RIO to LIMA (95 days) Kingdoms & Carnivals

Rio de Janeiro, famous for it's Carnival and ability to party at any time is our starting point. Christ the Redeemer, landmark on the top of Corcovado Mountain has been named one of the 'Seven New Wonders of the World.' Nicknamed 'Cidade Maravilhosa', or the 'marvellous city' it lives up to it's name on many levels. With over 50 kms of white and golden sand beaches and South America's largest urban forest and legalised 'street art' there is a lot to see.

From Rio we head to the coastal village of Parati. This unspoilt and picturesque town has remained fundamentally unaltered for three centuries. Cars have been banned from its cobbled streets that run down to the seashore, instead mountain bikes are used and are a good way to get around. Another great way to explore the secluded islands of this pristine coastline is taking a sailing trip in one of the traditional schooners.

We enjoy a couple of wild camps over the next few days as we make our way to the incredible Iguazu Falls which form the natural border between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Higher than Niagara and wider than Victoria Falls, they are an awe-inspiring place to spend the next three days. The lush tropical forest surrounding the falls has many walking trails leading to smaller hidden falls, ideal to refresh from the steaming heat and abounding with parrots, toucans, woodpeckers and colourful plants. Here you can also undertake a number of optional activities such as whitewater rafting, helicopter flights and mountain bike riding.

From here we travel west, crossing the border into Paraguay and journeying to the country’s capital, Asuncion. Fewer tourists come here than Rio or Buenos Aires and the city is great to explore with plenty of bars, cafes, plazas, museums, art galleries and interesting architecture on offer.

Our next stop is Trinidad, home to two of the most well preserved Jesuit Missions. Now UNESCO World Heritage sites, the missions here were founded in the 17th century with the aim of converting the local Guarani tribe to Catholicism. An optional excursion will take you out to one of the missions where you can explore the ruins and learn about the history and the relationship between the Jesuits and the local Guarani people.

After crossing the border into Argentina, we head to Esteros del Ibera. This extensive wetland area is home to a vast array of fauna and flora and comprises swamps, marshes and lagoons stretching southwest from the city of Ituzaingó to the town of Chavarría. Beside Iberá lagoon is Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, a popular village base for the area. It is an exceptional place to come for wildlife in Argentina and whilst here we hope to spot some of the huge range of bird species, pampa and marsh deer, caiman and capybara, anacondas and anteaters and if we are really lucky, giant river otter.

Journeying south and crossing the border into Uruguay, we visit the city of Salto and the nearby Termas del Dayman hot springs before returning to the coast at Punta del Este. Located on the tip of a peninsular, this modern city has some beautiful beaches, the famous ‘La Mano’ hand) sculpture and an interesting port to wander around with its fish market and cafes.

Montevideo is Uruguay’s capital and we have a couple of nights here to explore the colonial and art deco buildings of the old town, visit a theatre or an art museum or try some traditional Uruguayan dishes a the Mercado del Puerto.

Next stop is Colonia del Sacramento, a small picturesque town on the banks of the Rio de la Plata founded in the 17th century. The historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a wealth of beautiful old buildings and cobblestone, tree-lined streets and plazas to explore with colonial houses, the Basilica del Santisimo Sacramento, the restored city gate and drawbridge and the more recent 19th century lighthouse with views over the old town.

Across the immense Rio de la Plata is Buenos Aires, our next destination as we leave Uruguay and re-enter Argentina to travel to the capital.

Renowned for it's steaks, fine wines, tango dancing, ice cream and great nightlife! A few days in this smart cosmopolitan city and you could be forgiven for thinking you were back in Europe.

From here you will also have the opportunity to travel across the Rio Plata by ferry to Montevideo & Colonia de Sacramento to visit Uruguay.

After our time in Buenos Aires we traverse the vast Pampas grasslands, South America's cowboy country, where gun-toting gauchos on horseback look after vast herds of cattle. Following the Atlantic coast of Patagonia, we stop in Puerto Madryn which was the landing place over a century ago for the first group of Welsh settlers that subsequently colonised and now farm the surrounding area. You have the option to visit Valdez Peninsula one of the marine sanctuaries in this region where we might see Penguins, Sea Lions, Sea Elephants, Sea Birds and maybe even Whales.

We continue south towards the wild and hauntingly beautiful land at worlds end, the island of Tierra del Fuego. We cross by ferry and visit the most southerly town in the world Ushuaia, from where we can view the green waters of the Beagle Channel and the surrounding snow clad peaks.

Continuing our journey in Patagonia, we have options to explore the area by hiking or horseback. There is also an option to complete the famous W-Trek. Please note that spaces on this trek are subject to availability and this must be booked in advance. This can be added to your booking, at additional cost. For those who do not want to complete the W-Trek there are options of shorter day hikes in the park which do not need to be booked ahead and you are free to do as you choose once there. We visit Torres del Paine NP, another area of outstanding beauty where huge granite cliffs dominate the landscape. From here we travel to Los Glaciares NP, home to the largest glacier in the world. Here we have the option to take a boat ride up close to Perito Moreno Glacier, almost 200 ft high. Heading northwards, on a good dirt road we continue our journey in the vast wilderness of Patagonia. The perpetual wind makes it difficult for trees and plants to grow, so for a while we are faced with endless grassland.

Note - for trips travelling during the winter, many of the optional hikes and activities in the mountains will not be available due to the snow and weather conditions.

Arriving in Bariloche, Argentina, this very popular holiday destination for Argentinians is the top ski resort on the continent and also has several hiking trails and a great nightlife. From here we travel to Pucon, Chile, an outdoors centre in its own right, and our base for the next few days from where it is possible to organise whitewater rafting, water sports, horse riding and one day hikes up nearby Villarrica Volcano. Travelling through small villages, alongside deep blue lakes with mountains towering above us as we wind through Chile's Lake District until we reach the country's capital Santiago.

We have a free day or two to explore Santiago, with famous Chilean Steak houses, Casillero del Diablo winery and skiing available in the winter, you will find it easy to pass the days away.

Leaving Santiago, we continue north and head inland, climbing up to 2407 metres to reach the small town of San Pedro de Atacama. Here you can take a trip out to the Valley of the Moon to see it’s lunar-like landscapes or spend the evening stargazing in the desert.

Next, we leave Chile and cross into Bolivia, driving through the remote and incredible scenery of the Altiplano. This plateau is a vast area of salt flats, mountains, volcanos, lagoons and geysers at an average altitude of 3750 metres. Vicunas and flamingos can be spotted against the backdrop of stark peaks and brightly coloured lagoons. Our journey brings us to the shimmering white Uyuni Salt Lake, where it is possible to venture out into the salt lakes for a 1 day excursion. With no roads and only vague tracks to follow it makes for an unforgettable overland experience.

In many places in Bolivia you will notice differences to Chile and Argentina, as paved roads become much rarer and many locals still follow tradition, wearing bright woollen clothes and bowler hats.

Continuing north we arrive in Potosi which at over 4000m, it is the highest city of its size in the world and 400 years ago it was the largest city in all the Americas. Vast amounts of silver were extracted from Potosi and shipped to Spain. There are tours to the mines and it is still clear to see that, unfortunately, working conditions here have hardly improved over the centuries. The adventurous among us will appreciate the opportunity to go down one of these mines with a local guide. The less adventurous can visit the ancient mint or take a tour around the Casa Nacional de Moneda Money House) which will provide a good look into Potosi's and Bolivia's past. The history and past colonial splendour make Potosi a fascinating place to visit on an overland trip to the Andes & Amazon.

A tortuous drive across the Altiplano, where Aymara and Quechua Indians scrape a sparse living from their small plots of land in this harsh climate, brings us to La Paz. It's the highest capital city in the world and is built on a steep slope that falls away from the Altiplano. La Paz is a great place to visit on an overland trip to the Amazon, be sure to stop in at a 'pena' club, where live bands entertain us with Andean folk music.

Leaving La Paz we head to a Peru tour highlight - Puno. Nestling on the shores of Lake Titicaca it is a friendly, well-kept place and much calmer than the hustle and bustle of La Paz. A must visit attraction on any Peru tour, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake at 3800m, it is also the original home of the Uros Indians who have made their dwellings on floating reed islands. By boat we visit the floating islands during the day and then we go that one step beyond the average and spend the night with one of the Indian families on the lesser known islands Isla Amantani or Taquile. Spending some time in these local communities on a Peru tour will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about the traditional lifestyle of the Andean people and their customs.

Widely considered to be the most interesting city for South America travel, our next stop Cusco is surrounded by the Sacred Valley of the Incas and offers a wide range of activities to explore the region. We will base ourselves here for 6 days giving us enough time for the Inca Trail trip and to visit Machu Picchu, which is regarded by many to be the highlight of their South America tour. There are several treks which you can take to Machu Picchu. These are all available as Optional Add Ons which you can add to your booking. When permits are still available, we will organise the Classic Trail trek for those booking the trek option, but great alternative Inca Trail treks, like the Lares or Salkantay can be arranged when the Classic is not available or by your choice be pre-arranged at time of booking). These alternatives mean that you still get to visit Machu Picchu. If you do not want to trek, then you can remain in Cusco for a couple more free days, and then we offer an option to visit Machu Picchu by train instead. This must also be booked and paid for in advance. Tours to Machu Picchu are absolutely unbelievable; a trip to this City in the Clouds is an ancient and awe-inspiring part of our South America travel tour. Besides seeing Machu Picchu, you are able to enjoy the architectural uniqueness of Cusco and explore some of the colourful surrounding markets. Please note that for all those visiting Machu Picchu there is now the option to buy a ticket to go up the summit next to Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu. Tickets for this must be requested at the time of your booking with us, and payment made in advance in the UK.

From here, we continue west on our Peru tour, passing herds of llama, alpacas and unspoilt Andean villages as we head towards the world's deepest canyon. Twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, Colca Canyon is an awesome spectacle. Here you have the option, accompanied by a local guide, of a one day excursion to view Condors circling lazily on the thermals rising from the canyon floor. On your trip into the canyon you can overnight in the town of Chivay. Because it was isolated for so many years, customs and dress have changed relatively little, which gives a rare glimpse of what life in the Andes would have been like during colonial times. From here we begin dropping down out of the Andes as we head to Arequipa, a beautiful colonial city set at the foot of the impressive El Misti Volcano.

We then camp on our way to one of the world's great archaeological mysteries and a Peru tour highlight - The Nazca Line. These huge figures and shapes, carved into the stony desert are best viewed from the air, we also visit Chauchilla Cemetery with its well-preserved mummies. We stop in the Oasis town of Huacachina, where there is the option for the adreneline rush of a dung-buggy ride across the enormous sand dunes, and you can also try your hand at sandboarding down them, before a barbecue and night out under the stars in the desert. Following the Coastal Highway, the Ballestas Islands in the Paracas National Reserve is our next stop. Here you can take a boat trip to view one of the most important marine reserves in the world with one of the highest concentrations of rare and exotic sea birds and sea mammals.

Further up the coast is Peru's capital city, Lima. On this stop on your overland trip to the Amazon you will encounter both abundant wealth and grinding poverty, modern skyscrapers next to some of the finest museums and historical monuments in Latin America