arrive London. Accommodation & Meals: 22nts hotel; standard hotels used throughout the tour, 2nts comfortable Pantanal lodge, 1nts more simple hostal in Aguas Calientes, 1nt sleeper train with reclining chair, 1nt overnight bus with reclining chair; 24 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 2 dinners included. See insert p2 & tour dossier for details. Transport: Train/Boat/Minicoach/Public bus/Flights as itinerary. Comment & Activity Level: An unforgettable journey through the contrasting landscapes of 3 of South America's most incredible countries. There is one long journey on a comfortable overnight bus. Uneven dirt roads are the norm in the Pantanal & Uyuri, all other roads are generally well paved. If you would prefer to take the train from Puno to Cusco, it must be reserved at time of booking. See dossier for more details. Tour Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), boatmen and some local guides. Group Size: Approx. 14 to 18. Essential information, departure dates & prices see Pricing & Information Supplement ARGENTINA JFMAMJJASOND JFMA Exploring Machu Picchu/John Carr JFMAMJJASOND JFMA 221

The Americas contd… Chile, Bolivia & Peru