Overland between Rio & Lima via ... (LRM)

Rio De Janeiro 20 Aug 2013

Free time to explore Rio de Janeiro, with a group meeting at 18:00 hrs. We stay in a good quality hotel near the beach in Flamengo.  

Departures on the 18th of June 2013 (ZRC130618A0, on the 9th of July 2013 (ZRC130730A) and 30th of July 2013 (ZRC130730A) will not be staying at Hotel Argentina but at Hotel Village Icarai (www.hotelvillageicarai.com.br) in Niteroi.

Carnival departures (6th of March 2014 and 19th of February 2015) the joining hotel will be Hotel Paysandu http://www.paysanduhotel.com.br/ . Hotel Paysandu is located only 5 minutes walk from Hotel Argentina and is our Overlanders Carnival Hotel.

Hotel for the night: Hotel Argentina

Ouro Preto 21 Aug 2013

Today is a full day 480kms drive to the beautiful old colonial mining town of Ouro Preto where we stay at a camp site with facilities

Ouro Preto 22 Aug 2013

Today is a non-driving day with free time to visit the mine, museum or many of the baroque churches here. We spend a second night at the same camp site.

Tres Marias 23 Aug 2013

Today will be a full driving day of around 600kms through Brazilian countryside and towns. We will find somewhere to bushcamp for the night, probably near to Tres Marias.

Cavalcante 24 Aug 2013

We continue our journey through the Brazilian hinterland passing Brasilia en route to the town of Cavalcante where we will spend the night with the Kalunga people, a rarely visited tribe, and camp for the night on their lands.

Chapada Dos Veadeiros National Park 25 Aug to 27 Aug 2013

We head 170kms to Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park with two full days to explore the landscape and wildlife. There is time to hike in the jungle, visit waterfalls and swim in the warm springs. We stay in an eco-tourism campsite.

Brasilia 28 Aug 2013

In the morning we will have an early start and drive 230 km to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. We will have a tour of the city with a local guide exploring this extraordinary city with its wealth of architecture and sculpture. We stay in dorm accommodation in a relatively basic hostel.

Central Brazil Wildcamp 29 Aug to 30 Aug 2013

Overland 1300 km towards the Pantanal of central Brazil, we will take it slowly to enjoy the sights and overlanding experience. We will be camping along the way.

Pocone 31 Aug 2013

We arrive into the small town of Pocone, our base for the Pantanal trip. We stay in a local,friendly hotel.

Pantanal 01 Sep to 03 Sep 2013

3 day trip into the Pantanal, the vast wetlands of Central Brazil. From a ranch base we explore the surrounding area on horseback, from boats, from canoes and on foot. You will be leaving mid morning on the last day doing a 'game drive' on the way out of the Pantanal and driving as far as possible tonight for a bush camp.

West Brazil Wildcamp, Porto Velho, Rio Branco 04 Sep to 06 Sep 2013

The next few days will be an incredible exploratory journey across the rarely visited parts of central Brazil via Porto Velho and Rio Branco covering over 2000kms towards the Peruvian border bushcamping along the way.

Puerto Maldonado, Peruvian Amazon 07 Sep 2013

We cross from Brazil over the Rio Acre and enter into Peru at Assis. Once through border formalities we drive on to Puerto Maldonaldo, the base in which we will launch ourselves into the 3 day jungle trip.

Tonight we will stay in a small local run hotel.

Posada Amazonas 08 Sep 2013

We transfer by boat to the Posada Amazonas. This is a forty five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas and will take us into the Community’s Primary Forest Private Reserve.

Upon arrival, you will be briefed with important navigation and security tips.

A twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas leads to a 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you.

After dinner we have an Ecotourism Lecture from one of the staff members about the Infierno ecotourism.  

Overnight at Posada Amazonas.

Posada Amazonas , Tres Chimbadas Lake 09 Sep 2013

After breakfast we head to Tres Chimbadas Lake which is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. Otters are most active from dawn to eight or nine in the morning.

We also visit a Parrot Clay Lick which is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow- headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons.

After lunch we have a Ethnobotanical tour. A twenty minute boat drive downriver leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants.

After dinner you will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.

Overnight at Posada Amazonas

Urcos 10 Sep 2013

Today you will leave your jungle lodge early in the morning, get to the truck and drive as far as possible towards Cusco. You will go from the hot jungle to some of the highest passes in South America. Tonight will be spend bushcamping.

Cusco 11 Sep 2013

After breakfast we transfer by boat back to Puerto Maldonado.

A full days drive from the jungle brings us to the amazing town of Cusco, gateway to the Inca Empire. We spend the night in a lovely hotel close to the Plaza Mayor.

Cusco 12 Sep 2013

Border information: If you are starting at Cusco, enter Peru at Cusco Airport.

Free day to explore the wonderful city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca kingdom. There will be a group meeting at 10:00 hrs. Staying in a good quality colonial hotel in Cusco.

Hotel for the night: Hotel Cahuide

Inca Trail , Sacred Valley, Cusco 13 Sep to 16 Sep 2013

Trekking in the Andes - either the community trek or the classic trek. This is one of the world's best treks and a highlight for most visitors to Peru.

Machu Picchu 17 Sep 2013

Visit to Machu Picchu one of the world's most iconic sights. We'll have a guided tour with a local expert and plenty of time on site before catching the train back to Cusco.

Cusco 18 Sep 2013

Today is a free day to recover from trekking with optional activities available in Cusco such as white water rafting. Overnight in the same colonial hotel

Raqchi 19 Sep 2013

Drive to Raqchi and visit ruins and local artisan centre. We stay overnight in local homestay. We stay in traditional family houses with clean but basic facilities. Whilst we are there we enjoy some of the ceremonial aspects of village life as well as much singing and dancing. This is a great local experience.

Chivay 20 Sep 2013

440kms drive day to Chivay with optional visit to thermal springs. We stay overnight in a hotel at Chivay

Chivay and Colca Canyon, Arequipa 21 Sep 2013

Today we will visit the spectacular Colca Canyon to view condors and also local communities. We will then head on to the beautiful white city of Arequipa.

Arequipa 22 Sep 2013

Free day to explore Arequipa.

Puerto Inca 23 Sep 2013

380kms drive day to Puerto Inca where we stay at a beach side campsite.

Nazca 24 Sep 2013

A 270kms morning drive takes us to Nazca where you will have the chance of an optional flight over the mysterious Nazca lines and visit Chauchilla cemetery. We stay at a campsite with a pool.

Huacachina 25 Sep 2013

We drive 220kms and visit the oasis town of Huacachina for optional sand boarding and sand buggying and an overnight trip to the dunes.

Paracas National Park 26 Sep 2013

A short drive via the town of Ica takes us to Paracas National Park where we will visit the museum in the park before bushcamping in this spectacular location.

Ballestas Islands, Lima 27 Sep 2013

In the morning we board a boat trip around the Ballestas Islands to view wildlife. We then head 270kms to Lima, arriving late in the afternoon. We stay in a good quality hotel in central Lima

Lima 28 Sep 2013

Free time to explore the city. There are many museums you can visit, such as the Museo de la Nacion, as well as cathedrals, plazas and cafes. It is also possible to visit the catacombs.

Border information: If you are leaving in Lima, exit Peru at Lima Airport.