Escorted Tours 2020 & 2021 - 2nd Edition - Mercury Holidays

80 LATIN AMERICA MEAL PLAN: 19 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 10 dinners ACCOMMODATION Lima 2 nights 4 ★ Jose Antonio Hotel or 4 ★ Arawi Miraflores Sacred Valley 2 nights 3 ★ Sonesta del Inca Yucay or 3 ★ La Casona de Yucay Cusco 1 night 4 ★ Xima Cusco Hotel Santiago 3 nights 4 ★ Hotel Marina Las Condes Puerto Varas 1 night 4 ★ Cabanas del Lago Bariloche 2 nights 4 ★ Kenton Palace Bariloche Buenos Aires 3 nights 4 ★ Kenton Palace Foz de Iguazu 2 nights 3 ★ San Martin Rio de Janeiro 3 nights 4 ★ Arena Leme DAY 1: UK TO LIMA Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Lima, via São Paulo. DAY 2: LIMA D On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in time for tonight’s welcome dinner. DAY 3: LIMA B Start today’s tour at the Plaza Mayor with a visit to the restored 18th century cathedral on the plaza’s edge. View the majestic Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall and baroque facade of the Government Palace before continuing on to San Francisco Monastery. Wander through lively Plaza San Martin before stopping at the Museum of Anthropology, Archaeology and History. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to take in more of the city sights. DAY 4: LIMA TO SACRED VALLEY B/L/D Journey into the Incan heartland of Peru as today’s flight takes you to the mountain city of Cusco and onwards to the Sacred Valley. En route, stop at the well-preserved terraced Incan ruins of Ollantaytambo fortress, a stronghold of Incan resistance against the Spanish, and the village of Pisac, renowned for its lively market and stone Incan buildings, before arriving at your hotel. DAY 5: MACHU PICCHU B/L/D Visit the mountain top Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the stand-out highlights of Latin America. Catch your first breath-taking glimpse of the ancient city as your train winds its way to its lofty location. Mystery still surrounds this enigmatic city and its 200 stone structures. Explore its age-old sun temple, sacred plazas and ceremonial bathhouses before returning to the Sacred Valley for the night. DAY 6: SACRED VALLEY TO CUSCO B Explore the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, made up of precisely laid 200-tonne blocks that highlight the masterful stonework of that civilisation. Travel to Cusco for a city tour of this city nestled in the Andes and time at leisure. DAY 7: CUSCO TO SANTIAGO B/D After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Santiago, Chile’s cosmopolitan capital. DAY 8: SANTIAGO B Santiago is slowly emerging from the shadow of its glitzier South American neighbours, with its splendid colonial buildings, majestic mountain backdrop and thriving culinary scene making it a delight to explore. Today’s tour starts at the National Museum, and also takes in Santiago’s historic centre, the bohemian Bellavista district and the views from San Cristobal Hill. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. DAY 9: SANTIAGO B Wander the streets of the port city of Valparaiso as today’s excursion takes you to this colourful city, built across 42 hills. Journey from its merry slopes and UNESCO-listed historic quarter to the coastal city of Vina del Mar - a resort known for its fine beaches and pristine parks. Travel back to Santiago, stopping en route at an award-winning winery in Casablanca Valley for a tour and tasting session. DAY 10: SANTIAGO TO PUERTO VARAS B Fly to the city of Puerto Montt, where a short tour of the city allows for fantastic views over views of Angelemo Bay and Reloncavi Bay. Continue to the pretty town of Puerto Varas, which overlooks vast Lake Llanquihue, for your overnight stay. DAY 11: PUERTO VARAS TO BARILOCHE B/D Make your way by coach and boat to the mountain resort of Bariloche, stopping in the town of Peulla for lunch and time to explore. Bariloche’s snowy mountains and stunning glacier-fed lake make for a spectacular setting in the Andean foothills. DAY 12: BARILOCHE B Take in Bariloche’s scenery on a drive to Mt. Campanario where a lift to the summit allows for views of the lakes and towns below. Drive through the region, passing historic hotels and chapels, crossing rivers and bridges and enjoying views over the peninsula before returning to your hotel. Take in the lost civilisations, colonial buildings, spectacular natural beauty and the passionate dance traditions of Latin America as you travel to the most iconic sights of Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Machu Picchu GRAND TOUR OF SOUTH AMERICA 22 days from £4,449pp TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ Explore the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu ✔ City tours of Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro ✔ Wine region of Casablanca Valley and beach resort of Vina del Mar in Chile ✔ Scenic Vicente Perez Rosales National Park in Chile’s Lake District ✔ See Iguaçu Falls from the Argentinian and Brazilian sides ✔ Visit Rio de Janeiro’s Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer PACE: To book or for further information visit your local travel agent or call us FREE on 0800 408 0556