Andean Plains and Islands of Discovery, 2 nights

Guests board the luxurious Belmond Andean Explorer train in Peru's former capital Arequipa. Once settled in their luxurious compartment, the train will begin its journey southeast towards Puno. Soon they are invited to their first dinner in one of two elegant dining cars. For lunch, refined Andean specialties are served in a contemporary style. After lunch, they can spend time in the bar or lounge, admiring the scenery and meeting other travelers.

It's worth getting up early to admire the breathtaking sunrise over Lake Titicaca. We then invite guests to enjoy a delicious breakfast aboard the luxurious Andean Explorer train.

Tours on this day will reveal to guests the incredible beauty and rich diversity of life on Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America. Lake Titicaca is located at an altitude of 3812 m above sea level and is a remnant of an ancient inland sea called Lago Ballivian, which once covered the entire Altiplano.

On Lake Titicaca there are several natural islands and over 40 small artificial floating islands - carefully constructed of woven reeds that are constantly replenished - called Uros, some of which are inhabited by the Uro Indians and the latter will be the destination of the first trip by traditional boat. From there, guests will sail to the beautiful island of Taquile. Here they will be treated to a private lunch on Collata Beach, during which there will be demonstrations of traditional dances and craftsmanship.

Guests will return to the train in time for tea as the luxury train continues its journey to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Cuzco. Later, enjoy one last dinner on board before guests retire to their compartments.

Guests will wake up to a delicious breakfast accompanied by fantastic views as they continue their journey.

Shortly thereafter, the train will reach Raqch'i, an archaeological site that was once a vital checkpoint on the Inca Empire's extensive road network. It is situated in a valley known for its Inca cult sites. Most Inca structures are surrounded by a 4-kilometer defensive wall. Some believe that these buildings may have been intended for religious and administrative officials, while others speculate that, combined with the scale of the defensive walls, they may have been used as barracks for soldiers.

The most important structure of Raqch'i is the Temple of Virakocza, a huge rectangular roofed structure that is 92 meters long and 25,5 meters wide. Before its destruction by the Spanish, the temple had the largest single roof in the Inca Empire. The temple's enormous proportions and location explain why the entire Raqch'i complex is sometimes referred to as the Virakocza Temple.

Unfortunately, shortly after leaving the ruins, the train reaches Cuzco. This is where your luxury trip aboard the Belmond Andean Express ends. The guests are said goodbye by the train crew. If you have time, we recommend exploring Cusco on your own.

Cuzco is located in the southern part of Peru at an altitude of 3326 m above sea level. The city was founded by the first Inca ruler, Manco Capac, in the 1533th century. During the times of the empire, the capital of the country was located here. It was captured in XNUMX by Francisco Pizarro's troops. Remains of some buildings have been preserved from the Inca times.

In the central part of the city there was a square around which the palace of the Inca ruler, the House of the Virgins of the Sun Acllas and the palace of Huayna Capaca Amarucancha were built. The dominant structure was the Coricancha Sun Temple. Inside the temple there was a solar disk, discovered by the Spanish in 1571. Near Cuzco, on the slopes of Sacsayhuamán, a fortress with a triple, zigzag line of defensive walls was built. Huge boulders were used to build the walls, delivered from quarries 15 km away and then machined to fit perfectly without the use of mortar. It is unclear how the Incas transported the stones, the heaviest of which weighs 350 tons, because they knew neither the wheel nor rollers. No one can yet explain how they processed them with the tools available to them, the hardness of which was not sufficient to process granite. In 1983, the site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with the historic city of Cuzco.