Essential Colombia & Peru - 15 Days

Your tour gets underway this morning in Medellin with a welcome briefing in the accommodation’s lounge, where you meet the rest of the group. Our Tour Leader runs through the plans for the trip and shares advice on keeping safe in South America.We then set off on a guided walking tour of Comuna 13. Once a troubled district, the neighbourhood has turned itself around through urban renewal and new ideas, and its walls now carry murals that stand for hope and progress. Outdoor escalators climb through the area, opening up wide views over Medellin, and the community’s story of resilience is told along the way.The afternoon is free. You could head to Plaza Botero, the Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe and the Catedral Basilica Metropolitana, or see the city from above on a paragliding flight at an additional cost.This evening, you have the option of watching a local football match at Estadio Atanasio Girardot, fixtures permitting, at an additional cost. When no game is scheduled, you can try Tejo instead, a Colombian game in which players throw clay at gunpowder targets to set off a small bang, at an additional cost. Alternatively, you might find drinks and salsa in El Poblado, one of the safer parts of Medellin for a night out.

Medellin - Guatape - Medellin

Today is a day trip to Guatape, though it is worth starting with a cup of local coffee first, as Medellin produces some of the finest in Colombia.Guatape is a lakeside town known for its zocalos, the decorative murals that line its streets. We begin by tackling the 740 steps to the summit of El Penon de Guatape, a huge granite rock with views across the lakes and countryside below.Back at ground level, you have free time to wander the town before we head out on a boat trip across the Penol-Guatape Reservoir.On our return to Medellin this evening, the group takes a dance class together, picking up steps that will come in handy for the rest of the trip.

Medellin - Salento

An early departure this morning takes us to Salento, a town in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle known for its colonial buildings, plantations and scenery. The journey by private minivan takes around 5.5 hours, with a stop for lunch on the road. Our Tour Leader confirms the departure time the day before.This afternoon we visit Finca el Ocaso, a working coffee farm. Here the group picks beans, tries out each stage of production and finishes by tasting the coffee.The rest of the day is free. You might spend some time in the town’s central plaza, a good spot to take in traditional Colombian life.

Salento - Pereira - Bogota

Our Tour Leader takes the group on a morning walk around Salento, with stops for coffee and empanadas and plenty of chances for photographs along its painted streets.The rest of the morning is free. You could return to a shop or street that caught your eye, pick up a hiking suggestion from the Tour Leader or see what activities are available at the accommodation.This afternoon, our Tour Leader accompanies the group on the hour-long transfer to Pereira, where we catch a flight of around two hours to Bogota.Your first evening in the capital is free. The Gold Museum is close by and makes an easy first stop, and the Tour Leader can suggest other places to start.

This morning we explore Bogota’s historic districts by bike, cycling through La Candelaria and past Plaza Bolivar, the Cathedral and the Presidential Palace, with fruit tastings along the way.Afterwards we walk to Monserrate, the mountain that looks down over the city, and ride the cable car to the historic church area at the summit. Up here you will find cultural markets, local snacks and some of the widest views across Bogota.The evening is free. If you fancy a night out, Theatron is among the largest nightclubs in Colombia, with around 20 separate areas each playing its own music, from electronic to Latin and pop. Originally an LGBT+ venue, it now welcomes everyone, and you can join a night out there at an additional cost.

Bogota - Cusco

We leave Colombia this morning on an international flight to Cusco, one of South America’s best-known cities and the base for the trek ahead.After we check in, our Tour Leader holds a briefing on the Peru part of the tour. It is an important session, covering everything needed for the four-day trek, from kit and toiletries to advice for the trail.Your evening is free. The accommodation sits in Cusco’s historic centre, so architecture, local shops and small monuments are all within easy reach. The Tour Leader can point you towards good places to eat and where to buy llama fur clothing.

This morning our Tour Leader takes the group on a walking tour of Cusco, sharing some of the city’s history and the best places to eat before heading uphill to Sacsayhuaman. You may well spot llamas along the way.You have the option of going inside Sacsayhuaman at an additional cost of approximately GBP 25. This Inca fortress stands on a hill above Cusco, with huge stone walls, precise masonry and wide views over the valley.With a 5 am start tomorrow, the evening is set aside for rest. You can give your body time to adjust to the altitude, drink the complimentary coca leaf tea at the accommodation or book a massage before the trek.

Cusco - Ollantaytambo - Inca Trail

The four-day Inca Trail starts today, and our Tour Leader collects the group early for the drive to Piskacucho, also known as Kilometre 82, the trail’s traditional starting point. On the way, we stop in Ollantaytambo for breakfast.The day’s walking totals about 12 km (7.5 miles) through Andean mountain scenery. You carry only a daypack, with larger luggage looked after separately, and all meals are included throughout the trek.By sunset, our trekking team has the camp set up and dinner ready. On a clear night, the Milky Way stretches across the sky above the Andes.Please note: Inca Trail permits are limited and usually sell out 4 to 6 months ahead. If they are unavailable, the trek follows the Salkantay route over the same number of days, passing Humantay and Salkantay mountains at higher altitude, with two nights in panoramic domes and the third in accommodation in Aguas Calientes.Please note: A non-trekking alternative is available on request at the time of booking, and is used if neither Inca Trail nor Salkantay permits can be secured. Days 8 and 9 are spent in Cusco with a private Sacred Valley tour and a private Peruvian cooking class, and Day 10 brings an observatory train to Aguas Calientes, a walking tour of the town and a night at the foot of Machu Picchu. Everyone meets up at Machu Picchu on Day 11.Please note: Trek permits and Machu Picchu tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable once booked, and must be booked using the passport you travel on.Please note: Treks are run with partner operators, so other travellers may join the group, and a local guide accompanies you throughout. Machu Picchu entry slots and circuits are assigned on the day and may differ from the rest of the group.

Inca Trail

Today is the toughest stretch of the Inca Trail. Our Tour Leader starts the morning by bringing hot tea or coffee to each sleeping bag.Keep your daypack as light as possible for the steep climb to Abra de Warmihuanusca, better known as Dead Woman’s Pass and the highest point on the Inca Trail. The day covers 16 km (10 miles) over around 9 hours, and hummingbirds and many other bird species live along this part of the route.Reaching the top of the pass is a real achievement and a moment to stop and take in the view.

After yesterday’s climb, the trail is kinder today. The main sight is Phuyupatamarca, whose name means Village in the Clouds, one of the finest archaeological sites on the route. Its views over the mountains, canyons and wider landscape rank among the best of the whole trip, so it is worth lingering here.The day covers 10 km (6.2 miles) over about 5 hours, and the group reaches camp in the afternoon with time to rest before the final day.

An early departure brings the group to the Sun Gate checkpoint ahead of the crowds, timed to arrive as the sun rises over Machu Picchu.From the Sun Gate, we walk downhill to the citadel itself. Built by the Incas in the 15th century, it was abandoned during the Spanish conquest and remained unknown to the outside world for more than 400 years until its rediscovery in the early 20th century. Today it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.Afterwards, we board the Expedition Train back through the Urubamba River canyon towards Cusco. Look out for Winay Wayna high on the canyon walls before a private vehicle drops the group back in the city.Your evening is free, and a massage is well worth considering.

You have the day free in Cusco after finishing the Inca Trail, so a lie-in is well deserved. When you are ready, the accommodation can recommend a massage or sign you up for one of its on-site activities.You could also learn to make a pisco sour, join a ceviche class, book an excursion or shop for cruelty-free llama fur clothing and accessories.Please note: Activities offered by the accommodation should be booked on arrival in Cusco to avoid missing out.

Cusco - Rainbow Mountain - Puno

Rainbow Mountain breaks up today’s journey from Cusco to Puno. Its bands of colour come from layers of minerals in the ground, making it one of Peru’s most remarkable natural sights. We stop for breakfast and lunch along the way.We reach Puno, one of the highest towns in Peru, in the evening. You have free time to get your bearings, perhaps visiting the main square, trying one of the local restaurants or finding a small bar.

Puno - Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and this morning we head out across it by boat. Ringed by Andean scenery and steeped in history, the lake is home to many islands, and our trip takes in three of them. Among them are the floating islands of the Uros people, whose reed homes were first built centuries ago as protection against the Incas.Your final evening in Peru is free. You could try one of Puno’s street bars or restaurants, watch a traditional dance show or ask the Tour Leader for suggestions.

Your Colombia and Peru tour ends this morning in Puno, leaving time to say goodbye to the group and swap contact details.You need to check out by 10 am, though it is worth confirming the time with the accommodation in case it changes. Accommodation for tonight is not included.