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South American Adventure
The Plan

Map of the South American Route

Here is a brief overview of the planned route (from the Gap Website)

Gap Adventures

• Day 1 Arrive Lima Arrive in Lima at any time.

• Day 2 Pisco The morning is yours to explore Lima before catching a bus to Pisco, renowned for its cocktail, the Pisco Sour, and the wildlife-abundant Ballestas Islands.

• Day 3-4 Nazca Option to visit the Ballestas Islands. Travel by bus to Nazca and take an optional flight over the desert to view the mysterious Nazca Lines. Tour a Pre-Incan cemetery, complete with pottery, parched bones and 1500 year-old mummies. Night bus to Arequipa.

• Day 5-7 Arequipa / Chivay / Colca Canyon Peru's second-largest city is surrounded by the Andes mountains and lies in the shadow of El Misti Volcano. Spend a day exploring this picturesque area before heading to Colca Canyon on Day 6. One of the deepest canyons in the world, the canyon is home to the majestic Andean Condor.

• Day 8 Cuzco Fly to Cuzco, and relax or explore this beautiful colonial city with its nearby ruins, museums and churches.

• Day 9 Ollantaytambo Travel with our local guide through the Sacred Valley and visit ancient Incan sites, including the picturesque town and ruins of Ollantaytambo.

• Day 10-13 Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (3B,3L,3D) Travel this morning to km 82 and begin a once in a lifetime journey on the ancient trail of the Incas. Local porters and guides ensure that the trip is worry-free, and fascinating ruins and spectacular mountain scenery fill every day of the hike. On the final day, climb the steps to Intipunku, the 'Sun Gate', to watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Return to Cuzco by train on Day 13.

• Day 14-15 Amazon Jungle (2B,2L,2D) Fly from the high Andes to Puerto Maldonado, deep in the Amazon lowlands. Travel by motorized canoe to our lodge in the Tambopata Rainforest Area, which holds the world record for the most bird sightings in one area. Explore the jungle life with our expert local guides.

• Day 16 Cuzco Return to Puerto Maldonado and fly to Cuzco. Take advantage of outdoor activities such as rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking.

• Day 17 Puno Enjoy spectacular views on this full day of travel from Cuzco to Puno through the high Altiplano region.

• Day 18-19 Lake Titicaca (B,L,D) Take a boat trip to visit the Taquile, Amantani and Uros Islands, followed by an overnight immersion into Peruvian rural life with a homestay in a small village.

• Day 20-21 La Paz Journey along the shores of Lake Titicaca to the highest capital city in the world - La Paz, Bolivia. The bustling street life and traditional roots make La Paz a surprise highlight for many travellers.

• Day 22 Night Bus / Train To Uyuni Take a bus/train trip to Uyuni. Have a free afternoon to visit the city.

• Day 23-25 Uyuni / Salt Lakes Excursion (3B,3L,3D) Embark on a journey through the impressive Salar de Uyuni in some of the most isolated and dramatic geography in South America. Spend three days exploring the remote flats by four-wheel-drive vehicles, between piercing blue skies and blinding white salt flats.

• Day 26-27 Potosí The highest city of its size in the world, UNESCO World Heritage Potosí has had a tumultuous history as a silver mining centre during colonial times. Take an option to descend into a working mine for a close-up look at methods basically unchanged in decades, if not centuries.

• Day 28-29 Sucre Sucre is a fascinating, historic town with plenty of opportunity to explore a variety of museums and colonial buildings. Options include a short trip to the site of 60 million year-old dinosaur tracks!

• Day 30-31 Santa Cruz / Puerto Suarez Fly to Santa Cruz, Bolivia's second largest city, located in the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental. Take an overnight train ride to Puerto Suarez, on the border with Brazil.

• Day 32-33 Corumbá / Pantanal (2B,2L,2D) Join a 2–day excursion to the immense Pantanal wetlands, famed for its prolific wildlife. Marvel at macaws, Jabiru storks, giant otters, and caimans.

• Day 34-38 Bonito / Iguassu Falls Snorkel in crystal clear rivers, or visit caves and waterfalls in Bonito. Cross through the vast cattle ranches of Mato Grosso do Sul en route to magnificent Iguassu Falls. Sit back and soak in the stunning beauty and raw power that is Iguassu, or take a boat tour into the spray of the falls.

• Day 39-44 Paraty / Ilha Grande/ Rio de Janeiro Travel to Paraty and head for one of the laid-back coastal islands. Finally, head north to incomparable Rio de Janeiro. Don't forget Copacabana beach!

• Day 45 Depart Rio de Janeiro