Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires, and Machu Picchu
16 Days/14 Nights
From $3,369 per person
(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)
Overview
You will visit Brazil, Argentina, and Peru in this amazing tour of South America’s three largest countries. Enjoy Rio de Janeiro, with its beaches, Samba music, Christ the Redeemer statue (Corcovado), and the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls on the border with Argentina. Experience a Tango dinner show in Buenos Aires and the Gaucho lifestyle at an authentic estancia outside of the city. Appreciate the majesty of Machu Picchu, the spectacular mountain top citadel in the cloud forest of Peru.
Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 14 nights (3 nights in Rio de Janeiro, 2 nights in Iguazu, 3 nights in Buenos Aires, 2 nights in Lima, 3 nights in Cusco, and 1 night in Machu Picchu), and 21 meals (14 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 3 dinners).
Best Time to Go: April-October.
Destinations: South America, Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.
Interests: Adventure, Culture & History, and Sun & Beach.
Places Visited: Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires, Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Rio de Janeiro.
Day 2: Rio de Janeiro-Multicultural Dinner Show.
In the evening, you will have a multicultural dinner show at Teatro Lebron that brings different cultures of Brazil to the stage. The show perfectly combines a variety of Brazilian dances that developed from African rhythms via the slave trade and from the natives that lived in Brazil before colonization. The presentation combines diversity and culture: the Ziriguidum from the Northeast, the Folklore from Amazon, the Capoeira from Bahia, and samba dance from Rio de Janeiro. Overnight in Rio de Janeiro. (D)
Notes: 1.) Check-in time in Rio de Janeiro is typically 2:00 PM. We can request early check-in for you but cannot guarantee it. 2.) The multicultural dinner show is available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Day 3: Rio de Janeiro-City Tour-Christ the Redeemer Statue (Corcovado)-Sugarloaf Mountain.
In the afternoon, you will drive along Rio’s famous beaches to the Praia Vermelha cable car station where you will be taken to the Urca Mountain (mid-way station) with its gardens and look-out points. Then, the second part of the ride will take you to the peak of Sugar Loaf Mountain, 1,300 ft. above sea level. Overnight in Rio de Janeiro. (B,L)
Day 4: Rio de Janeiro.
Day 5: Rio de Janeiro-Iguazu Falls (Brazilian Side).
Day 6: Iguazu Falls (Argentinian Side)-Great Adventure Tour.
In the afternoon, you will have the Great Adventure Tour. First, you will ride semi-rigid zodiac boats to reach the bottom of San Martin, Bosetty, Tres Mosqueteros and Canon de Garganta del Diablo falls and down the river rapids up to Puerto Macuco (two miles from the falls). Then, you will ride in an open jeep along the rainforest, observing the local flora and fauna with the aid of specialized guides. Overnight in Puerto Iguazu. (B)
Day 7: Iguazu Falls-Buenos Aires-Tango Dinner Show.
Day 8: Buenos Aires-Panoramic City Tour.
Day 9: Buenos Aires-Fiesta Gaucha.
Day 10: Buenos Aires-Lima-City Tour.
In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Lima. You will visit downtown Lima and see several examples of the Spanish architecture of the colonial period including the Plaza de Armas, the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, and the Church of San Francisco and Catacombs. After that, you will see Huaca Huallamarca, a restored adobe pyramid dating from the pre-Inca period located in San Isidro. You will tour the upscale residential and commercial district of Miraflores and see the Parque del Amor, a seaside park with a huge statue of a kissing couple, before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)
Day 11: Lima-Cusco-City Tour.
Day 12: Cusco-Sacred Valley-Awanakancha-Pisac Market-Ollantaytambo.
Note: The Indian market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from October to March, and daily from April to September. On the days of the week that the market is not open, you will be taken to the Inca ruins above the village.
Day 13: Cusco-Machu Picchu.
Day 14: Machu Picchu-Cusco.
Day 15: Cusco-Lima-Folkloric Dinner Show.
Day 16: Lima.
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
A Note About Your Free Day in Machu Picchu
On your free day, you will be on your own. If you choose to revisit Machu Picchu, you will need to purchase a second entrance ticket, which currently costs $74 per person. If you are staying in Aguas Calientes, you will also need to purchase a round-trip bus ticket ($28 per person) for transportation to the site. The first bus departs at 5:30 AM. As an alternative to visiting Machu Picchu again, you can hike Huayna Picchu (a +/- 60 minute hike), or partake in another activity. The cost for hiking Huayna Picchu is $13 (in addition to the second entrance ticket). At the end of the day (mid-late afternoon), you will walk to the train station for the return ride to Poroy train station, where our local representative will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel in Cusco.
What's Included
Price Includes
- South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
- Airport/hotel transfers including baggage handling.
- Hotel accommodations including taxes and service charges.
- Excursion to Machu Picchu via Vistadome train.
- Other excursions as indicated on the itinerary including all applicable entrance fees.
- Meals as indicated on the itinerary.
- Local, English-speaking tour guides.
Price Does Not Include
- International airfare.
- Domestic airfare.
- Brazilian visa.
- Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
- Gratuities, gifts, and personal items.
- Travel insurance.
We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare and travel insurance and to make these arrangements for you.
Accommodations
Rio de Janeiro
3 Star – Copa Sul Hotel
4 Star – Arena Copacabana Hotel
5 Star – Miramar Hotel by Windsor
Deluxe – Copacabana Palace Hotel
Puerto Iguazu
3 Star – La Cantera Jungle Lodge
4 Star – Amerian Portal del Iguazu Hotel
5 Star – Loi Suites Iguazu Hotel
Deluxe – Melia Iguazu Resort and Spa
Buenos Aires
3 Star – Dazzler Recoleta
4 Star – Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel
5 Star – Hilton Buenos Aires
Deluxe – Alvear Palace Hotel
Lima
Cusco
3 Star – Casa Andina Classic Cusco Plaza
4 Star – Hotel Novotel Cusco
5 Star – Libertador Palacio del Inka
Deluxe – Hotel Monasterio
Machu Picchu
3 Star – El Mapi Hotel
5 Star – Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Deluxe – Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
Additional Details
Group Private: All airport/hotel transfers are private. In Rio de Janeiro, the Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain excursion is a group tour for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodation levels. In Iguazu Falls, the tours of the Brazilian and Argentinian side are group tours for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodations. The Great Adventure Tour is a group tour. In Buenos Aires, the Tango Dinner Show (transfers) and Panoramic City Tour are group tours for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodation levels. The Fiesta Gaucha excursion is a group tour. And, in Peru, the city tour of Lima, city tour of Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas excursion, and Machu Picchu guided tour are group tours for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodations.
Elevations: Cusco is 10,912 feet (above sea level), the Sacred Valley of the Incas is 8,944 feet, and Machu Picchu is 7,900 feet.
Passport/Visa: For Brazil, U.S., Australian, British, and Canadian citizens require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry, an onward or return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Brazilian embassy in their country before traveling. For Argentina, U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a valid passport (for the duration of your visit) and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Australian and Canadian citizens are required to pay a reciprocity fee of $100 and $75 respectively (subject to change without notice due to currency fluctuations or other reasons) online, and must show proof of payment prior to arrival. The reciprocity fee for U.S. citizens has been suspended until further notice. For citizens of Australia, this fee covers unlimited entries to Argentina for 10 years, while citizens of Canada are charged the fee every time they enter the country (or $150 for multiple visits within five years). The fee can be paid online at ProvinciaNet.com.ar. You will need to register in order to make the payment. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the embassy of Argentina in their country before traveling.
Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan.
To Book This Trip: We require a non-refundable deposit of $500 per person plus the cost of the international airfare (if we make the arrangements for you). The balance of the trip cost is due 60 days prior to departure.
