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This tour is designed and operated by one of our trusted travel partners, Rail South America. Their terms and conditions will apply. Railway Adventures is not liable for the accommodation, meal and sightseeing inclusions in the itinerary.
Peter is a Tour Leader, a Rail Enthusiast, and a Tour Organiser specialising in Railway Journeys in South America. He is a Swiss resident who has been living in Quito in Ecuador for almost 15 years, and he loves organising…
This South American adventure, designed and operated by Rail South America, will take you on a memorable three-week adventure from Argentina and through Bolivia, finishing up in Peru. Travel from the iconic city of Buenos Aires to Tucuman and traverse the country on the iconic 'Tren a las Nubes', through the incredible landscape of the Uyuni Salt Flats to La Paz in Bolivia. Visit Lake Titicaca, and the UNESCO World Heritage-Listed site of Machu Picchu.
On arrival in Buenos Aires you’ll be met by your driver and transferred to our hotel. For the rest of the day and night you’ll have free time to explore the city and settle in.
Overnight: Hotel Anselmo, Buenos Aires
Discover the most important neighbourhoods and landmarks in Buenos Aires during a half-day city tour. Admire the Obelisk, the symbol of Buenos Aires, and the many open squares of colonial Spanish descent. Enjoy a drive on the widest street in the world, containing 22 lanes. The visit to La Boca neighbourhood and a walk on the “Caminito Street” is another highlight of the tour. In the evening, we celebrate our welcome dinner at the Tango show of “El Querandi” before returning to our hotel for the night.
Overnight: Hotel Anselmo, Buenos Aires (B, D)
This Morning after breakfast, we board our boat at Puerto Madero and cruise to Tigre along the Costanera Navigation Canal, parallel to the Buenos Aires shoreline. Passing the River Plate Stadium and the University of Buenos Aires. Then, we cruise through the canals of the delta, one of the largest in the world. We have lunch before heading to the Tigre train station, where we will take a train back to the city of Buenos Aires and enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Anselmo, Buenos Aires (B, L)
Transfer to the airport in Buenos Aires this morning for our flight to Tucuman in North Western Argentina. After a short panoramic city tour in Tucuman we continue our journey through the Calaqui Valley to Colalao del Valle before we reach Cafayate, famous for its exquisite wines. Near Cafayate, check into our hotel for an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Asturias, Cafayate (B, L)
We do a walk inside a vineyard under the guidance of a local wine specialist. Discover the famous Malbec and Tannat grapes. We have a wine degustation in one of the best-known wineries of the valley followed by lunch in a magnificent country house, within walking distance of our hotel. The rest of the afternoon you have free time.
Overnight: Hotel Asturias, Cafayate (B, L)
Depart Cafayate this morning, following the breathtaking natural reserve of Rio Las Conchas. Travel through striking reddish rock formations and past the impressive Conchas River towards the city of Salta. We arrive in this northwest provincial capital later in the day and check in to our hotel. We’ll then embark on a city tour, beginning with the Plaza 9 de Julio and continuing to visit the glorious Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Casa de Uriburu, the Convent of San Francisco, the Convent and the Cerro San Bernardo, the monument to Guemes and February 20, the Quebrada de San Lorenzo and the handicraft market. Relax with a free evening after this full day of exploring.
Overnight: Hotel Design Suites, Salta (B, L)
Depart Salta this morning, heading to the small village of Alfarcito. The journey continues through the Quebrada de las Cuevas to San Antonio de Cobres. Here, we embark on the iconic Train to the Clouds and travel to the impressive Polvorilla Viaduct. The journey takes an hour in total to reach the viaduct, and, at 4,200 meters above sea level, showcases unforgettable views. The train stops for 30 minutes at the viaduct, giving you ample time for pictures and do some souvenir shopping. We have lunch in San Antonio de Cobres, before our last stop in Santa Rosa de Tastil. We’ll return to Salta in the evening.
Overnight: Hotel Design Suites, Salta (B, L)
North of Salta lies the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO listed valley. The valley is characterized by stunning, steep rock faces that literally change colours depending on the hour of the day and from where you view them, their distinct stripes constantly morphing from one breathtaking colour to another. Ancient traders used this route through the canyon over 10,000 years ago. Authentic, dusty indigenous villages are spread along the route north and we’ll travel past on our way to our hotel in Purmamarca. This evening is at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel La Comarca, Purmamarca (B, L)
In the early morning we continue Route No 9 to the north, reaching the Bolivian border before midday and enjoy lunch at Villazon. If time permits, we’ll do a short tour of Villazon before we board the “Wara Wara Express” train to Uyuni. The train travels through the scenic highlands of Bolivia and reaches Uyuni in the early evening. A local guide welcomes us at the railway station and brings us to our hotel. We’ll enjoy dinner with the group.
Overnight: Hotel Palacio de Sal, Uyuni (B, L, D)
We begin our day with a tour of an artisanal salt processing plant and witness traditional salt extraction methods. At the Incahuasi Island (known as Fisher Island) in the middle of the world’s largest salt flat, you see amazing giant cactus, and if you wish you may hike to the highest point of the island for fantastic views out over the salt flats. A picnic lunch will be served in the middle of the salt flat, before heading back to our hotel and enjoy dinner.
Overnight: Hotel Palacio de Sal, Uyuni (B, L, D)
In the morning, we drive to a place where you can watch the intriguing process of salt excavation before visiting a viewpoint above Coquesa Village. From here, you have awe-inspiring views over the salt flat. Lunch today is a Picnic on the central square in Coquesa. After lunch, we visit the train cemetery in Uyuni, where we explore various oxidized steam engines and wagons on this spectacular site surrounded by amazingly unique scenery. After an early dinner in town we’ll take an evening flight to La Paz. On arrival, settle into our hotel and enjoy dinner.
Overnight: Hotel Europa, La Paz (B, L, D)
Embark on a tour of this fascinating city today. Discover the indigenous Cosmo-vision and their mystical rituals at the Witches Market. The San Francisco Church, the historical district around the main square and the “Plaza Murillo” with the Legislative and the Government Palace are other sights of interest that we’ll visit. Enjoy breathtaking views of La Paz from the Killi Killi viewpoint. We’ll return to the hotel in the afternoon and the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Europa, La Paz (B, L)
Enjoy a free day to explore and relax in La Paz today.
Overnight: Hotel Europa, La Paz (B)
Farewell La Paz today and travel to Copacabana, a small town on the Bolivian side of the Lake Titicaca. Stroll through Copacabana’s handicraft stalls and food markets. From Copacabana, we cruise to the Sun Island where we have an Aptapi, a typical lunch. In the afternoon, we cruise along the Sun Island to visit the ruins of the Pilkokaina Inca temple before we return to Copacabana.
Overnight: Hotel Rosario Lago, Copacabana (B, L)
In the morning you have free time in Copacabana. For those who want can participate in a tour with our guide where we visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana. We have lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, we cross the nearby border to Peru and after a 2 hour drive, where we reach the city of Puno. The rest of the day is at your leisure. We stay overnight at the Hotel Jose Antonio in the outskirts of Puno.
Overnight: Hotel Jose Antonio, Puno/Lake Titicaca (B, L)
In the early morning, we head to Puno railway station where we board the “Perurail Titicaca Train” to Cusco. This fascinating journey travels through the scenic high Andean countryside, its highest point reaching over 4000 metres above sea level, in La Raya. The downhill train ride to Cusco plunges through endless pastures and calls at remote villages, reaching the city in the evening. Our driver awaits us at the railway station and brings us to our hotel for the next few nights.
Overnight: Novotel, Cusco (B, L)
Today we visit the picturesque small town of Pisaq. Walk on cobblestoned streets and buy souvenirs for your family and friends at home. On the way to Ollantaytambo, we stop at the rural Inca sites of Moray and Salinas. We have lunch at a local restaurant. Characterized by narrow streets and street canals, Ollantaytambo is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the Americas.
Overnight: Novotel, Cusco (B, L)
We travel on the Incarail First Class Train from Cusco San Pedro Station to Machu Picchu; the train journey takes about 4 hours. We have lunch on the train. We explore Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas with an expert guide. In the evening, we have to be at the railway station in Aguas Calientes to board the “Belmond Hiram Bingham Train’’ to Porroy. We have a gala dinner on the train. From Porroy, we return to Cusco with our private vehicle.
Overnight: Novotel, Cusco (B, L, D)
Enjoy a tour of this incredible city this morning, a highlight being the Santo Domingo Convent, which is built over an ancient Inca Palace. Outside of Cusco, visit the Inca military fortress Sacsayhuaman. Later, we’ll have a look at the Inca ruins of Qenko, Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay. The evening is at leisure tonight.
Overnight: Novotel, Cusco (B)
We transfer to the airport in Cusco this morning, boarding our flight to Lima. On arrival, transfer to the hotel to check-in before enjoying an interesting city tour of Lima’s colonial past. Discover the Plaza San Martin and the Plaza Mayor with the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Cathedral. We’ll drive through the modern district of San Isidro and Miraflores on our way back to the hotel. During the city tour we invite you to our celebratory farewell lunch at the beautiful Larco Museum.
Overnight: Hotel Doubletree El-Pardo, Lima (B, L)
After a morning at leisure, farewell Lima and transfer to the airport for your flight home or onwards for other travels!
20 nights’ accommodation in comfortable, centrally located hotels
Breakfast daily, lunches and dinners as specified in the program
Chartered coach throughout the tour
Comprehensive sightseeing with expert local guides
All excursions and entrance fees to attractions, as listed in the itinerary
Internal flights (Buenos Aires-Tucuman, Uyuni-La Paz and Cusco-Lima), 15Kg luggage
English speaking tour leader and English-speaking local guides
International flights
Meals and services not mentioned in itinerary
All other personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, laundry services, camera fees where applicable
Excursions listed as optional and extra in the brochure
Drinks with welcome and farewell dinners
Tips for local guides and drivers
The best train trips possible, private luxury coach for off-train travel, guided walking where suitable, and other appropriate and appealing options to make exploration easy
Hand-picked hotels and resorts based on location, customer feedback, value and atmosphere. Please Note: Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.
Hear from some of our adventurers that have already ridden the rails with us.
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We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them, their cultures, and to the Elders both past and present.
Train traveller, well known TV personality and travel company owner, Scott McGregor, has travelled on some of the world’s most inspiring railway tours and led the most exclusive group adventures to numerous exotic destinations over the years.
“Rustic, character-filled, zig-zagging railways of Burma, opulent hotels on wheels in India South Africa and Sri Lanka, steam-hauled heritage trains in some of the most staggeringly scenic parts of the world, dinky little rail-cars in outback Queensland, bullet trains in Japan, cliff-hugging lines in Switzerland and Norway—if it travels on a rail track, I’m there!”, exclaims self-confessed train travel tragic, Scott McGregor. “In my mind, travelling by rail is still the most wonderful way to immerse yourself in the country you’re visiting. It’s romantic, relaxing and about as much fun as you can have!”.
Aa a child of the last days of steam trains in the busy junction town of Orange, NSW; trains heading in all directions offering temptations and dreams of faraway places, left an indelible impression on a young, inquisitive boy and Scott has been riding the rails in one form or another ever since. While Scott’s acting career of 30 years kept him busy starring in numerous TV shows and stage plays and then as an on-air presenter on programs such as Better Homes and Gardens, Room for Improvement and various pay-TV programs, his passion for railway tours was ever-present. “Presenting a series of Railway Adventure travel programs for Channel 7 was a career highlight”, he says with as much enthusiasm now as he had then.
In 2012 Scott decided to combine three of his passions; travel, trains and presenting, and launched Railway Adventures. Not only does he get to expand his own horizons and indulge his love of train travel, he gets to use his extensive hosting experience and love of people to lead other like-minded travellers on escorted train tours around the world. Since then, Railway Adventures has mounted more than 50 tours from Sweden to Sri Lanka, Tasmania to Transylvania, Britain to Burma and Venice to Vietnam, thrilling over 1,000 travellers. New tours are launched regularly, inspired by new trains, new routes and the growing interest in taking a train to some of the world’s most fascinating places. But you don’t have to be a train ‘nut’ to enjoy a Railway Adventures tour – there’s something for everyone!
Just one example of how Scott finds inspiration for a tour can be found in Outback Queensland. “There you find some of Australia’s most eccentric and appealing trains and together with a mail-plane flight over the Gulf and some interesting local coach and boat trips you have the essence of a quintessential Aussie outback adventure. The sleeper train, The Spirit of the Outback, the Savannahlander and the Gulflander (which has been running on the same timetable for more than 125 years!) are all iconic trains that traverse various parts of the wild Outback, Savannah and tropical rainforest landscapes of the vast state of Queensland. Along with some other special treats not available to the ordinary traveller, Railway Adventures passengers get to do it all!.
One of his favourite journey’s is by private train in Sri Lanka. For 2 weeks every year Scott charters the Viceroy Special heritage train to tour the island on a gentle rail cruise with a lucky group of travellers. Staying in luxury resorts and hotels along the way, his special train travels to almost every corner of the scenic island. “Having a private train at your disposal for an adventure around this magic island is a rare treat and a great way to immerse yourself in the scenery and culture of the country.”, he enthuses. “Our Vietnam tour makes use of private carriages attached to regular trains to explore that great country in comfort and in South Africa we use a variety of trains including the luxurious Rovos Rail and the Royal Livingstone steam train to move from one incredible adventure to another”.
Apart from the obvious joy of seeing a country by train, travelling in a small group of like-minded travellers with a dedicated, experienced tour leader and knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides is what really sets Railway Adventures apart. “The camaraderie that comes from both shared purpose and shared experiences on tour is an important aspect of the journey” Scott adds. “We’ve seen many people become life-long friends from the time they shared together along the line. The best feeling in the world is when I welcome these same people on repeat journeys”.
Along with popular destinations like Switzerland, Scandinavia, Outback Queensland and Sri Lanka, a new breed of more unusual destinations has gained great interest. Java, Cuba, Southern Africa, India and the New England region of NSW are just some of the newer adventures on offer. As for Scott’s next escape, it’s most likely some quality time at Ruwenzori Retreat, his own personal train on the Great Dividing Range near Mudgee, Central NSW. Built from a collection of vintage railway carriages it’s now a boutique tourist accommodation, comprising exclusive Orient Express style comfort for up to 13 guests. “When the travels are done, coming back to my own train in the beautiful Mudgee mountains is the most restorative and magical time for this committed rail romantic”, Scott says.