Best of South America with Amazon and Galapagos Cruises

Welcome to Santiago. We'll meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel.

Tonight, join a welcome dinner. Stay Three Nights: The Singular Santiago (D)

• Explore this World Heritage-listed city's historic quarter before a funicular ride offering great views over Valparaiso.

• Perhaps savour traditional Chilean cuisine at the charming Bar Liguria or indulge in dinner at the modern Ambrosia Restaurant.

• In Buenos Aires, enjoy a taste of local culture with a tango demonstration and a selection of tapas.

• Tonight, choose from three dining options: dinner and a tango show; dine in style at Alvear Grill; or sit down to a traditional Argentinian Asado experience.

• Perhaps journey to the island of Tigre for a cruise along the waterways of the Parana Delta. Discover daily life within this maze of rainforest and tiny islands, which is also a haven for birdlife. Or you might like to explore the Parisian influence on Buenos Aires during a walking tour. Alternatively, join a fascinating tour of the iconic and majestic Teatro Colon, considered the world's leading opera house by acoustic finesse, and immerse yourself in the city's sophisticated high arts scene.

• Stay within Brazil's Iguacu National Park for two nights, enjoying the property's unrivalled location.

• Get up close to the roaring cascades of Iguazu Falls on an included jet boat safari, or for a special bird's-eye-view, soar over the falls on a helicopter flight.

• Indulge in a cachaca tasting this evening at your hotel, which boasts one of the largest cachaca collections in Brazil. In celebration of Brazil's national spirit, well known as the key ingredient in the Caipirinha cocktail, a cachaca sommelier will lead you on a delightful journey of flavours.

Begin your day with a visit to Parque das Aves bird sanctuary where you'll see a spectacular array of colourful native South American birds.

Later, fly to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's most visited and naturally blessed city, set between lush forest mountains and sandy shores.

On arrival, we'll meet and transfer you to the elegant art deco grandeur of your hotel opposite the golden sands of iconic Copacabana Beach. Stay Three Nights: Rio de Janeiro, Belmond Copacabana Palace (B)

See Rio de Janeiro from above with a visit to Corcovado, the mountain famed for its Christ the Redeemer statue, the world's largest art deco sculpture. From here, enjoy sweeping city views. Towards evening, board a cable car to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain to toast the sunset and incredible views with a drink.

Tonight, dine at a local restaurant on Brazil's famously delicious barbecue fare. (B/D)

• This morning is set aside for you to sail the waters of Guanabara Bay aboard a schooner sailing ship. If you'd prefer to stay on dry land, perhaps join a colonial walking tour, where the legends woven through the city's narrow colonial-era streets are brought to life.

After breakfast this morning, be transferred to the airport for your included flight to Lima, where we'll meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Savour a delicious lunch at Cafe del Museo before enjoying a visit to Larco Museum. Stay Two Nights: Country Club Lima Hotel (B/L)

• Pay a visit to a private hacienda to enjoy lunch and a Peruvian Paso horse show.

After breakfast today, we'll transfer you to the airport for your included flight to Cusco, the pre-Columbian Inca capital of Peru. From here, be transferred to your hotel before a visit to the working corn farm Hacienda Sarapampa, where you'll enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch. Stay Two Nights: Sacred Valley, Tambo del Inka, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa (B/L)

• Enjoy a traditional weaving demonstration which reveals how South America's colourful materials are created by hand.
• See the glistening salt pools spill over the terraced slopes at the World Heritage-listed Salt Mines of Maras. Visit the circular Moray Inca terraces archaeological site.

• Board Inca Rail's First Class Train and travel through forested landscapes to the lost Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Enjoy a gourmet Andean-inspired lunch on board while taking in the view.

This morning you'll enjoy a full immersion into the natural setting and incredible heritage of Machu Picchu as you set off on a locally guided exploration of the lost city of the Incas, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Later, board the 360° Machu Picchu Train for your return trip to the Sacred Valley. Here, transfer by coach to Cusco and settle into your hotel in the heart of this historic city. Stay Two Nights: Cusco, Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel (B/L)

• Indulge in marvellous five-star Peruvian cuisine as you learn the ropes from the experts with a lunchtime cooking class at Rooftop Kitchen Cusco overlooking the city. Alternatively, set out for a visit to the beautiful Cusco Cathedral.

Board an early flight via Lima to Iquitos, a city located on the banks of the Peruvian Amazon. Here, you'll step aboard your boutique vessel and set off to discover the spectacular flora and fauna as you explore the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Naturalist guides will reveal the secrets of the rainforest and its inhabitants; taking skiff boats to hidden corners of the river, trail walks through the lush vegetation, or on a gentle kayak in calm creeks.

This afternoon, embark on a skiff exploration along the Maranon River and listen to the rhythmic sounds of the jungle as you settle in. Stay Four Nights: Delfin III (B/D)

Spend the morning on the waters of the Samiria River on a skiff exploration. Travel on a stable and safe boat accompanied by an expert naturalist guide and learn about this part of the river. After lunch, relax back on board before the afternoon's excursions. During the low water season (June – October), ascend to the rainforest canopy on a suspended walkway, one of the longest treetop walks in the world, and enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Amazon and its elevated ecosystem. In the high water season (November – May), embark on another fascinating skiff excursion or try your luck at piranha fishing. (B/L/D)

Get even closer to the water on a kayaking trip in the calm waters of the Reserve at Yanayacu-Pucate. Then, search for more amazing creatures and vegetation, as your naturalist guide takes you deep into the rainforest on a jungle walk at Fundo Casual. Get an intimate view of the Amazon's ecosystem and wildlife inhabiting this unique environment including frogs, snakes and insects. (B/L/D)

Today you have the chance to fish for piranhas on the Yarapa River and discover other exotic animals who call the river home. As you cruise, watch for scarlet macaws, Amazonian parrotlets, iguanas and squirrel monkeys. (B/L/D)

Your cruise ends with a transfer to Iquitos. On the way, stop off for a visit to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals. Learn about the rescue work achieved by volunteers at the centre, then hear about manatees and feed these majestic, endangered animals. Finally, board your flight to Lima. Stay: Wyndham Costa Del Sol Lima Airport (B/D)

This morning, fly from Lima to Guayaquil, the gateway to the Galapagos Islands.

On arrival to Guayaquil, embark on a scenic tour of Ecuador's second largest city, taking in its flagship sights. Guayaquil Heritage Cemetery is an infinite sea of opulent white marble statues and heavenly adornment, while Barrio Las Penas is a vivacious rainbow of colourfully decorated buildings. Parque Seminario is best known for its thriving population of friendly iguanas, who roam free-range and happily coexist with human visitors. Other key sights you will visit today include the neo-Gothic Metropolitan Cathedral, the expansive Malecon 2000 esplanade, majestic Administration Square and more. Stay: Guayaquil, Hilton Colon (B)

This morning, fly to Baltra Island, in the heart of the Galapagos National Park. Take a small ferry ride across the channel to Santa Cruz Island. Explore the island's highlands and learn about its unique ecosystems and biodiversity before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterwards, marvel at the archipelago's famous giant tortoises in their natural habitat at a special reserve, which also features several lava tunnels. The tortoises are easy to spot, lumbering about, eating grass and leaves, and wallowing in small pools. The final stop for the day is Puerto Ayora, where you will board your floating home for the next four nights, La Pinta. Stay Four Nights: La Pinta (B/L/D)

Explore Eden Islet off the coast of Santa Cruz this morning, where you will observe blue-footed boobies and reef sharks, and have the opportunity to snorkel and ride in a glass-bottom boat.

Later in the day, discover the beautiful Sombrero Chino Islet and its resident white-tipped reef sharks and Galapagos penguins. The island's crescent-shaped white sand beach offers excellent swimming and snorkelling. (B/L/D)

This morning, visit the stunning and otherworldly Bartolome Island. A steep but rewarding climb up the Summit Trail offers panoramic vistas from the top.

Following this, you may choose to enjoy a magical dinghy ride around the colossal Pinnacle Rock before relaxing on the beach, snorkelling in the paradisiacal waters or taking in the underwater ecosystem from a glass-bottom boat.

After your included lunch on board, you have the option to travel by pangas to Sullivan Bay, and discover the remnants of a lava field that flowed to the bay less than a century ago. This is the perfect place to appreciate the volcanic origins of the Galapagos Islands and their unique ecosystems. (B/L/D)

Enjoy another day exploring the islands by yacht on La Pinta. Today's highlights include visits to Darwin Bay and Prince Philip's Steps at Genovesa Island. Observe the fascinating marine and land birds at Darwin Bay and explore the bay's volcanic geology. You will also have the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the beautiful and tranquil waters.

This afternoon, on Genovesa Island, you might opt to ascend Prince Philip's Steps and enjoy a captivating walk across the island to marvel at colonies of Nazca boobies, frigate birds, storm petrels and the elusive short-eared owl. (B/L/D)

This morning, bid farewell to La Pinta and make your way to Baltra Island airport for your return flight to Guayaquil.

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner. Stay: Guayaquil, Hilton Colon (B/D)

After breakfast, your South American adventure concludes with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)