Take in the sights of South America's vibrant cities, cultural treasures, and breathtaking natural beauty—an unrivaled destination. Home to majestic natural wonders and charming locals, South America is rich in vivid travel moments you won’t get anywhere else. Hike the trails of Machu Picchu, meet the traditional weavers of the Sacred Valley, learn how to tango in the streets of Buenos Aires, snap a photo of the Patagonia glaciers, see the iconic Christ the Redeemer, and then unwind on the famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Truly an expedition of a lifetime, perfect for both adventurers and casual travelers.
Welcome to Peru! Today marks the beginning of our South American expedition! Upon arrival in Lima, you will be transferred to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to spend exploring at your leisure.
Spend the day sightseeing in Lima today. Learn about Peruvian history and culture as you explore Miraflores, Barranco, and Chorrillos. As we make our way through the city, we'll stop by the Huaca Pucllana and learn about the significance of this archaeological site. Then, take in the sights of the city and the coast, whether that means relaxing on the beach or learning more about Peruvian art at a nearby museum for the rest of the day.
Today, we will take a flight to Cusco, and upon arrival, we will then proceed to the Sacred Valley, known for its imposing Inca ruins. Enjoy your free time here, where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Our Peruvian excursion begins with a visit to the Moray, Chincheros, and Ollantaytambo centers, three must-visit Inca archaeological sites. Throughout the journey, we will explore the sacred valley's views, meet locals, and see a lot of llamas and alpacas! We will conclude our experience at Ollantaytambo's archaeological center, which contains large groups of platforms, forts, plazas, canals, and the Casa del Sol, a megalithic temple of great mystical value that you can explore.
Make your way to the train station after breakfast to start the excursion to the Sacred City of Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO-designated Cultural Heritage for Humanity.
The experience will take you through temples, palaces, squares, and streets of military and agricultural areas, as well as extraordinary landscapes surrounding Machu Picchu that amplify the site's natural charm. Then, we will proceed to the National Reserve, which encompasses 32,500 hectares around the citadel and includes a constellation of archaeological monuments, all of which we believe to have been constructed as an integral part of the Machu Picchu complex.
This day is dedicated to you spending the day exploring the beautiful city of Cusco on your own. Alternatively, you can go on a guided hike up Rainbow Mountain if you wish.
Check out of the hotel and head to the airport to fly to Buenos Aires, another stunning South American country we will explore. Upon arrival, proceed to check in at the hotel. The day is yours to explore the beauty of the city at your leisure.
Pro Tip: If you wish to eat at one of the Michelin Guide restaurants here, we recommend making reservations in advance.
Explore the city of Buenos Aires on a half-day visit, where we will go to the city's top attractions, including the Plaza de Mayo, City Hall, and the traditional neighborhoods of San Telmo, Palermo, and La Boca. Then, we will take a stop at Recoleta, where you can refresh and enjoy bars, cafés, and restaurants after our walk to the famous cemetery area.
Today is an all-day adventure at the estancia. We'll do as the Argentines do and pay a visit to the estancia and farm we found in San Antonio de Areco, the place where the Gaucho culture was founded. Explore the estancia with me and take in the majesty of its century-old oak, palm, eucalyptus, and magnolia trees as we stroll its four hectares (nearly ten acres) of land. Within the farm, you can enjoy activities such as carriage rides, swimming in the pool, tennis, volleyball, football, ping pong, or simply strolling in the park to relax.
Off we go to explore the glaciers of Argentina! Today, prepare for a road trip as we depart from Buenos Aires for El Calafate. Bask in the beauty of the scenery we will pass through on this road trip.
This day is dedicated for you to visit and be in awe of the world-famous Perito Moreno glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, which is known for being unique on the planet due to its constant forward movement. Moreover, Andean precordillera sites are abundant and can also be explored during our expedition here. Then, we will spend some time in the city and eat at a local restaurant for a taste of real Argentina.
Take a trip to the picturesque village of El Chalten and take in the sights of Mount Fitz Roy, Laguna Capri, and Laguna Torre. Enjoy the scenery along Route 40, where you see the Argentinian Lake crossing the Santa Cruz and La Leona Rivers. Then, get to experience a beautiful panoramic view of the Viedma Glacier, the Andes, and the two most famous peaks in the area, Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. After 3 hours on the bus and 220 kilometers traveled, we will arrive in the mountain village of El Chalten. Afterwards, we will return to El Calafate after a full day of exploration.
Today is for you to enjoy the town center at your own leisure before our upcoming adventure to Brazil. Discover the wonders that El Calafate has in store for you.
Today, we will depart Buenos Aires for Rio. Take in the sights as we drive past scenic views. Upon arrival, the day is yours to do as you please in this exciting city.
Pro tip: We recommend enjoying the beach and catching the beautiful sunsets in the city!
Take in the sights of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Corcovado Hills on a full-day tour of Rio today. Then, in the afternoon, we will visit a Fabela to explore and experience a different side of Brazil.
On this day, we will depart Rio and take a flight to see the Iguazu Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. Then, the day is yours to explore at your own leisure.
A half-day experience at Iguazu Falls will leave you in awe of this national park and everything it has to offer. There are optional activities for you to enjoy, including paddling and a helicopter ride to see the majestic falls. And to end our wonderful trip to South America, we will have a nice dinner at a traditional Brazilian restaurant to cap off the whole experience.
This day marks the end of our memorable experience in South America. Depart from the hotel after breakfast and drive to the airport, then take a flight back home after an unforgettable excursion.
I just want to thank you for taking precious time to see us.
It has been a wonderful, meaningful, and fun 24 hours in Spain with you. Muchas Gracias Mi Amiga!
This trip was postponed since 2019 and even with a lot of cancellations, I still decided to go anyway.
Access Expeditions are very intimate with only 10 people, and that was the reason why I joined, but the expedition ended up with only 6 people. Access did not cancel the trip despite not reaching the number needed. We were able to do a lot during this trip. You get the best value for everything you pay for. The hotels were great in the best locations, and I appreciated all our local guides who helped us understand each destination very well. The highlight of our trip was hiking Rainbow Mountain and, of course, Machu Picchu, and I will never forget the boat ride we had at Iguazu Falls. Best memories indeed, and I can’t wait to create more all over the world.
What I love the most about this trip is definitely the Bolivian Altiplano.
I could be biased though as I'd never been to a desert in my life so the way the browns and the blues melded together with a bit of snow made a huge impression on me. It's one thing to see it in the movies but another to actually be in there and be surrounded by it yourself! Also, it was the Copa America finals when we hit Brazil and the energy is always great when football finals take place. We ended up at a random bar and the owner made us feel welcome... as long as we cheered for Brazil (she kicked out a bunch of Peruvians lol) and I will keep coming back to Salar De Uyuni. I choose to #TravelWithAccess because to be frank, it was my mom's choice so I just went with it. After this trip though, I'd definitely recommend it as it was one of the smoothest trips in my life.