The South American Grand Tour, Reimagined

The exact itinerary varies from vessel to vessel, but you will spend these days exploring the islands in depth. Your boat will travel between several different islands so that you can experience a wide variety of the unique wildlife and environments that the Galapagos offers.

The giant Galapagos Tortoise, the marine iguana, the waved albatross, the Galapagos penguin, and flightless cormorants are just a few of the species you can come across. There will also be daily opportunities to snorkel, where you can see what’s below the surface: giant sea turtles, rays, and sea lions, to name just a few. Each day you will enjoy excellent cuisine and the company of an expert bilingual naturalist guide.

Enjoy a final morning in the islands before flying out from Galapagos to the Ecuadorian mainland, where you will connect to Lima.

Arrive to Lima, former capital of the Spanish empire in the Americas and present-day gastronomic capital of South America. Transfer to your first class hotel in Miraflores, Lima’s main cultural and commercial district. This is a great area for strolling around and is home to many of Lima’s best restaurants.

Take a private tour of Lima. Visit the government and historic buildings, see the colonial highlights of the city, and have some time at the highly-rated Larco Museum. Lima is a great place to explore, with many interesting sights and great views of the Pacific Ocean. With your private guide you have the flexibility to see what really interests you and move at your own pace.

We can also set up high-quality culinary classes and restaurant tours focused on Peru’s world-renowned cuisine.

Fly over the Andes to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire. Your local guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a long, fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Visit Chinchero, a traditional small town situated on a plateau overlooking the Sacred Valley. Explore a colonial church with remarkable paintings and frescoes, which was constructed over the ruins of an Incan temple and is surrounded by impressive Incan terracing. Chinchero is also home to several highly-regarded weaving cooperatives known for the quality of their textiles. Peru is known for its intricate traditional weavings, many of which use symbols to tell stories or depictions of daily life.

Afterward enjoy lunch at a great small restaurant founded by a renowned local chef. Your private guide will be there to help you make the most of the entire experience.

Spend the day exploring more of the Sacred Valley, seeing less-visited sites that will deepen your understanding of the local culture.

Discover the unique Incan site of Moray and the nearby town and ancient salt pans of Maras. After a scenic picnic lunch, visit Ollantaytambo, one of the few towns to survive in its current layout from Incan times.

The Sacred Valley is an excellent place for adventurous exploration, and we also offer a variety of alternative excursions in the area: mountain biking, horseback riding, zip lining, and more!

Travel by train to Machu Picchu, one of South America’s most iconic sites.

Visit this remarkable site with a private guide and enjoy lunch at the famous Sanctuary Lodge before returning to your hotel in Aguas Calientes.

Return to Machu Picchu with your private guide in the early morning to explore the ruins. This is a great way to experience the site when there are far fewer people around. You’ll also have the chance to hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, the mountain that towers above Machu Picchu (about 2 hours round trip).

After visiting the ruins, catch the afternoon train back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.

Get to know Cusco with your knowledgeable private guide, visiting the historical highlights of this fascinating city. Visit Sacsahuaman, the massive Incan fortress on the hills above the city, where you can enjoy views out over Cusco and the entire surrounding area. Afterward enjoy the afternoon to explore more of the city on your own.

Cusco is one of the highlights of a trip to Peru, an intriguing place built on the foundations of the former Incan capital. You can observe massive Incan walls along many of the streets of the city. The city has a vibrant atmosphere and many excellent restaurants.

Fly to Santiago, Chile’s metropolitan capital, where your private guide will take you to your boutique hotel in the charming Lastarria neighborhood. Lastarria is a nice area for walking around, with quiet streets, flowering trees, attractive colonial architecture, and a variety of restaurants and boutiques.

Take a private tour of Santiago with your local guide. Visit the colonial and modern highlights of the city, including the areas around the Plaza de Armas and the La Moneda Presidential Palace. Walk through the Mercado Central, one of Chile’s largest fresh seafood markets, and explore some of Santiago’s lesser known barrios, including República and Concha y Toro, which offer varied styles of architecture dating back to the 19th and early 20th century. Heading to the cobblestoned Lastarria neighborhood, walk through the Parque Forestal and pass by the Bellas Artes Museum. You will also visit the top of Cerro San Cristobal Hill, 984 feet above the city, for a panoramic vista of the city.

There is plenty to see and do in this part of Chile. One suggested extension is to add a night in the nearby Chilean wine country, along with a visit to the colorful coastal port city of Valparaiso.

Fly south to Punta Arenas and enjoy a scenic private transfer to your hotel, set just outside of the Torres del Paine National Park Entrance. Surrounded on all sides by rolling pampa blanketed in evergreen shrubs, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of Lake Sarmiento with the Paine Massif filling the horizon above it.

Enjoy guided excursions each day to see the park’s iconic sites, such as the soaring granite towers from which it takes its name. Each day you can choose from active excursions, such as hiking, and more relaxed ones, such as driving tours and scenic walks. The guides at your lodge will discuss the options with you and help you plan a trip that matches your interests.

Cross the border from Torres del Paine National Park into Argentina and head to El Calafate, gateway to Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia. Head deeper into the scenic countryside to your traditional estancia, a favorite among our travelers. Bordering the national park, this estancia offers a view into traditional Patagonian life and access to some rarely-visited and beautiful areas of Argentine Patagonia.

Enjoy a unique excursion to the iconic Perito Moreno Glacier. You won’t just view the glacier from a distance – you’ll take a catamaran ride to the front of the glacier and do a short hike on the ice itself. (Crampons will be provided; this is a non-technical and non-strenuous walking excursion. We can also arrange more challenging and strenuous treks on the glacier.) Afterward, visit the viewing areas for great views of the glacier before returning to your estancia for a traditional Patagonian asado dinner.

Enjoy a day to explore your estancia. This is an outstanding area for hiking and horseback riding, and the staff at Nibepo Aike will take you riding or help you find the best trails to hike. There are also typical ranching activities that vary by day, such as sheep-shearing.

Fly from the wilds of Patagonia to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s colorful capital, where your private guide will take you to your boutique hotel in the fashionable Palermo district. This is one of the best areas of town for walking around, with charming boutiques and top restaurants.

Explore Buenos Aires with your private guide, a bilingual local who will take you through the city’s unique neighborhoods. Discover the charms of Palermo, the Recoleta, the Teatro Colon, the Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, and La Boca. With your private guide, you have the flexibility to explore at your own pace and make detours and stops along the way.

After your tour, spend the rest of the day exploring on your own and trying out the city’s excellent restaurants – we’ll provide a list of our top recommendations!

Enjoy a day at leisure to delve into the city’s offerings; we’ll give you some of our favorite suggestions for things to see and do. We can also arrange privately guided day excursions to nearby sites, such as the town of Colonia, Uruguay (a well preserved 17th century Portuguese colonial town that is a UNESCO World Heritage site), or up to Tigre and the Delta (there are also biking excursions up to Tigre).

You might also enjoy an excursion to one of the traditional estancias of San Antonio de Areco, about 1.5 hours from Buenos Aires. This is an area that has preserved gaucho traditions more than any other in Argentina, and the estancias offer an in-depth experience in this fundamental aspect of Argentine culture and history.

Fly north to Iguazu, on the border of Argentina and Brazil and home to the magnificent Iguazu Falls. Your private guide will take you to your hotel, the only one located within the Iguazu National Park on the Brazilian side. Enjoy a private walking tour of the Brazilian side, exploring the trails and catwalks around the falls. Guests at this hotel also have the unique privilege of being able to see the falls at close range after the park closes.

Enjoy a trip to the Argentine side of the falls, getting a different perspective on this magnificent site. The majority of the trails and walkways are on the Argentine side of the falls, and most boat tours that take you up close to the falls also start on this side.

Fly to Rio, a coastal metropolis, where your private guide will take you to your hotel on Copacabana Beach. This is one of the best locations in the city; many of Rio’s best restaurants, boutiques, and cafes are located here and in neighboring Ipanema and Leblon.

Get to know beautiful Rio with your private local guide. Head to the top of Corcovado Mountain to the iconic Cristo Redentor statue, where you can take in one of the best views in the world. Afterward, visit the Tijuca Forest National Park, the largest urban forest in the world. Drive through the historic Santa Teresa neighborhood, filled with mansions dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and see Rio’s bustling downtown.

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the city. Take a trip to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, visit the botanical gardens, or spend the day at one of Rio’s many wonderful beaches. The day is yours to enjoy!

Today you will say goodbye to your local guide and head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.