Iguazu Falls
Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro
Cusco
DAY 10 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil With an early start, today you will join a city tour taking in all the cities famous sights, including Corcovado to get up close to the Christ Redeemer statue. Next stop is Sugar Loaf Mountain, where you will board a cable car to the top of Urca Hill, with spectacular views of Rio’s famous beaches, bays, hills, and the city. Enjoy a traditional Brazilian BBQ for lunch and continue exploring more of the city including a visit to the Maracanã Stadium via the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, a stop at the Sambadrome, and the city’s historic downtown area and more. (B,L) DAY 11 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Spend a half day today on a great historical tour of Rio de Janeiro which will take you through the colonial avenues, squares, and back streets of the city. Your guide will explain the important historical, political, and social events that shaped Rio into South America’s most exciting city. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy the beaches of Rio. (B)
DAY 12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Lima, Peru You will be transferred to the hotel for your onward flight to Lima, the capital of Peru. Lima is a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. Home to a plethora of interesting museums and a foodie’s delight, being the “gastronomical capital of the Americas”. (B) DAY 13 Lima, Peru Embark on a walking food tour in Lima’s Historic Centre. During this food tour, you will have the chance to taste popular on-the-go delicacies that locals devour while learning more about Peru’s history and interesting facts around the local economy and daily life in Peru. (B,D) DAY 14 Sacred Valley, Peru You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight to Cusco, where you will descend into the Sacred Valley below Cusco. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a region in Peru’s Andean highlands which, along with the nearby town of Cusco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu, formed the heart of the Inca Empire. (B)
Learn about this city from the Inca times to colonial rule to the present day, winding through narrow cobble-stoned streets and visit the market of Cusco. Visit the fascinating Koricancha Temple of the Sun, Cusco’s Plaza de Armas and Cathedral, built on the ruins of an Inca Palace and finish up at Sacsayhuaman, a former Inca fortress perched atop the hill above Cusco. (B) DAY 19 Cusco, Peru. Today is at leisure allowing you to spend time wandering the cobble- stoned streets of the ancient Inca capital. With treasures around every corner, Cusco is a wonderful city to explore on foot. Vibrant market and stores give the traveller a plethora of shopping opportunities set amongst fine Inca and Spanish colonial architecture. Included is a BTG ticket which provides access to most of Cusco’s attractions and museums, so you choose where you wish to spend your day. (B) DAY 20 Cusco Peru to Santiago, Chile You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight back to Santiago, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of the Andes and the Chilean Coastal Range. Enjoy your final evening in this cosmopolitan city. Alternatively, speak to our Destination Specialists about extending your time in Peru with a visit to the Amazon, Lake Titicaca or continue your South American adventure by travelling onwards to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, or south into Bolivia to see the impressive Salt Flats. (B) DAY 21 Santiago, Chile Bid farewell as you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)
The Sacred Valley’s elevation is 2,800 meters above sea level, so it is recommended to take it easy for the afternoon as your body
acclimatises to the altitude. (B) DAY 15 Sacred Valley, Peru
On today’s Sacred Valley of the Incas tour, you will be presented with plenty of photo opportunities of ancient Incan villages and ruins, whilst learning about the culture and beliefs of the Incan people. This tour is the perfect start to understand the unique way of life, farming techniques, archaeological design of the Inca’s. First stop is the village of Pisac. Wander the colourful market stalls before heading uphill to the famous Pisac ruins, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa and Kinchiracay ruins. Enjoy a fine buffet lunch in gardens overlooking the Valley before continuing along the River Urubamba, to Ollantaytambo, which is dominated by a giant Inca fortress. (B,L) DAY 16 Machu Picchu, Peru Today will be one of your highlights in South America with a visit to Machu Picchu. A transfer will collect you and transfer you to Ollantaytambo train station and board a scenic train and arrive in one of the world’s most famous ruins, after the morning fog and crowds have cleared. A guide will meet you on arrival and take you directly to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will spend the afternoon marvelling at the stunning display of ancient architecture and incredible surroundings. Located 2,430 metres above sea level, your guide will explain the 15th century Inca site before taking you to your hotel for the night in the local village of Aguas Calientes. (B) DAY 17 Machu Picchu to Cusco, Peru Start your journey back to Cusco by board a train back to Ollantaytambo. A transfer will be waiting as you arrive back to Ollantaytambo station to continue onwards to Cusco. Enroute, you will visit the Maras Salt ponds, believed to pre-date the Inca period, theses hallow pools were dug into the mountainside which are filled with salt water from an underground spring from an adjacent mountain. Continue to Moray, which boasts an impressive Inca ruin of giant circular terraces that are believed to have been used for agricultural experimentation. You will then be dropped to your hotel in Cusco, set at an altitude of 3,400 metres in the Peruvian Andes. (B) DAY 18 Cusco, Peru. Join our Viva exclusive day tour and explore the city’s fascinating history. This specially designed tour has been perfected to show you the best of this incredible city without the crowds and other tourists.
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0800 131 900 | vivaexpeditions.com
0800 131 900 | vivaexpeditions.com
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