Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu, and Easter Island

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Rio de Janeiro.

Depart to Rio de Janeiro via overnight flight.

Day 2: Rio de Janeiro-Samba Dinner Show.

After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it.  You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel.

In the evening, you will have dinner at a barbecue restaurant (included).  After dinner, you will head to the most famous samba theater in Rio de Janeiro to enjoy an unforgettable performance of Brazilian Samba and folklore.  A look into the magical world of Brazilian Carnival wrapped in the colors and the sounds of exotic percussion instruments.  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 Samba show is only offered from Monday to Saturday.

Day 3: Rio de Janeiro-Christ the Redeemer Statue (Corcovado)-Sugarloaf Mountain.

Depart from the hotel after breakfast to visit the two most famous landmarks of the city and see the natural beauty of Rio de Janeiro from up above.  After a scenic drive along Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, you arrive at the bottom of Corcovado Hill.  You then embark on a comfortable train that ascends the mountain, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer is located 2,300 ft. above sea level.  The Christ statue, known as the “Wonder of Rio”, was recently voted one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.  Upon arrival at the top, you use the panoramic elevators or escalators to arrive at the foot of the statute.  There, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro and discover why it is called the “Marvelous City”.  Afterwards, you descend the mountain and stop for a delicious Brazilian Barbecue lunch.

Over a million tourists each year visit the world famous Sugar Loaf Mountain, which has become an iconic symbol of the city of Rio de Janeiro.  Rising up from a small peninsula at the entrance of Guanabara Bay, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of a concentrated, refined sugar loaf.  The journey to the top is made in glass cable-cars.  The first cable-car takes you to the top of Urca Hill, which rises 215 meters above sea level and offers spectacular views of the entire bay and its surrounding islands.  From Urca Hill, you continue in a second cable-car to the top of Sugar Loaf which rises 395 meters above sea level and offers a 360 degree view of the entire city including Botafogo and Copacabana Beaches, Corcovado Mountain, and downtown Rio de Janeiro.  (Duration: approximately 8 hours.  Lunch will be served at Estrela do Sul BBQ).  Following the tour, you will be returned to your hotel.  Overnight in Rio de Janeiro.  (B,L)

Day 4: Rio de Janeiro.

Free day. Overnight in Rio de Janeiro. (B)

Day 5: Rio de Janeiro-Iguazu Falls (Brazilian Side).

Early morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Iguazu Falls. Upon arrival, you will have a 1 and ½ hour tour of the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Located in Iguazu National Park, these spectacular falls are comprised of 275 individual cascades, and are more than 1.90 miles wide and 260 ft. high. You will walk along the main trail (one mile) on a catwalk above the lower Iguazu River to the series of falls that comprise the Devil’s Throat. Then you will take an elevator to an observation deck for a spectacular panoramic view of the falls. At the end of this tour, you will be transferred to your hotel on the Argentinian side. Overnight in Puerto Iguazu. (B)

Day 6: Iguazu Falls (Argentinian Side)-Great Adventure Tour.

In the morning, you will return to Iguazu Falls to view the falls from the Argentinian side and for the Great Adventure Tour. On the Argentinian side of the falls, you will visit the Interpretation Center to learn about the biodiversity of the jungle and the culture and history of the surrounding area. You can also take the Ecological Forest Train to the Garganta del Diable (Devil’s Throat) Station and the Cataratas Station, which will take you to the upper and lower circuits, and other walking trails.

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-Lima.

Transfer the airport for your flight Lima. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)

Day 8: Lima-City Tour-Folkloric Dinner Show.

In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Lima. The tour begins in Miraflores with a stop at the Parque del Amor, a seaside park with a huge statue of a kissing couple and continues with a drive by of the Huaca Huallamarca, a restored adobe pyramid dating from the pre-Inca period located in San Isidro. The next stop is the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima, where you will visit City Hall (Palacio Municipal), the Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno), and the Cathedral of Lima. The last stop is the Convent of Santo Domingo. Following the tour, you will be returned to your hotel. In the evening, you will enjoy a Folkloric Dinner Show at La Dama Juana Restaurant. Overnight in Lima. (B,D)

Day 9: Lima-Cusco-City Tour.

Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Because of the high altitude (10,912 feet above sea level), we recommend that you rest for a short period. In the afternoon, you will have a city tour that includes a walk-through of the Cathedral, the Koricancha (‘site of gold’), typical streets, and the four ruins that surround the city: the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Kenko, Puca Pucara, and Tampumachay. Overnight in Cusco. (B)

Day 10: Cusco-Sacred Valley-Awanakancha-Pisac Market-Ollantaytambo.

Today you will have a full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The tour begins at Awanakancha, a living museum of the Peruvian Andes, where you can observe traditional textile dyeing and weaving techniques and the four types of camelids that are native to the region. You will also visit the Indian artisan market in Pisac and have lunch at a local restaurant (included). The last stop is the impressive Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo that served as both a fortress and ceremonial center, and is the site of a short-lived victory by the Incas over the Spanish. Overnight in Cusco. (B,L)

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 11: Cusco-Machu Picchu.

Early morning transfer to the train station for the ride to Machu Picchu, ‘the Lost City of the Incas’ (7,900 feet). This mountaintop citadel, which served as both a center of worship and an astronomic observatory, is located in the middle of the cloud forest overlooking the Urubamba River. There are both agricultural and urban areas constructed with the precision stonework that the Incas are known for. The agricultural area consists of terraces and food storehouses, and the urban area contains temples, squares, and royal tombs. Guided tour followed by lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Aguas Calientes. (B,L)

Day 12: Machu Picchu-Cusco.

This is a free day to explore Machu Picchu on your own. You may want to hike Huayna Picchu or enjoy another activity. Mid-afternoon, you will depart from Machu Picchu by train to Poroy Station in the Sacred Valley, and then be taken to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight in Cusco. (B)

Day 13: Cusco-Lima-Santiago.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and then Santiago, Chile. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Santiago. (B)

Day 14: Santiago-City Tour.

You will have a panoramic city tour of Santiago, which will include Parque O’Higgins, Plaza de Armas (the city’s historic center), Palacio de la Moneda, ex-National Congress, Mapocho Station Cultural Center, Santa Lucia Hill, the place of Santiago’s founding in 1541,and the Bohemian district of Bellavista. Overnight in Santiago. (B)

Day 15: Santiago-Easter Island.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Easter Island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)

Day 16: Easter Island-Rano Raraku-Anakena Beach.

Full day excursion visiting the archaeological site of Akahanga and the quarry at Rano Raraku volcano, where all of the moai on the island were carved. You will see over 300 statues in various stages of completion, and one giant moai, 21 meters (69 ft.) tall. You will also visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu (burial site), whose moai were re-erected after a tsunami flattened the statues, Ahu Te Pito Kura, site of the largest moai moved from the quarry, and the ahu Nau Nau at Anakena Beach. Picnic lunch at Anakena Beach. Overnight in Easter Island. (B,L)

Day 17: Easter Island-Orongo-Ahu Akivi.

Morning visit to the Rano Kau extinct volcano crater (1.6 km in diameter), the ceremonial village of Orongo, which features the largest concentration of Petroglyphs on the island, with images of post-moai deity’s, such as Tangata Manu (birdman), Make Make (the creator), and Komari, and then to Ahu Vinapu. After lunch (not included), the tour continues on to Ahu Akivi, site of the seven moais overlooking the sea, the Caves of Ana Tepahu, among the largest on the island, and Pun-a-Pau quarry, the sole source of red scoria that was used to carve the pukao (topknots) of some of the moia. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)

Day 18: Easter Island-Santiago.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago and your final destination. (B)

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.