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SOUTH AMERICAN SAMPLER WITH PERU EXTENSION

Day 1 - Board your overnight flight to South America.

Day 2 - Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Welcome to South America's largest and most populous country. Rooms are ready so that you can freshen up and rest before taking a first look at Rio. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a drive along famous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city while toasting the start of a memorable vacation with caipirinhas, a favorite Brazilian cocktail. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a popular local restaurant. (D)

Day 3 - Rio de Janeiro. The city's landmark, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowns CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. A scenic ride by cog railway leads to the top, where a breathtaking 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. From here, proceed to bustling downtown Rio, where modern office towers stand next to relics of the Portuguese colonial past. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. The afternoon is at leisure for you to experience this vibrant city on your own. Tonight, it's a fun outing to a churrascaria for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style, followed by a SAMBA SHOW where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)

Day 4 - Rio de Janeiro. Enjoy a full day at leisure to fill as you wish. An optional Guanabara Bay cruise offers up gorgeous views of Rio from the harbor. This afternoon, sightseers might elect to discover historic Petropolis, a mountain resort and the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II. Spend an evening at leisure. (B)

Day 5 - Rio de Janeiro. A full day at leisure to savor Rio. Relax on one of the world-famous beaches or participate in world-class shopping or fine dining. Alternatively, you may choose to join the optional Jeep tour to visit the Botanical Garden, with its splendid orchid exhibit, and the bird sanctuary in Tijuca National Park. Your Tour Director will be available throughout the day to advise you on any special activities or available optional tours. (B)

Day 6 - Rio de Janeiro - Iguassu Falls. Fly to IGUASSU FALLS. The afternoon is dedicated to enjoying the magnificent panorama of waterfalls. The spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour - with some cataracts as high as 250 feet - is nothing short of hypnotic. The clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth make this an unforgettable natural wonder. (B,D)

Day 7 - Iguassu Falls - Buenos Aires, Argentina. Take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN this morning and a tour of the Argentine side of the Falls before your flight to Buenos Aires, proud capital of the vast country that occupies most of the southern part of the continent. After arriving at your central hotel, an orientation walk acquaints you with the "Paris of South America" and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. Spend an evening at leisure. (B)

Day 8 - Buenos Aires. Your included sightseeing this morning starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city's first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique neighborhood at the mouth of the river and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and as a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President's Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, which houses San Martin's Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching THE CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, the burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, savor the atmosphere of this cosmopolitan capital on the included evening excursion: dinner featuring Argentine steaks and other specialties, followed by a flawless PERFORMANCE of Latin America's most sensuous dance - the Tango! (B,D)

Day 9 - Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to the pampas. Experience the atmosphere of Argentine country life as you visit an estancia (ranch). Get acquainted with the lifestyle of the gauchos and enjoy a barbecue lunch and the warm hospitality of your hosts before returning to the city. (B)

Day 10 - Buenos Aires'Santiago, Chile. Depart this morning on a scenic flight over the Andes before arriving in Santiago, Chile's capital. This country is more than 10-times longer than wide, with 2,650 miles of beautiful Pacific coastline. (B,D)

Day 11 - Santiago. Located in the center of the country and perched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, Santiago has evolved as the country's political, commercial, and cultural capital. Step back into the 16th century as your Local Guide traces the city's history and heritage. Start at La Moneda, the official Government Palace, and nearby SAN CRISTOBAL HILL with its landmark statue of the Virgin Mary. After visiting the PRE-COLOMBIAN ART MUSEUM, your tour ends at the Plaza de Armas, the main square, with a visit to the 18th-century CATHEDRAL. The afternoon and evening are at your leisure. This evening, consider the optional Chilean Folkloric Dinner Show. (B)

Day 12 - Santiago. The day is free for independent activities. You may want to take advantage of an optional excursion to the beautiful coastal region west of Santiago. Drive through the undulating hills of Chile's wine country to the historic port of Valparaiso, and continue along the coast to nearby Viña del Mar. This chic seaside resort with palm tree-lined avenues and lovely villas truly deserves the sobriquet "Pearl of the Pacific." This evening, your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of this exciting Latin American vacation. (B,D)

Day 13 - Santiago - Lima, Peru. Fly to Lima this morning, where sightseeing focuses on its colonial heritage. See the 18th-century SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY with its unique cloisters, the Government Palace, and Cathedral situated around the vast Plaza de Armas. Then, take a short drive to the seaside suburb of Miraflores. Later, tour the LARCO HERRERA MUSEUM with its dazzling collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian artifacts. (B)

Day 14 - Lima - Cuzco'Sacred Valley. Fly to Cuzco, the impressive Andean city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Spend the day in the Sacred Valley of the Incas with a visit to the Inca baths of TAMBOMACHAY and the semi-circular Kenko Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages. Stop at the ancient site of Puca Pucara before reaching the TEMPLE OF SACSAYHUAMAN, perched on a hillside overlooking Cuzco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones - with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons - was built. Continue to Pisac, an old mountain village where you will have the opportunity to visit a home, meet some of the locals, and experience their way of life. Enjoy free time here to shop for local wares such as alpaca sweaters and blankets, jewelry, or hand-painted ornamental dishes and vases. Stay in the Sacred Valley tonight, with dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 15 - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu'Sacred Valley. Visit the Inca Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO this morning before boarding a TRAIN for a short journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Then, transfer to a motorcoach for the ascent to legendary MACHU PICCHU, "The Lost City of the Incas." Your Local Guide will bring you closer to the mysteries still hidden in these amazing structures. Later this afternoon, return to the Sacred Valley. (B,L,D)

Day 16 - Sacred Valley - Cuzco. Journey to Cuzco and learn more about the Incas on your guided tour, with visits to the imposing CATHEDRAL and the SANTO DOMINGO MONASTERY. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by ANDEAN FOLKLORIC MUSIC. (B,D)

Day 17 - Cuzco - Lima. A short morning flight returns you to Lima, where the remainder of the day is at leisure to explore on your own. (B)

Day 18 - Board your homebound flight. (B)