16 Day Highlights of South America - Flights Sorted

Welcome to Peru. Lima sits on the cliffs above the Pacific and is the city most of South America looks to for its food. Your stay is in Miraflores, a short walk from the Malecon clifftop parks and plenty of places to eat.You can arrive at any time today. Once you have checked in there is time to walk the Malecon, look out over the ocean, or find a local spot for a ceviche, a lomo saltado or a pisco sour.Tonight you meet the rest of your group and a local representative for a welcome meeting and a briefing on the days ahead. The evening is then at leisure.Special InformationAirport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal may offer the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

There is time for breakfast this morning before we check out and transfer to Lima airport for our flight to Cusco, the old capital of the Inca empire.A representative meets us on arrival in Cusco and we continue by road down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, past Andean peaks, farmland and rural villages. The valley sits lower than Cusco, which makes it a better place to start getting used to the altitude.After the flight and the drive we reach our hotel in the evening. The rest of the evening is yours to enjoy dinner at the hotel or somewhere nearby to ensure a restful night ahead of a full day tomorrow.Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour leader will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free.As we travel to high-altitude regions, please note that altitude sickness can impact anyone, no matter their age, gender, or fitness.Today we travel from sea level in Lima to the Sacred Valley at around 2,800 metres (9,200 feet), with Cusco at around 3,400 metres (11,150 feet).

This morning after breakfast we set out across the Sacred Valley, which holds Inca sites alongside the communities still farming the valley floor.Our first stop is Cuyo Chico, an Andean community project where we learn about local pottery and artisan work and how families live in the mountains. From there we climb to the Pisac ruins on the ridge above the valley, with their agricultural terraces and stonework. Lunch is at Parwa, a community restaurant that buys from local farmers and puts its profits back into the surrounding villages.In the afternoon we transfer to Ollantaytambo and board the train to Aguas Calientes, following the river gorge as the landscape turns to cloud forest. We arrive at the hotel in the evening, so we suggest dinner at the hotel or nearby ahead of an early start tomorrow.Inspiring HighlightsCuyo Chico community visitPisac ruinsTrain to Aguas CalientesSpecial Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

We have an early start today, with breakfast before the short bus ride up the winding mountain road to the entrance of Machu Picchu.With our local guide we walk into the citadel, taking in the terraces, temples and stone plazas set high among the cloud forest peaks, and hear how this royal estate was built and what is still argued about it.After the guided visit and time to take in the views we return by bus to Aguas Calientes. This afternoon we board the train to Ollantaytambo, where our transfer meets us for the drive up to Cusco. We arrive in the early evening, with the rest of the night at leisure.Inspiring HighlightsMachu Picchu citadel guided visitTrain through the Urubamba valley to OllantaytamboSpecial Information Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.The site is walked on uneven stone paths and steps, with steep sections and little shade.

This morning after breakfast we set out on foot through Cusco, a city built layer on layer, where Inca stonework still carries the Spanish colonial buildings above it.We begin at Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun and once the most important temple in the Inca world, then follow the cobbled lanes down to the Plaza de Armas with its colonial arcades and churches.We return to the hotel after the morning walk, with the afternoon at leisure to browse the artisan shops, visit a museum or sit out with a coffee. The evening is at leisure.Inspiring HighlightsQorikancha, the Temple of the SunPlaza de Armas walking tour

Today is free. We have breakfast at the hotel and the day is then ours to spend at our own pace.San Blas, the artisan quarter above the main square, is an easy wander for its workshops and small galleries, though the lanes are steep in places. San Pedro market is flatter going and good for produce, textiles and a cheap lunch. There are also several museums within a few streets of the Plaza de Armas, and no shortage of balconies and courtyards to sit with a coffee and watch the square.The evening is at leisure.

This morning after breakfast we leave Cusco and head south by road to Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca (approximately 7 hours). Times are estimates, affected by traffic and roadworks, and coach travel generally takes longer than the distance suggests.The road climbs out of the Cusco valley and onto the Altiplano, the high Andean plateau, with snow-capped peaks, open plains and herds of llamas and alpacas along the way. We cross La Raya pass at just over 4,300 metres (14,100 feet), the watershed between the Cusco region and the Titicaca basin.We reach Puno in the evening. Puno sits higher than Cusco, so we suggest an early dinner and a restful night before our day on the lake tomorrow.Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours.Puno sits at around 3,800 metres (12,500 feet), higher than Cusco. As we travel to high-altitude regions, please note that altitude sickness can impact anyone, no matter their age, gender, or fitness.

This morning after breakfast we head down to the pier for a day on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, with a short orientation of Puno on the way.We cross the open water to the Uros floating islands, built and rebuilt from totora reeds by the Uros people, and hear how the islands are made and how island life works. From there we continue to Taquile Island, known for weaving that UNESCO lists as intangible cultural heritage. A path climbs from the jetty to the main village, with views back across the lake, and the weavers, mostly men here, show how the work is done.We return by boat to Puno in the late afternoon, with the evening at leisure.Inspiring HighlightsLake Titicaca boat cruiseUros floating islandsTaquile IslandSpecial Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.The walk up from the jetty on Taquile Island is a steady climb on stone paths at altitude.

This morning after breakfast we transfer from Puno to the airport at neighbouring Juliaca for our flight back to Lima.A representative meets us at Lima airport and transfers us to our hotel in Miraflores. The rest of the day is ours, and it is a good one for a seaside dinner or exploring Lima.The evening is at leisure.Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour leader will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free.

We have an early start today for the transfer to Lima airport and our flight to Rio de Janeiro.Rio sits between granite peaks, rainforest and the long curves of Copacabana and Ipanema, and it is a city that makes an impression from the road in. Our hotel is in Copacabana, a short walk from the beachfront promenade.We arrive in the late afternoon. This evening we meet our local guide for a welcome meeting and a briefing on the Brazilian and Argentinian part of our tour. The evening is then at leisure.Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.The welcome meeting in Rio de Janeiro is held at approximately 6.30pm.Please note - Today you will say goodbye to your tour leader, and your group will be met by a local guide, who will meet and greet you, coordinate your activities in town and be reachable to assist you as needed. Local guides, frequently native to the area, lead tours at specific sites or attractions, offering a deeper understanding of the local history, art, or way of life. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour leader will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free.Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed.

This morning after breakfast we set out on a full day tour of the landmarks Rio is known for.We begin with the drive up Corcovado to Christ the Redeemer, where the view runs out over the city, Guanabara Bay and the mountains behind it. Next are the Selaron Steps in Lapa, tiled over years by the artist Jorge Selaron as a tribute to the Brazilian people, and then the wave-patterned promenade at Copacabana Beach.We finish with the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain for the view back over the harbour and the city as the light drops, then return to the hotel. We will have some time to relax at the hotel. Have a restful night ahead of another sightseeing day tomorrow.Inspiring HighlightsChrist the RedeemerSelaron StepsCopacabana BeachSugarloaf Mountain cable carSpecial Information Maintenance work is taking place at Christ the Redeemer until the end of May 2027, and the escalators are currently out of service. Your visit will proceed as normal to the second level of Alto Corcovado using the lifts and stairs, however from this point you will need to take the stairs to reach the Christ the Redeemer platform. Please be prepared for some additional walking and stair climbing.There is a good deal of walking and standing today, with steps at Christ the Redeemer and at the Selaron Steps.

Today is free after breakfast, with the day ours to spend at our own pace.The beachfront promenade runs for kilometres, is flat and easy walking, and has kiosks along it for a fresh coconut or a coffee. The Botanical Garden is the quieter option, with shaded paths and the avenue of royal palms. Santa Teresa, on the hill above the centre, has cobbled lanes, old mansions and galleries, though the streets there are steep. Our local guide is on hand at the hotel for suggestions or help getting around.The evening is at leisure.

We have an early start today for the transfer to the airport and our flight to Foz do Iguaçu, on the Brazilian side of the Iguazu Falls.Our local guide meets us on arrival and we head straight into Iguazu National Park. The Brazilian side is the one for the wide view, with walkways through subtropical rainforest that open onto the full sweep of the falls, and a catwalk that runs out over the water towards the Devil's Throat, close enough to feel the spray.We transfer to our hotel afterwards to check in, with the evening at leisure.Inspiring HighlightsIguazu Falls, Brazilian sideIguazu National Park walkways and catwalkSpecial Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour guide will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free.Spray on the catwalks is heavy. We suggest a waterproof layer and something to keep cameras and phones dry.

This morning after breakfast we cross the border into Argentina for the day to see Iguazu National Park from the other side. Where the Brazilian side gives us the wide view, this side puts us up against the water, above it, below it and beside it.With our local guide we take the Ecological Jungle Train into the park. The Upper Circuit runs along the top of several of the falls, and the Lower Circuit winds down through the jungle to the base of them, where the mist and the noise carry a long way. The walkway out to the Devil's Throat, where the greatest volume of water drops into the gorge, is the last of the day.We cross the border back to Foz do Iguaçu in the evening, with the evening at leisure.Inspiring HighlightsIguazu Falls, Argentinian sideEcological Jungle TrainUpper and Lower CircuitsDevil's Throat walkwaySpecial Information Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.The circuits are walked on metal walkways and stairs, with limited shade and a good deal of standing.

This morning after breakfast our transfer takes us across the border into Argentina and on to Puerto Iguazú airport for our flight to Buenos Aires.Buenos Aires is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, wide boulevards and European architecture, with tango and the parrilla at the centre of how it eats and spends an evening.On arrival you will be met by a local representative and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, walk the neighbourhood or find a parrilla for an Argentine steak. The evening is at leisure.Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 15kg (33 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour guide will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free.

Your tour ends after breakfast this morning. Depending on your onward flight there may be time for any last souvenirs, a coffee in one of the old cafes or a walk through the surrounding neighbourhoods before you check out.You then make your own way to the airport for your onward journey.Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience.Special InformationAirport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.