Explore Peru, Bolivia, Chile & Amazon in 17 Days

Our South America journey begins with a meeting with Ejder Turizm representatives at the International Terminal of Istanbul Airport. We depart for Santiago, the capital of Chile, at 20:35 on a Turkish Airlines wide-body aircraft. Santiago combines modern and historic elements. During the intercontinental flight lasting approximately 18 hours, we enjoy THY's refreshments and in-flight entertainment systems and spend the night on board.

We arrive at Santiago International Airport in the morning. After completing customs and passport procedures, we begin our city tour in our private vehicle. At Plaza de Armas square, we see examples of colonial architecture, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the historic Post Office building. We then view La Moneda Government Palace from the outside, an important site in Chile's political history that bears traces of the 1973 coup. From San Cristobal Hill, we look out over the city, its modern skyscrapers and the snow-covered Andes Mountains. We have lunch at a local restaurant. After the tour, we check in to our hotel. There is free time to rest after the long journey. Overnight in Santiago.

After breakfast at our hotel, we set off for the Pacific Ocean coast. After a journey of approximately 1,5 hours, we arrive in Valparaiso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Chile's most important port city. Known for its steep streets, historic funiculars and murals, the city offers a chance to walk through the streets that inspired Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. We then visit nearby Vina del Mar. Known as the Garden City for its beaches, palm-lined avenues and well-kept parks, it is home to the city's landmark flower clock (Reloj de Flores), which we see during our tour along the oceanfront. We have lunch at a local restaurant. In the evening, we return to Santiago with views of the sunset over the Andes Mountains. Overnight in Santiago.

Today is a free day for you to explore Santiago, one of South America's most modern and safest capitals, at your own pace. After breakfast, guests who have become familiar with the city can leave the hotel to discover different sides of Santiago. Guests interested in art can visit La Chascona, the Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda's unusually designed house overlooking the city. Spending time in the colorful streets of the city's bohemian neighborhood, Bellavista, is another option. At Los Dominicos artisan village, you can find Chile's world-renowned wines and local handicrafts. Those wishing to try fresh seafood for lunch can set aside time for the historic Mercado Central (Central Market). Dinner and accommodation will once again be at our hotel in Santiago.

We depart from Santiago Airport at around 07:00 and fly to Calama, a mining city in northern Chile. On arrival, we travel to San Pedro de Atacama in a private vehicle waiting for us. The journey through red earth and wide plains takes approximately 1,5 hours. After checking into our hotel and taking a break for lunch, we begin our tour of Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). We walk among salt and sand formations shaped by wind and water over millions of years. We see the Las Tres Marias (Three Marys) sculpture and explore the crystallized salt caves. During our visit to Death Valley (Valle de la Muerte), we see large sand dunes and jagged rocks. We then head to a viewpoint to watch the sunset. As the sun sets over the Andes Mountains, countless shades of pink, orange and purple appear across the desert. After the tour, we pass through San Pedro's streets lined with adobe houses and return to our hotel to rest. We spend the night in San Pedro de Atacama.

Today, on our 7-hour journey, we leave Chile's red deserts and cross into the Bolivian Altiplano, one of the world's highest plateaus. We depart from San Pedro de Atacama early in the morning and reach Hito Cajon, the Chile-Bolivia border crossing. After completing passport formalities, we continue our journey in 4x4 off-road vehicles (Jeeps). Our first stop is Laguna Verde (Green Lake), at the foot of Likankabur Volcano. The lake gets its green colour from the minerals it contains. We then stop for photos in the Salvador Dali Desert, among wind-shaped rock formations and colourful hills that resemble the painter's works. Along the way, we also see Laguna Colorada (Red Lake), home to thousands of James's flamingos. To acclimatise to the high altitude and rest safely, we continue towards the Colchani area, right on the edge of the Uyuni salt flats. After dinner, we stay at Crystal Samana Hotel, one of the salt hotels built entirely from salt blocks. Our accommodation will be at this salt hotel in the Uyuni / Colchani area.

After breakfast at our hotel, we set off in our 4x4 vehicles to explore Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, covering approximately 10,500 square kilometres. Throughout the day, we observe the salt flat's landscapes and optical illusions. Our first stop is the Train Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes). Here, we photograph abandoned steam locomotives from the 19th century in the middle of the desert. We then visit Colchani Village to see how local people process salt using traditional methods and examine handicrafts made from salt. The volcanic Incahuasi Island (Giant Cacti), in the middle of the salt flat, is covered with cacti reaching 10 metres in height. From here, we enjoy a 360-degree view of the Salar's white surface. At the Salt Eyes (Ojos de Sal) stop, we see cold spring water emerging from beneath the salt layer and geological formations. For lunch, a Picnic Lunch specially prepared for you is served in the middle of the Salar. We allow free time to take perspective photographs using the salt flat's unusual sense of depth. At the end of the day, we watch the sunset as the sky is reflected on the Salar's surface, with local wine served.

Early in the morning, we transfer to Uyuni Airport for our 07:30 flight to La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital. After a flight of approximately 1 hour, we arrive at El Alto, the world's highest international airport. After leaving the airport, we begin our city tour. Riding above the city on the cable car (Mi Teleférico), we get a bird's-eye view of the settlements around Illimani, a snow-capped peak in the Andes. During our visit to the Witches' Market (Mercado de las Brujas), we learn about local Aymara culture. At the market, we see a variety of products, including dried llama fetuses, medicinal herbs, traditional amulets and colorful textiles. At Plaza Murillo, the city's main square, we view the Government Palace, Parliament Building and Cathedral from the outside and learn about Bolivia's political history. We then head to the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna), approximately 10 km from the city center. We walk among spires, maze-like passages and various landforms created by the erosion of clay and sandstone. After the city tour, we have free time to explore La Paz further and try local dishes. We have lunch at a local restaurant. We spend the night in La Paz.

After our final breakfast and free time in La Paz, we set off for Peru. In the afternoon, we transfer to La Paz Airport and depart Bolivia on Avianca Airlines' 15:50 flight. After a flight of approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, we arrive at around 16:05 in Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, known as the navel of the world. As Cusco is approximately 3.400 metres above sea level, we transfer directly to our hotel on arrival. The rest of the day is free time to rest and adjust to the altitude before our tours of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley in the coming days. Guests who wish can relax at the hotel with coca tea or take a short walk to dinner through Cusco's dimly lit streets lined with colonial architecture. We spend the night in Cusco.

Today, we set off early in the morning to visit Machu Picchu, one of the important centers of the Inca civilization, known as the Lost City. We travel by private vehicle to Ollantaytambo, one of the best-preserved Inca villages. From here, we board a tourist train and travel along the Urubamba River. After a journey of approximately 1,5 hours, with views of the Andes and tropical forests, we arrive in the town of Aguas Calientes. A short bus ride takes us up from the town to Machu Picchu. Discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, this ancient city is the Incas' most important religious and astronomical center. With our professional guide, we visit the Temple of the Sun, the Room of the Three Windows, Intihuatana (the place where the sun is tied) and the agricultural terraces, examining the city's structures and engineering features. After the tour, you have free time to explore the ancient city on your own and take photographs. We have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, then return to Ollantaytambo by train. Our vehicle meets us at the station and takes us to our hotel in Cusco in the evening.

In the morning, we head to Cusco Airport and take a short flight to Puerto Maldonado, where the climate is tropical. After being met at the airport, we go to our city office and leave our main luggage in a secure area. We take small bags containing the items we will need at the forest camp and head to the river port. We travel along the Madre de Dios River by motorized canoe for approximately 45 minutes to reach the Eco-Lodge, surrounded by nature. After a welcome with tropical fruit, we settle into our forest bungalows. Before dinner, we join our guide for a river trip or a forest walk to see caimans, giant spiders and nocturnal birds that become active at night. We spend the night at Amazon Eco-Lodge.

We spend today exploring the biodiversity of the Amazon. On a canopy walk, we cross suspension bridges among the tops of tall trees to observe the forest from above. We watch parrots and monkeys in their natural habitat. We paddle quietly by canoe across Sandoval Lake, deep in the forest. This lake is home to giant otters and hundreds of bird species. During the ethnobotanical tour, our local guide tells us about the medicinal plants that Indigenous peoples of the Amazon have used for thousands of years and the giant trees in the forest. We stay overnight at Amazon Eco-Lodge.

After breakfast in the forest, we return to Puerto Maldonado by canoe. We collect our luggage from the office, transfer to the airport and fly to Lima, Peru's culinary capital. On arrival, we check into our hotel in Lima. In this city, home to some of the world's best restaurants, you have free time in the evening to try Peruvian dishes such as Ceviche and Lomo Saltado. We spend the night in Lima.

After breakfast at our hotel, we begin our tour of the historic and modern areas of Lima, on the Pacific coast. We visit Plaza Mayor in the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre to see examples of Spanish colonial architecture. After seeing the Government Palace, City Hall and buildings known for their wooden balconies, we visit San Francisco Monastery, known for its underground burial chambers (catacombs). We walk through the Miraflores district, set on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and stop for photos at Love Park (Parque del Amor). Time permitting, our tour also includes the bohemian Barranco district, known for its art galleries and murals. Before heading to the airport, we have free time to try Lima's cuisine. After the city tour, we transfer to Lima Airport. We leave Peru on Avianca Airlines' 17:35 flight to Bogota, the capital of Colombia. After a flight of approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, we arrive in Bogota at 20:50. We are met at the airport and transferred to our hotel to check in. We retire to our rooms to rest before the next day's tour of Bogota. We spend the night in Bogota.

Today we explore Bogota, Colombia's cultural and political centre, at an altitude of 2.640 metres. We begin the day by taking a cable car or funicular up Monserrate Hill, at an altitude of 3.152 metres. We enjoy a bird's-eye view of Bogota and visit the white church and local market on the hill in the cool air of the Andes. On our tour of La Candelaria (Historic District), we walk through narrow stone streets, seeing colourful colonial houses and murals. Along the way, we learn about the area's history and art. At Plaza de Bolivar, the country's political centre, we see the Palace of Justice, Parliament Building, Cathedral and City Hall from the outside. Our guide tells us the story of Colombia's independence. During our visit to the Gold Museum (Museo del Oro), we explore the world's richest collection of pre-Hispanic gold artefacts. The museum holds more than 30 thousand gold pieces, and we learn about the origins of the legend of El Dorado. At the Botero Museum, we see paintings and sculptures of large figures in the distinctive style of Colombia's world-renowned artist Fernando Botero. We examine the works donated by the artist to this museum.

We have reached the last day of our South American journey, from Chile's deserts to Bolivia's salt flats, from Peru's ancient cities to the depths of the Amazon. After breakfast at our hotel, we have free time for some last-minute shopping and to say goodbye to the city. Around midday, we transfer to El Dorado International Airport in Colombia. We depart for Istanbul with Turkish Airlines at 15:10. We spend the night on board this long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. During the flight, THY's award-winning refreshments are served, and we can use the in-flight entertainment system.

After our flight, we arrive at Istanbul Airport at around 15:30 local time. After completing passport control and customs procedures, we end our tour with the memories we have made and the new friendships we have formed along the way. See you on another Ejder Turizm tour!