South America Discovery: Lima to Rio de Janeiro

Arrive at any time. There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

Hop a flight to Cusco. Enjoy a free day for shopping and exploring the city. Choose to pre-book an optional Cusco Cooking Class. Opt for a city tour. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and exploring this fascinating city, and getting used to the altitude.

Spend a full day enjoying optional activities in the area. Opt to visit and hike the famed Rainbow Mountain, pre-book on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.

Stop at the G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. Break for lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosco. After lunch, opt to head out on a hike to the Ollantaytambo storehouses and look out over the ruins. Or, wander around the cobblestone streets and visit a local Chicheria (corn beer bar). Travel through the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting a G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op. Meet the women and learn about traditional weaving and dyeing used in the Ccaccaccollo community. Opt to pick up some handmade souvenirs and textiles directly from the women who made them. Have lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant. Learn about the G Adventures for Good project and eat a delicious buffet-style lunch. Proceeds of this meal go directly back to the remote community.

Catch the scenic train to Aguas Calientes. Opt to visit the local hot springs or shop in the local market. Board a morning train that winds through the spectacular Sacred Valley to the end of the line: the village of Aguas Calientes, a frontier town nestled in the hills beneath Machu Picchu. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit the butterfly house, botanical gardens or hot springs. Opt for a day hike to Mandor Gardens to see orchids and a waterfall, enjoying the lush, green scenery en route.

Enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco in the evening. Rise early to catch the first bus up to Machu Picchu with your guide. Enjoy a guided visit of the ruins then take a train back to Cusco.

Use a free day to explore more of Cusco or relax.

Travel day by bus from Cusco to Puno. Spend some time on arrival wandering the small city. Travel through the high Altiplano region from Cusco to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Titicaca is also the largest lake in the world above 3800m, and the views from both Amantaní and Taquile Islands are stunning. The trip takes the better part of the day, with stark, beautiful scenery en route.

Enjoy a guided tour of Lake Titicaca including a visit to Uros and Taquile islands. Head out by boat across Lake Titicaca. Visit the community on the Taquile Islands and enjoy a local lunch with spectacular views. Visit the floating islands of Uros before returning to Puno.

Travel by bus and cross the border into Bolivia, arriving in La Paz. Enjoy the full-day drive around the lake and through the altiplano to La Paz. Bolivia is filled with spectacular views of the countryside. La Paz is at nearly 4000m (13,120ft) above sea level, so be prepared for cool evenings and mornings.

Enjoy a free day in La Paz. Opt to visit the Witches' Market, the city's museums or the Valley of the Moon. Explore the city’s many fine museums or its historic structures, like the Iglesia de San Francisco. The city is also renowned for its many markets, including the Mercado de Hechicería (Witches’ Market). With streets lined with market stalls and vendors, the pace on the street and the vibrant atmosphere is an incredible experience. To the south of the city is the Valley of the Moon, with crater-like formations made of sand. Thrill seekers can pre book a Death Road mountain biking adventure.

Fly to Sucre and explore this beautiful colonial city. Optional activities include mountain biking, hiking, and searching for dinosaur footprints.

Free time to explore the city, the former capital of Bolivia. For more active options opt to go hiking in the surrounding area or mountain biking.

Travel by bus to Potosí and get a view of the mountain Cerro Rico looming over the city.

Travel through the Bolivian landscape to the town of Uyuni, the jumping off point for the three day 4x4 excursion to the Salar de Uyuni.

Enjoy a three-day 4x4 excursion to the Salar de Uyuni and surrounding desert altiplano with spectacular scenery. Today you will be heading into the Salar de Uyuni. Our groups like to get creative with photography, as the endless white of the salt flats creates some great depth illusions that are fun to play with in photos. Last stop for the evening is a G Adventures-supported community lodge in a traditional agricultural village in the heart of a desert oasis.

Explore the desert altiplano on a 4x4 excursion. Admire the spectacular scenery while passing red and blue lagoons and interesting rock formations along the route. Spot wild llamas, alpacas and even flamingos deep within the desert.

Rise early to cover more ground of the unique landscape of the Salar de Uyuni. Continue to see incredible scenery, including volcanoes, salt lakes and geysers. Travel to the border and descend by bus to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. It's a long but scenic drive. From the high Bolivian altiplano descend almost 2000m to the edge of the Atacama Desert, arriving at the small desert oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, just across the Chilean border. Said to be one of the driest places on the planet, this little town is an oasis in an otherwise barren, dry landscape.

Enjoy an Included excursion to the Valley of the Moon. In San Pedro, opt to go sandboarding or mountain biking. Enjoy an included excursion to the Valley of the Moon to learn about and appreciate the beautiful uniqueness of the landscape. There are plenty of optional excursions in San Pedro de Atacama, including biking, exploring nearby ruins, and horseback riding. Despite its size, San Pedro offers some great restaurants as well as numerous handicrafts and artisan stores for those looking for souvenirs.

Drive to Calama and fly to Santiago, a vibrant capital city. From the nearby city of Calama, fly to Santiago, the capital of Chile. The city is surrounded by mountains, and there are both internationally recognized vineyards and Andean ski resorts within a couple of hours from the city centre. Explore the city’s many museums and parks and visit the vibrant neighbourhood of Bellavista with its handicrafts, trendy cafés, and San Cristobal Hill with its views of the city and the surrounding area.

With a free day in Santiago, opt to visit nearby wineries.

Explore some of Santiago's neighbourhoods on a city tour, visit the Museum of Memory and try some local specialties. Enjoy a free afternoon in Santiago. Perfect for visiting museums, shopping, or taking the funicular up San Cristóbal Hill.

Travel to Valparaíso for a morning spent soaking in the city's vibrant atmosphere and colorful hills. Later, we’ll transition to the Casablanca Valley to visit a premier winery and indulge in a wine tasting. Upon returning to Santiago, board the overnight bus to Pucón.

Enjoy free time in Pucon, try whitewater rafting or explore the area by foot.

Enjoy another free day to take part in the many activities on offer in Pucón. Opt to hike Villarica volcano (it's active!) or soak in the nearby natural thermal pools.

Cross the Andes to Argentina. Travel by local bus to San Martin and take a private van the rest of the way to Bariloche in the Lake District with a local guide.

Transfer to a Gaucho Ranch just outside of Bariloche. Enjoy a barbecue for lunch and take to the saddle with a Gaucho by your side.

Enjoy a free day to explore the beautiful area in and around Bariloche. Take a hike in the countryside or wander the town, known for its shops and in particular, artisan chocolate.

Fly to Buenos Aires. Opt to enjoy a Tango show and dinner. Fly north to the buzzing metropolis that is Buenos Aires, it is a vibrant city full of life.

The day is yours to explore Buenos Aires. From bike tours to city walks and neighbourhood visits, there is plenty to see and do.

Fly to Iguassu (Argentinean Side) and cross the border into Brazil by private vehicle and witness amazing panoramic views of the falls. Spend the next two full days exploring the area around the falls. After settling in, opt to partake in one of the adventurous activities offered in the area like, a helicopter ride over the falls or a visit to the nearby bird park.

Return to the Argentine side to explore the trails. Opt for a boat tour to get a close look at the falls. Return to the Brazilian side for one more night in town. Explore trails that will bring you directly over the falls of the Devil's Throat—the highest and deepest of the falls. Other trails allow access to the stretch of falls across the forest on the Argentine side. Opt to take an inflatable boat to the base of the thundering falls.

Fly to São Paulo and continue by van to Paraty. Wander the cobblestoned streets and shops of this gorgeous coastal town and its historical centre, designated as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Enjoy a free day to explore Paraty. Opt to visit the cachaça distilleries or take a boat into the bay to explore the nearby islands and beaches. Paraty is a quaint colonial town renowned for its architecture—the pace might be slow but there's a lot to choose from. Considered one of the world's most important examples of Portuguese colonial architecture by UNESCO, the historic centre is a well-preserved national historic monument, and today has been closed to vehicles to preserve its laid-back colonial ambiance. Opt to take a boat trip in the bay, kayak, go horseback riding, or take a jeep tour.

Continue by van up the coast and take a ferry to Ilha Grande. Opt to hike to remote beaches and enjoy free time to relax and explore the island. A short, scenic drive along the coast takes us to Angra dos Reis. Board the ferry to Ilha Grande—home to some of Brazil's most beautiful beaches. Enjoy free time to soak up the sun, snorkel, hike and cruise to various beaches, not to mention feast on fresh seafood and sip caipirinhas in the plaza in the evenings.

Enjoy a free day in Ilha Grande. Optional activities include hiking Pico Do Papagaio or to Lopes Mendes, snorkelling or relaxing on the beach.

Carry on by ferry and van to Rio de Janeiro. With free time, explore the city on an optional city tour. Travel back to the mainland by ferry before continuing north along the coast. Enjoy the incredible scenery before rounding the cliffs at Vidigal. Get your first look at one of the most memorable cities in the world—Río de Janeiro.

Depart at any time. There are no planned activities today so feel free to book onward travel at any time. Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

Hotels/guesthouses (34 nts), G Adventures-supported lodge/basic hotels on Salar de Uyuni excursion (2 nts, multi-share), Overnight bus (1 nt).

Plane, shared van, public bus, private vehicle, boat, ferry, train, 4x4 vehicle, hiking.