South America Highlights: Rio, Iguazú, Buenos Aires and Machu Picchu

1. Jour 1 : Arrive in Rio de Janeiro

   Rio de Janeiro airport to your hotel

   • Repas du soir
   • Nuit : Rio de Janeiro
   Détail du jour 1

   Fly into Rio de Janeiro, to Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU) depending on your airline. A driver is proposed to meet you and take you to the hotel, a ride whose length depends on traffic and is confirmed at quoting; no supplier is arranged. Before you fly, check entry rules: according to the Government of Canada and Brazil's embassy in Ottawa, Canadian passport holders need an electronic visa applied for online in advance, while other passports differ. The Government of Canada advises a high degree of caution in Brazil because of crime, so a guide is proposed to give an early-evening briefing covering what to leave at the hotel, how to use official taxis or ride-hailing apps, and how the next three days work. If you land early, a short daylight stroll near the hotel is gentle. The welcome dinner is proposed close to the hotel. The briefing also explains how the altitude in Cusco later in the trip is handled.

   Compris

   • Pick-up at the Rio airport
   • Welcome briefing
   • Welcome dinner

   Temps libre : Free until the evening briefing

2. Jour 2 : Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf

   Rio de Janeiro: Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Rio de Janeiro
   Détail du jour 2

   We start early at Corcovado, where tickets, with any timings confirmed at quoting, and cloud decide how clearly Christ the Redeemer shows; access is proposed by the Corcovado train or an official van depending on availability. After a free lunch we ride the cable car in two stages to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain for the late-afternoon light across Guanabara Bay. Haze and cloud can hide views, and we do not promise visibility. There are queues, steps and heat on both sights, with shaded waiting areas. The order of the two may be swapped to give better weather to the more sensitive viewpoint. In the evening you can rest or choose a meal on your own. Ticketing, opening hours and any access restrictions at Corcovado must be confirmed at quoting.

   Compris

   • Corcovado visit to Christ the Redeemer (ticket, with any timings confirmed at quoting; proposed)
   • Sugarloaf cable car

   Option plus facile : Use the van or elevators where provided

   Option plus active : Add the Urca walk before the cable car

   Temps libre : Free evening

   

3. Jour 3 : Santa Teresa and a samba night

   Rio de Janeiro: Santa Teresa, Lapa and an evening samba

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Rio de Janeiro
   Détail du jour 3

   A slower day begins in Santa Teresa, the hilltop quarter of cobbled lanes reached by taxi or, where it runs, the old tram. With the guide we walk down toward the Selarón Steps and the arches of Lapa, a steep and uneven stretch. The Government of Canada lists Lapa, Santa Teresa and Copacabana beach among places in Rio where robberies occur, so we travel light, keep phones and valuables out of sight and use taxis between districts. The afternoon is free for a museum or rest, with beach swimming depending on surf conditions and local advice. In the evening the group attends a samba night at a venue to be chosen; no venue is booked, and the type of evening, from a rehearsal-style roda to a restaurant show, is set out in the quote. Taxis are advised for the return. Dinner is not included on this night so guests can choose their own timing, though the quote may add it.

   Compris

   • Guided walk in Santa Teresa, Lapa and the Selarón Steps
   • Samba evening (venue and ticket to be confirmed)

   Activités en option

   • Samba dinner package; a museum or garden visit by taxi

   Option plus facile : Take taxis between Santa Teresa and Lapa

   Option plus active : Take a taxi to a museum or garden of your choice in the free afternoon

   Temps libre : Free afternoon

4. Jour 4 : Fly to Iguazú: the Brazilian side

   Rio de Janeiro to Foz do Iguaçu by air, then Iguazu National Park (Brazil)

   • En avion
   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Foz do Iguaçu
   Détail du jour 4

   We fly from Rio to Foz do Iguaçu (IGU), the first of four proposed flights; schedules are not yet known and a connection may be needed, which would shorten the afternoon. If timing allows, we visit the Brazilian side of Iguaçu National Park, which has a walkway with a wide panorama of the falls ending close to the spray; its length and the comparison with the Argentine circuits are confirmed at quoting. The park publishes its own opening hours, which differ between weekdays and weekends, and changes access when river flow is high, so hours and last entry are as published and confirmed when we quote. The Government of Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel within 20 km of Brazil's border with Paraguay and does not name Foz do Iguaçu; we plan to keep to the hotel, airport and park, and you should read the advice and talk to your insurer. Spray is heavy, so bring a rain layer. The evening is free.

   Compris

   • Flight Rio to Foz do Iguaçu (proposed, to be quoted)
   • Hotel transfer
   • Brazilian side of Iguaçu National Park if time allows (entry cost treatment to be confirmed in the quote)

   Activités en option

   • Bird park visit; helicopter flight over the falls

   Option plus facile : Stay on the main panoramic walkway only

   Temps libre : Free evening in Foz do Iguaçu

   Activité : If the flight is late the park visit moves to day 5 or is dropped.

5. Jour 5 : The Argentine side of Iguazú

   Foz do Iguaçu to Iguazú National Park (Argentina) and back, crossing the border by road

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Foz do Iguaçu
   Détail du jour 5

   We cross the Brazil to Argentina border by road with the guide and spend the day in the Argentine national park, which has several walkways. An upper circuit looks down on the cascades and a lower circuit goes close to individual falls. The Devil's Throat is the headline view, though whether its walkway is open depends on park status and river level, so we do not promise it. The park's opening hours and last entry are as published and confirmed when we quote. Spray can be heavy, so waterproof layers and a dry bag help. Lunch is free in the park, and coatis are often reported around the park; do not feed any wildlife. The day involves a good deal of walking and steps, with a gentler main-walkway route; distances are confirmed at quoting. The Government of Canada urges caution around the Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay tri-border area and advises crossing before nightfall, so crossings are planned in daylight. Border queues may change the timing.

   Compris

   • Guided visit to Iguazú National Park, Argentine side
   • Border crossings by road with the guide

   Activités en option

   • Boat ride under the falls, if operating and extra cost

   Option plus facile : Follow the upper circuit only

   Option plus active : Add the lower circuit trail

   Temps libre : Free evening

   Activité : Passports must be carried.

   

6. Jour 6 : Cross to Argentina and fly to Buenos Aires

   Foz do Iguaçu to Puerto Iguazú by road, then to Buenos Aires by air

   • En avion
   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Buenos Aires
   Détail du jour 6

   We take a morning road transfer across the border to Puerto Iguazú airport (IGR) and fly to Buenos Aires, the second of our four flights. The flight time is not yet fixed, so we cannot promise a free morning. In Buenos Aires a transfer takes us to the hotel, and your guide gives a short orientation for the three nights ahead. Buenos Aires is a very large city, so taxis are the easiest way to move between neighbourhoods, and the climate depends on the month, from cool and damp in the proposed shoulder season to warm in spring. The rest of the day is free for a walk around the hotel district, a café or a rest after two days of waterfalls. Dinner is free so you can eat late as the city does.

   Compris

   • Road transfer across the border to Puerto Iguazú airport
   • Flight Puerto Iguazú to Buenos Aires
   • Hotel transfer

   Temps libre : Free afternoon and evening

7. Jour 7 : Buenos Aires: San Telmo, Recoleta and tango

   Buenos Aires on foot and by taxi, ending with a tango evening

   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du soir
   • Nuit : Buenos Aires
   Détail du jour 7

   We spend the day in the city with a local guide. The route starts at the Plaza de Mayo, with the Casa Rosada and the cathedral, then goes through San Telmo's old streets of antique stalls and cafés with iron balconies. After a free lunch we visit Recoleta Cemetery, a walk among mausoleums of every style. In the evening the group goes to a tango performance with dinner at a venue to be chosen; no venue is booked, and shows range from large theatre productions to small milonga evenings, so the quote must say which is proposed. Late dinners are normal, and the evening may end after 10 pm. A taxi back to the hotel is proposed. Walking is mostly flat on pavements. The Government of Canada names the Plaza de Mayo and Recoleta Cemetery among Buenos Aires hotspots for pickpocketing and phone snatching, so keep phones and bags close.

   Compris

   • Guided visit: Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, Recoleta Cemetery
   • Tango show with dinner (proposed)

   Option plus facile : Take taxis between the districts

   Option plus active : Walk between districts through Monserrat

   Temps libre : Free late afternoon

   

8. Jour 8 : An estancia day

   Buenos Aires to an estancia within a day's drive and back

   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Buenos Aires
   Détail du jour 8

   We spend the day away from the city at an estancia, a traditional ranch, within a day's road trip of Buenos Aires. We have not chosen one, and we cannot yet say whether it is closer to the city or farther out; the drive to and from is likely to take a good part of the day, depending on the location. The usual shape of a day is a welcome with empanadas, a ride or a carriage trip, a barbecue lunch and some time for horse-riding demonstrations or free time by a pool. Riding standards, riders' weight limits and insurance rules vary by estancia and must be confirmed. Returns can be delayed by Friday and Sunday traffic. The evening is free in Buenos Aires.

   Compris

   • Day visit to an estancia with lunch (estancia to be chosen)

   Activités en option

   • Horse riding, subject to estancia rules

   Option plus facile : Watch the riding display and carriage ride only

   Option plus active : Take the guided ride

   Temps libre : Free evening in Buenos Aires

   Activité : The estancia and drive time are not yet fixed.

9. Jour 9 : Fly to Lima

   Buenos Aires to Lima by air

   • En avion
   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Lima
   Détail du jour 9

   We fly from Buenos Aires to Lima, the third of four proposed flights, a journey of several hours whose timing is not yet known. Lima sits at sea level, a night at sea level before the flight to the Andes. A transfer is proposed to a hotel in Miraflores or a nearby district. The Government of Canada reports a marked increase in violent crime in Lima, with states of emergency in force in Lima and Callao, so the plan keeps to official transfers, the hotel and, only if the guide advises it, a short outing such as the cliff-top path along the Pacific. The guide gives an orientation for the Peru leg, including altitude advice: Cusco is high, and anyone with a heart or lung condition should speak to a doctor before enquiring. The evening is free so that a long travel day can be followed by an early night, ready for tomorrow's flight to the Andes.

   Compris

   • Flight Buenos Aires to Lima
   • Hotel transfer in Lima
   • Peru orientation and altitude briefing

   Temps libre : Free afternoon and evening

   Activité : Early-night day; tomorrow's flight is proposed for the morning.

10. Jour 10 : Fly to Cusco and descend to the Sacred Valley

    Lima to Cusco by air, then by road to the Sacred Valley

    • En avion
    • Petit-déjeuner
    • Nuit : Sacred Valley
    Détail du jour 10

    We fly from Lima to Cusco, the fourth of four proposed flights; it is a morning flight, which is why the Lima stay is one night. Cusco's airport is at about 3,400 metres. Rather than staying in the city, we drive straight down into the Sacred Valley, which sits lower, at roughly 2,800 metres around Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, a figure confirmed once the base is chosen. This lowers the altitude for many people, though altitude illness can affect anyone, nothing is guaranteed, and the Government of Canada says it can be life-threatening. Please see a doctor or travel clinic before you enquire. The road transfer time depends on the base and traffic and is confirmed at quoting. We rest with lunch free and a gentle afternoon, perhaps a short valley walk. Ask your doctor or travel clinic what to do about altitude; we do not give medical advice. The hotel is not yet chosen.

    Compris

    • Flight Lima to Cusco
    • Road transfer to the Sacred Valley

    Temps libre : Free afternoon to acclimatise

    Activité : Early start. Rest rather than push on the first afternoon.

11. Jour 11 : Sacred Valley: markets and Ollantaytambo

    The Sacred Valley: a market town and the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo

    • Petit-déjeuner
    • Nuit : Sacred Valley
    Détail du jour 11

    With a local guide we explore the valley. A morning at a market town and Inca site, such as Pisac, whose terraces climb the hillside above the town, leaves time for stalls selling textiles and local food, where bargaining is customary. After a free lunch we continue to Ollantaytambo, where steep stone terraces climb the hill above a town of Inca streets still laid out in their original grid. The climb includes many high steps at altitude, so go slowly and rest. Stops and order may change with road works and opening hours, and tickets such as the Boleto Turístico must be confirmed. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Packing for tomorrow is simple: only a small bag goes on the train, and larger luggage stays behind.

    Compris

    • Guided visit to a Sacred Valley market and Inca site (to be chosen)
    • Ollantaytambo fortress and town walk

    Activités en option

    • Pisac terraces or a Maras and Moray visit instead of the market

    Option plus facile : Visit Ollantaytambo's town and lower terraces only

    Option plus active : Climb to the top of the fortress terraces

    Temps libre : Free evening

    Activité : Small bag only on the train tomorrow.

    

12. Jour 12 : By train to Aguas Calientes

    Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes by train

    • En train
    • Petit-déjeuner
    • Nuit : Aguas Calientes
    Détail du jour 12

    We take a morning train from Ollantaytambo station down the Urubamba canyon to Aguas Calientes; the operator, timetable and journey time are confirmed at quoting, and luggage allowances on the train are strict. The Government of Canada says strikes can disrupt travel to Machu Picchu and the trains, so we build the plan as proposed and tell you at quoting what flexibility exists. The scenery turns steadily greener as the valley drops toward the cloud forest. Aguas Calientes is a small town in the canyon below the site. After check-in the afternoon is free for the hot springs, the market or a walk by the river. Your guide gives a briefing on tomorrow's early start, the bus up to the site and Machu Picchu's rules, which include entry by ticket for a circuit and route, with any entry times as published and confirmed at quoting. Dinner is free in town.

    Compris

    • Train Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (proposed, to be quoted)
    • Briefing for Machu Picchu

    Activités en option

    • Hot springs; a walk along the river

    Temps libre : Free afternoon and evening

    Activité : Train and luggage rules apply.

    

13. Jour 13 : Machu Picchu, then back to Cusco

    Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, then by train and road to Cusco (the map shows this leg as a single schematic line)

    • En train
    • Petit-déjeuner
    • Nuit : Cusco
    Détail du jour 13

    We take the morning bus up to Machu Picchu for a visit with entry by ticket for a circuit and route, with any entry times as published and confirmed at quoting. Machu Picchu's official site lists three circuits grouping ten routes (since 1 June 2024), with some routes available only in the high season. The published ticket rules, daily limits and whether a guide is required are as published and confirmed when we quote. The guided walk covers the terraces and main buildings along the chosen route, with time for photographs. Cloud and rain can come at any time of year, so views are not guaranteed. In the afternoon we take the train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer by road to Cusco, arriving in the evening; train times and the transfer duration are confirmed at quoting. The day has many steps, depends on the ticket slot and is long.

    Compris

    • Bus to Machu Picchu
    • Visit with entry by ticket for a circuit and route (entry times as published, confirmed at quoting)
    • Train to Ollantaytambo and road transfer to Cusco

    Activités en option

    • Mountain routes at Machu Picchu, subject to separate tickets and availability

    Option plus facile : Keep to the main terraces and the lower paths

    Option plus active : Add a longer route if tickets allow

    Temps libre : Free evening in Cusco

    Activité : Long day; the tickets and time slot decide the shape of the morning.

    

14. Jour 14 : Cusco old city

    Cusco on foot: the Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha and Sacsayhuamán

    • Petit-déjeuner
    • Nuit : Cusco
    Détail du jour 14

    A day in Cusco, a city at about 3,400 metres where the Inca stonework supports Spanish colonial churches. With a local guide we visit the Plaza de Armas and its cathedral, then Qorikancha, the former Inca temple under the Santo Domingo convent, and walk through the San Blas quarter's lanes. In the afternoon we go up to Sacsayhuamán, the great stone-walled complex above the city. Entry tickets such as the Boleto Turístico must be confirmed. The streets are steep and the air is thin, so we move slowly, and the Government of Canada notes that petty theft is frequent in Cusco, so keep bags close. Lunch is free, and the afternoon pace is relaxed with time to rest. The altitude can bring headaches and tiredness,. Evening plans are free, with suggestions for guinea pig and alpaca dishes and quieter options.

    Compris

    • Guided visit: Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha, San Blas, Sacsayhuamán

    Activités en option

    • Cooking class; a visit to a weaving cooperative

    Option plus facile : Take taxis uphill to Sacsayhuamán

    Option plus active : Walk up to Sacsayhuamán from San Blas

    Temps libre : Free evening

    

15. Jour 15 : A free day in Cusco

    Cusco: a flexible last full day

    • Petit-déjeuner et repas du soir
    • Nuit : Cusco
    Détail du jour 15

    This day is deliberately open. You may rest after the altitude and the train day, shop for textiles, take a cooking class, visit a museum, or join a half-day excursion to ruins near the city, such as Tambomachay or Pukapukara. A guide is proposed to offer suggestions and help with bookings, though optional activities are extra and not booked. The group meets in the evening for a farewell dinner at a Cusco restaurant to be chosen, where we look back on sixteen days across Brazil, Argentina and Peru. Please pack tonight for a very early departure, and reconfirm your onward flight details with the guide. If you have a late flight on day 16 the plan will be reviewed. Cusco's weather turns cold at night, so keep a jacket handy.

    Compris

    • Farewell dinner

    Activités en option

    • Half-day excursion to ruins near Cusco; cooking class

    Temps libre : Free day until the evening

16. Jour 16 : Depart from Cusco

    Cusco hotel to Cusco airport (CUZ)

    • Petit-déjeuner
    Détail du jour 16

    Breakfast is planned at the hotel, or a packed breakfast if the flight is early, followed by a transfer to Cusco airport (CUZ), its distance from the centre confirmed at quoting. Flights leave early in the day from the high Andes and weather can cause delays, so the pick-up time must be agreed with us before you book a flight; do not buy a ticket against an assumed transfer time. The day ends at the airport. International flights home are not part of the proposal, and a Cusco or Lima hotel extension is not included and would need a separate quote. The trip concludes here after Brazil, Argentina and Peru, with altitude and four flights part of the journey. Final arrangements are subject to supplier confirmation and a written quote.

    Compris

    • Transfer to Cusco airport (CUZ)

    Temps libre : Depends on flight time

Faune et météo : Rio and Iguazú are warm to hot with afternoon storms in the warmer months and cooler in the proposed winter. Cusco nights are cold and the Andean dry season is generally reported as running roughly May to September; Machu Picchu cloud and rain can occur in any month.

• Rio de Janeiro3 nuits
• Foz do Iguaçu2 nuits
• Buenos Aires3 nuits
• Lima1 nuit
• Sacred Valley2 nuits
• Aguas Calientes1 nuit
• Cusco3 nuits