Chile & Peru
Machu Picchu & Easter Island
15 days from £5,280pp
Includes: Transport & flights within South America; accommodation, guides & activities as per itinerary
Overview
This holiday of a lifetime showcases the best of South America’s cultural magnificence, enigmatic history, uniqueness and stunning human creativity. Machu Picchu and Easter Island are respectively Peru and Chile’s most incredible highlights.
The Incas and the indigenous people of Easter Island with their Polynesian culture, couldn’t be more diverse; reflected in their history and their world views.
Combine the two, along with other stunning sights, on a two week holiday to Peru and Chile. What seem to be isolated and remote places are in fact remarkably accessible.
Machu Picchu, the world-famous terraced Inca citadel, lies across a mountain saddle where the Andes fall towards the Amazon basin and is the most magical of South America’s pre-Columbian archaeological sites. The city was founded in the 14th century as an important ceremonial centre. Undiscovered by the Spanish conquistadors and untouched by looters for 400 years, the site was very well preserved when the archaeologist, Hiram Bingham, stumbled upon it in 1911. The lush slopes of the forested mountains, swirling clouds rising up from the Urubamba valley, and the distant snow-capped peaks of the Andes all provide a stunning backdrop.
Easter Island (Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui) is one of the most mysterious places on earth. Rising from the Pacific Ocean 3,790km west of the Chilean mainland, its nearest neighbour is Pitcairn Island 1,921km away and, although it forms part of Chilean territory, its culture is more Polynesian that Latin American. It is thought that the original inhabitants arrived by canoe from Polynesia or Marquesas and about half the population descends from the Rapa Nui people, the rest being immigrants from Chile.
The island is triangular in shape, with an extinct volcano on each tip. The subtropical territory was originally carpeted in forest but is now almost bare: as society developed, the original luxuriant vegetation was chopped down for buildings and fishing boats. Much of the island now has protected national park status (the rest is livestock grazing) and is listed by UNESCO. But although the island is now dominated by river-less moorland the scenery is exceptionally beautiful, especially the pristine beaches which lie at the foot of cliffs around the coas
Highlights
- Explore the ancient Inca heartland of Peru in the Sacred Valley.
- Train to Machu Picchu and overnight
- Discover the modern, bustling cities of Lima and Santiago
- Remote Easter Island with it’s moai stone statues
“If you only ever take one trip to South America, this combination of two of the continents most mystical and ancient sites is a journey you will remember forever!”
Starting in Lima, the most regal capital in South America. Fly into the Andes and continue to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, scattered with the vestiges of Inca civilisation. From there it’s a train journey through a dramatic canyon to Machu Picchu, where you spend the night close to the ruins so that you can benefit from a second visit fully to appreciate this extraordinary mountain-top site.
From Imperial Cusco, you fly to Santiago, Chile’s cosmopolitan and dynamic modern capital, and then fly across the Pacific Ocean to isolated, Polynesian Easter Island, famed for the remarkable stone statues of huge heads standing guard over the rugged scenery and desolate beaches.
- Day 1: Arrive in Lima. Transfer to hotel in Miraflores.
- Day 2: Guided tour of Lima including traditional food & ancient buildings
- Day 3: Fly to Cusco and scenic drive to Sacred Valley. Along the way stop at either at an animal sanctuary, llama and alpaca farm, or the artisan market at colonial Pisac.
- Day 4: Full day guided tour in the Sacred Valley: Maras salt pans, Moray and Chincheros a traditional market town.
- Day 5: Visit Ollantaytambo temple fortress & historic town then board the train for your thrilling ride through the Urubamba canyon to Machu Picchu.
- Day 6: Optional second visit to Machu Picchu then return to Ollantaytambo by rail and proceed back to Cusco.
- Day 7: Guided walking tour of Cusco.
- Day 8: Fly to Santiago, capital city of Chile
- Day 9: Full day guided walking tour to Valparaiso (Chile’s principal port) and vineyards of the Casablanca Valley.
- Day 10: Fly to Easter Island and settle into your hotel in Hanga Roa
- Day 11 & 12: Two days of guided tours including the fascinating 600 giant moais (stone statues), set on altar-like pedestals, all facing inland and believed to be manifestations of ancestor worship. The whole island is best regarded as an open museum.
- Day 13: Day at leisure to explore or relax as you wish
- Day 14: In good weather, sunrise at Ahu Tongariki is extraordinary between October and April when the sun rises directly behind the 15-moai platform. Rise at dawn for the 30 minute drive to the east coast and be back in your hotel for breakfast, later departing for the airport and your flight back to Santiago.
- Day 15: Onward travel plans or fly home
This is just one example of a bespoke two week tour of the highlights of Peru and Chile. Contact me to discuss your requirements and we can put together a protected package, including flights from the UK and any other additions you may like.
A few impressions…
“We had an amazing time! We really loved Peru and enjoyed all the different experiences and places. Definite highlights were the jungle, our stay at Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley and the activities there, and finally the lovely reed island stay on Lake Titicaca.”
Molloy family
Let us begin the journey that will create memories to last a lifetime.
