Highlights
- Small Group Experience of a Lifetime
- Walking Tour of Havana
- Evening Cannon Ceremony in Havana
- Day Trip to Trinidad including City Tour
- Dinner at Café Parisien in Havana
- City Tour of Lima and visit to Larco Herrera Museum
- Evening Folklore Dinner & Show in Lima
- Excursion to Chincero Market & Ollantaytambo
- Cuzco City tour and nearby ruins including Kenko & Tambomachay
- Visit to Mystical Machu Picchu
- Rail journey onboard Vistadome
- City Tour of Arequipa and Santa Catalina Convent
- Visit to Iguazu Falls from both Argentinian & Brazilian Side
- Visit to Condors Lookout Point in Colca Canyon
- 3 Night Stay in vibrant Rio de Janeiro
- Full Day Corcovado & Sugar Loaf Cable Car Experience including a visit to Christ the Redeemer
- Evening Dinner & Samba Show in Rio de Janeiro
Inclusions
- Personally Escorted from Australia, your SWT tour hostess is on hand to assist with making your holiday a memorable one
- Return Economy Airfares with Qantas/Lan Chile
- Private Touring Coach with Professional Driver & Guides
- Private Airport, Rail and Hotel Transfers throughout
- All meals as detailed in itinerary
- 4 Star Accommodation as detailed in itinerary (subject to change)
- Tipping for Drivers & Tour Guide only
- Amazing Sightseeing as per our itinerary
- Willing to Share Option (subject to availability)
- Meet & Greet prior to departure (subj to minimum numbers attending)
- Sisterhood Documentation and Ticket Wallet
Notice
NOTE - ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS REQUIRED AT TIME OF FINAL PAYMENT - $340 Passenger Movement Charge, $101 Brazilian Visa, $130 Argentina Reciprocity Fee, $200 Cuba Visa Vee. These prices may fluctuate so please confirm prior to making your final payment. Important Notice Please Note: Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that our tour runs as smoothly as possible but please note that Latin America does not run like clockwork, therefore do not expect the streamlined travel arrangements associated with some other continents. Things do not always go to plan; there will be times when we will need to be patient and philosophical about our travels. Conditions in South America can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary. Be flexible, we will enjoy our tour much more. Sisterhood Womens Travel makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country we visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect.
Itinerary Open Printable Itinerary
Day 1 - Thursday 27 October 2016
Melbourne/Sydney/Lima (Inflight Meals)
Join your Sisterhood Womens Travel tour hostess and fellow travellers at the Melbourne Airport at the designated time for our flight to Peru. Transiting via Sydney to Lima and upon our arrival into Lima we will be met by our specialist guide and transferred to our airport hotel. Tonight we’ll overnight at Hotel Wyndham Costa del Sol Airport, Lima
Day 2 -Friday 28 October 2016
Lima/Havana (B,D)
After breakfast we’ll be transferred to the airport for our flight to Havana. Situated on the north coast of the island and built around a natural harbour, Havana (La Habana), is one of the most lively and colourful cities in the Caribbean. A unique destination and one of the most famous cities in the world Havana is a living time capsule of times past, from its Spanish colonial history to the enduring legacy of the Revolution, characterised by such icons as the 1950s American cars and famous mural of Che Guevara overlooking Revolution Square. Tonight we will enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the hotel. Overnight at Hotel Sevilla, Havana
Day 3 - Saturday 29 October 2016
Havana (B,L,D)
Today we’ll enjoy a walking tour of Old Havana and evening Cannon Shot Ceremony. We’ll explore Old Havana through its World Heritage’s colonial architecture and cobblestoned streets. Our excursion will bring us to Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, Plaza Vieja and Plaza de la Catedral. There’s an opportunity to wander through the colourful markets of this wonderful city and photograph living statues as well as street actors and picturesque parades. After the tour we will stop for lunch in a restaurant inside the old city. Tonight we will take a journey back in time to experience one of the most typical traditions in Havana, the Cannon Shot Ceremony. We will travel to the eastern side of Havana Harbour where we will find the “Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña”. This Spanish fortress is the largest in all of the Americas and is often referred to as “La Cabaña“, translated as “the hut”. After the Cannon Shot Ceremony we’ll enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant to try some of Cuba’s delicious dishes. Overnight at Hotel Sevilla, Havana
Day 4 - Sunday 30 October 2016
Havana/Cienfuegos/Trinidad (B,L,D)
Today we depart the hotel for Trinidad. On route we will visit Cienfuegos, the so-called Pearl of the South. We’ll explore this unique colonial town with vestiges of French and Spanish heritage and enjoy a panoramic tour through the National Monument (La Punta), Palacio de Valle, El Paseo del Prado where afterwards we will take a stroll along the boulevard and visit the monument to one of Cuba`s most treasured musicians Beny Moré, the Province Museum and the Tomás Terry Theatre. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. Afterwards we’ll continue on to Trinidad. .Overnight and dinner at Hotel Brisas Trinidad del Mar
Day 5 - Monday 31 October 2016
Trinidad City Tour & Surrounding Area (B,L,D)
Today we’ll wander through the historical centre of Trinidad, a city full of stunning colonial architecture. Visit Plaza Mayor, Museo Romántico, stop at La Canchanchara bar to taste a Cuban cocktail. Then we’ll continue to enjoy a ceramic workshop at La Casa del Alfarero. There will be time to shop at the local craft markets with lunch included at a local restaurant. Overnight at Hotel Brisas, Trinidad del Mar
Day 6 - Tuesday 1 November 2016
Trinidad/Santa Clara/Havana Che Guevara Mausoleum (B,L)
Today we head back to Havana; enroute we will visit Santa Clara to explore its historical past and revolutionary legacy. Situated in Central Cuba, Santa Clara is steeped in history as a result of the battles that took place during the Cuban revolution. This journey will take us to the memorial of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Monument to Tren Blindado (armoured train), Plaza Leoncio Vidal and Boulevard de la Ciudad. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, then we continue on to Havana. Overnight at Hotel Sevilla, Havana.
Day 7 - Wednesday 2 Novermber 2016
Havana/ Evening Dinner Show (B)
Today we can enjoy a day at leisure to explore on our own or just relax. This evening we’ll witness the colourful and vibrant show with music and dancing at Cabaret Parisien and a typical Cuban cuisine dinner in the cabaret at a preferential table. Overnight at Hotel Sevilla, Havana
Day 8 - Thursday 3 November 2016
Havana/Lima (B)
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight back to Lima. On arrival we will be met and transferred to our hotel located in Miraflores. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina, Miraflores
Day 9 - Friday 4 November 2016
Lima City Tour and Larco Herrera Museum (B,D)
This morning we’ll enjoy a city tour visiting both the colonial and modern sections of this "City of Kings." Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza de Armas with its cathedral and palace and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace - the modern day seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In modern Lima, we’ll drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. Afterwards we’ll finish with a visit to the famous Larco Herrera Museum. This museum showcases one of the world's largest collections of pre-Columbian art including Moche, Nazca, Chimú, and Inca pieces. In the evening we’ll enjoy a dinner and a show where we will taste a variety of Peruvian dishes - served buffet-style while enjoying a wonderful show of Peruvian folk dances. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Select, Miraflores
Day 10 - Saturday 5 November 2016
lima/Cusco (B)
After an early breakfast we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Cusco. On arrival, we will be met by our company representative and taken to our hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure to relax and acclimatize to the altitude. Welcome to Cusco, stately and historic with stone streets and building foundations laid by the Incas more than 5 centuries ago, the town is much more than a mere history lesson. Cusco was the empire's holy city, and it was also the epicentre of the legendary Inca network of roads connecting all points in the empire. Overnight at Hotel El Mercado Tunqui, Cusco
Day 11 - Sunday 6 November 2016
Cusco City Tour and Nearby Ruins (B)
Today with our guide, we’ll explore the city of Cusco and learn all about this magical city. First we head to the ancient "Koricancha" Temple and admire its exquisite architectural feats, continuing on to the Main Cathedral in which the first stone was placed to begin construction of it in 1560. We will then visit the archaeological complex of Saqsayhuaman to tour this majestic place with impressive works in stone, some up to 120 tons. We then continue to Q'enqo (Labyrinth) which was a religious centre dedicated to the adoration of the Earth. We will spend some time here and then go to Tambomachay (Temple of the Water) which was a centre of adoration and worship of water. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free to enjoy the charms of Cusco. Overnight at Hotel El Mercado Tunqui, Cusco
Day 12 - Monday 7 November 2016
Cusco/Sacred Valley (B,L,D)
Today we depart Cusco for the sacred Valley to visit the Chincheros Market where the indigenous trade among themselves as they have done for centuries. We’ll continue on to the Inca agricultural experimental centre of Moray, famous for its sunken amphitheatre made up of four circular terraces which appear to disappear into the earth like an artificial crater. After Moray we’ll visit the impressive Maras salt pools formed by water emerging from a lake inside a mountain in the Urubamba Valley. We will stop for lunch in a cosy restaurant before continuing to Ollantaytambo archaeological complex. Overnight and dinner at Hotel Posada del Inca, Sacred Valley
Day 13 - Tuesday 8 November 2016
Scared Valley/Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes (B,L)
After breakfast we will be picked up from our hotel and transferred to the Ollantaytambo Station to board the Vistadome train for our exciting 2½ hour journey over and through the Andes to Aguas Calientes. On arrival we will be met and transferred to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The fabled Lost City of the Incas - never found by the Spanish Conquistadores and only rediscovered in 1911 by American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the ruins followed by lunch at Sanctuary Lodge in the front of entrance to Machu Picchu. After lunch we will make our way down to the township of Aguas Calientes where we’ll overnight at Hotel Casa del Sol, Aguas Calientes
Day 14 - Wednesday 9 November 2016
Aguas Calientes/Cusco (B)
A morning at leisure to further explore this unique mountain citadel or to just relax. In the afternoon we’ll enjoy our Vistadome train journey to Poroy just outside of Cusco. After disembarking the train in Poroy we will transfer to our hotel in Cusco. Overnight at El Mercado Tunqui, Cusco
Day 15 - Thursday 10 November 2016
Cusco/Arequipa (B,D)
Today will be an early departure to the airport for our flight to Arequipa. On arrival we will be met and transferred to our hotel with the remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy this beautiful city. Arequipa, the second largest in Peru was founded in 1540 and retains an elegant historic centre constructed almost entirely of sillar (a porous, white volcanic stone), which gives the city its distinctive look and the nick-name La Ciudad Blanca (the white city). Ringing the city in full view, are three delightfully named snow-capped volcanic peaks: El Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu, all of which hover around 6,000 meters. This evening a special dinner is organised at a local restaurant in the Plaza de Armas where the Cathedral and the plaza are lit up beautifully at night. Arequipa is renowned for having the best food in Peru! After dinner we return to the hotel and overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection, Arequipa
Day 16 - Friday 11 November 2016
City Tour/ Santa Catalina Convent Arequipa (B,L)
Arequipa is known as the White City due to its many colonial-era buildings made from sillar, a white volcanic rock. We’ll admire these buildings and more as we start our city tou and head to Arequipa’s main square – Plaza de Armas to visit the Iglesia de los Jesuita (Church of the Society of Jesus), founded in the 17th century by Jesuits and known for its cloisters and St Ignacio Dome. We will also visit the Santa Catalina Convent, a beautiful religious site home to the nuns of the Dominican Second Order that was closed to the public for nearly 400 years. Open today, it offers narrow alleyways and a peaceful plaza and gardens reminiscent of ancient Seville or Granada; enjoy the serene atmosphere as we stroll through them with our guide. Finally, we will visit the residential districts of Chilina and Yanahuara famous for its Andalusia-style church and buildings made from sillar; the area is also known for El Mirador de Yanahuara, a popular viewpoint where we’ll catch magnificent views of the Misti Volcano. Return to hotel. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection, Arequipa
Day 17 - Saturday 12 November 2016
Arequipa/Colca Canyon (B,L,D)
Today we’ll depart for Colca Valley passing through Pampa Canahuas at the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, a protected habitat for vicuñas (llama relatives with finer wool). The road from Arequipa to the Colca Valley climbs impressively, reaching 4,910m at the Patapampa lookout. The air is very thin at this altitude so please ensure that you are well researched in how to cope with the effects of high altitude. Lunch is at a local restaurant enroute with a late afternoon arrival in Colca. Overnight and dinner at Colca Lodge, Colca Canyon
Day 18 - Sunday 13 November 2016
Colca Canyon Cruz del Condor Lookout/Arequipa (B,L)
This morning, to maximise our probability of seeing condors we will depart very early towards the viewpoint, "Cruz del Cóndor”, famous for its spectacular inhabitants the graceful Andean condors. We will spend time here with the opportunity to witness the condors as they glide on the rising thermals from the canyon. There will be time for a walk in this spectacular nature reserve before continuing our tour to visit various small villages upon our return to Arequipa. Lunch is at a local restaurant before we head back to Arequipa. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection, Arequipa
Day 19 - Monday 14 November 2016
Arequipa/Puerto Iguazu (B,D0
Time to depart Peru and head for Argentina. A morning transfer for our flight to Foz do Iguassu via Lima. On arrival into Foz, we will be met and transferred to our hotel located in the Argentine side of the falls. Welcome to Iguazú Falls, located in the unspoilt, tropical jungle at the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay belong to the most spectacular nature attractions of South America. They are bigger and more breathtaking than the Niagara Falls and they even bigger than the Victoria Falls in Africa. Overnight and dinner at Hotel Mercure Iguazu Iru, Igauzu
Day 20 - Tuesday 15 November 2016
Argentine Falls/Puerto Iguazu (B,D)
This morning we will depart our hotel to enjoy a tour of the falls on the Argentine side with a stop at the Visitor's Centre at the entrance of the Iguazú National Park. The Centre displays great panels showing the importance of the biodiversity of the humid subtropical forest in order to gain access to the walkways from where the Iguazú Falls may be observed, take a gas-operated train to the upper paths and the Devil's Throat. Arriving at the Devil's Throat station the footbridge crosses several islands until the end where we will enjoy a magnificent viewpoint of this overwhelming waterfall. Time to explore on our own, before returning to the hotel. Overnight and dinner at Hotel Mercure Iguazu Iru, Puerto Igauzu
Day 21 -Wednesday 16 November 2016
Foz do Iguacu/Rio de Janeiro (B,L)
Today depart our hotel for a tour of the falls on the Brazilian side, where we will have quite a different perspective. Remember to have your passport and Brazil Visa handy when we cross the Argentine/Brazil border. First we stop at the Visitor's Centre at the entrance of the Iguaçu National Park. The visit continues inside the National Park along a paved road which will take us to the magnificent Iguazú Falls. It is a completely different tour than the one on the Argentine side and it’s always recommended we see the falls from both sides. We will finish up nearby with a visit to the world-class Bird Park, situated on 12 acres of native subtropical forest. There are over 160 species, both indigenous and from other continents. Afterwards we will have lunch at a restaurant on the Brazilian side before transferring to Foz airport for our flight to Rio de Janeiro. On arrival in Rio, we will be met and transferred to our hotel. Rio de Janeiro - founded in 1556, is nothing if not exhilarating. Flanked by gorgeous mountains, white-sand beaches and verdant rainforests fronting a deep blue sea, Rio occupies one of the most spectacular settings of any metropolis in the world. Christ the Redeemer perched on top of Corcovado blessing the city and Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar), (where we'll get a fantastic 360 degree view of Rio and Guanabara) are two of the most recognised landmarks of this amazing city. Overnight at Hotel Excelsior Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Day 22 - Wednesday 16 November 2016
Full Day to Corcovado & Sugar Loaf/Rio de Janeirp (B,L,D)
Today we’ll depart to the Corcovado railway station at the foot of the Corcovado Mountain. A 3.5 kilometre train ride through the lush mountain greenery to the station on the top of the mountain. Take the elevator and escalator to the 38-metre high statue of Christ the Redeemer, 710 m above sea level, with time at leisure to take in the magnificent views from here returning by train before heading to a local restaurant for lunch. After lunch depart for the Sugar Loaf Mountain driving along the beaches to the northern parts of Rio with a stop at "Sambodromo", the purpose-built stadium where the Samba-schools perform during Carnival. We’ll then pass through the Flamengo Park and Botafogo before arriving at the cable car station to Sugar Loaf. Ascend via cable car to the first stage, the Morro da Urca Mountain (220 metres). Walk to the other side of the mountain to take the next cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf (395 metres). Time to explore at leisure to enjoy the views before returning to our hotel in the evening where we we’ll enjoy dinner nearby. Overnight at Hotel Excelsior Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Day 23 - Thursday 17 November 2016
Evening Dinner & Simba Show/Rio de Janeiro (B,D)
A full day of leisure to continue to explore this amazing, vibrant city or maybe just a relax on the beautiful nearby beach to do a spot of ‘people watching’! This evening a special treat for our last night in Rio. We’ll enjoy a typical Brazilian barbecue dinner featuring grilled meats and local delicacies. In a feast for the eyes and ears, the talented musicians and graceful dancers will reveal the heady mix of Portuguese, Indian and African influences that has created the vibrant Brazilian popular music of today. Afterwards we will be transferred back to our hotel. Overnight at Hotel Excelsior Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.
Day 24 - Friday 18 November 2016
Depart Rio de Janeiro (B)
After Breakfast we say farewell to South America as we transfer to the airport for our flight home. Sit back, relax and enjoy the airline inflight entertainment and service.
Day 25 - Saturday 19 November 2016
(Meals Inflight)
Our flight will take us via Santiago, Auckland then Melbourne.
Day 26 - Sunday 20 November 2016
Melbourne
Welcome Home! We thank you for travelling with Sisterhood Womens Travel and look forward to welcoming you back!