Kingdoms & Carnivals

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Lush Amazon jungle in Ecuador, Inca kingdoms in Peru, the remote Altiplano and Salt Flats of Bolivia, the great outdoors in Patagonia and the largest party in the world at Rio's Carnival or New Years Eve celebrations - just some of the awesome experiences on this incredible overland journey!

This trip is a true Expedition by nature of its long duration and some of the remote places we visit. You must expect a degree of hardship digging your truck out of mud and sand, some long drives on rough and dusty dirt roads, camping and cooking in extremes of climate. But that’s all part of the adventure! And you will discover South America in a way most travellers only dream of.

Trips run from Quito to Rio and v.v. and all trips coincide with either Carnival or the spectacular New Years Eve event in Rio at the end or beginning of each trip.

Week 1

Our journey starts south of the Equator in the city of Quito. Our first drive is to the small market town of Otavalo, famous for its colourful crafts market. Next we head to Rio Napo and our gateway into the steamy Amazon jungle. We hike into the rainforest where our guide will show us examples of medicinal and hallucinatory plants. There is also the chance to try our hand at white water rafting! Our next destination is Banos where you can go canyoning or hike mountain trails.

Week 2 & 3

Crossing the border into Peru, we travel along the Pacific Ocean coast to small villages and camp on deserted sandy beaches. After a stop in the capital, Lima, we head south to the marine wildlife of the Ballestas Islands. Quite a contrast are the Nazca Lines. These huge figures and shapes, carved into the stony desert are best viewed from the air and are a great mystery to archaeologists. From here we start our ascent of the Andes.

Week 4

Arequipa is a magnificent colonial city backed by El Misti volcano. From here you have the option to visit Colca Canyon where condors can be seen circling lazily on the thermals rising from the canyon floor. Ahead lie some of the most arduous and punishing roads on the trip, however, after traversing some mountainous passes of nearly 5000 metres we soon arrive in Cuzco.

Weeks 5 & 6

We have a few days in this city of Inca ruins and colonial architecture including 4 days hiking the Inca Trail to the magical ruins at Machu Picchu. After a day or two to recover, we drive to Lake Titicaca, where we stay overnight with a family. Entering Bolivia, we head to La Paz, the highest capital city in the world before a long and dusty drive across the Altiplano brings us to Potosi. The adventurous of us can go down one of the silver mines where mining techniques have remained unchanged for centuries.

Week 7 & 8

We reach the vast, shimmering white Uyuni Salt Lake where you can venture out for a day and then following in the steps of Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid to Tupiza. Crossing the border to Argentina, we stop in Salta, a great area for horse riding, mountain biking, trekking and rafting. Depending on the time of year, we either head west to the Atacama Desert in Chile or south to the Mendoza wine region of Argentina. Both routes take us across the mighty Andes to arrive in Chile’s capital, Santiago.

Week 9 & 10

Further south is the Lake District, where you can go white water rafting, skiing, horse riding or hike up Villarrica Volcano. We ascend the Andes via some spectacular mountain passes before entering Argentina and arriving in Bariloche, a top ski resort with great hiking trails and nightlife. Ahead of us lies the vast wilderness of Patagonia. Los Glaciares NP has the largest glacier in the world and a boat ride takes you close up to Moreno Glacier. Torres del Paine NP is another area of outstanding beauty where huge granite cliffs dominate the landscape and hiking is a great way to explore the area.

Week 11

We continue to Ushuaia on the wild and beautiful island of Tierra del Fuego before crossing to the Atlantic coast to visit one of the marine sanctuaries. Penguins, Sea Lions, Sea Elephants, Birds and sometimes Whales can be seen. Following the road north along the coast we stop at Puerto Madryn which was the landing place over a century ago for the first group of Welsh settlers that subsequently colonised and now farm the surrounding area.

Weeks 12 & 13

A days drive north is the smart cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires where you could be forgiven for thinking you were back in Europe. Here there are museums, horse racing, football matches, shopping, tango dancing and restaurants that serve some of the best steaks in the world. Also from here is the option to visit Uruguay and the quaint town of Colonia, with its lovely beach. Back in Argentina visit the Jesuit Missions of San Ignacio before the awesome Iguazu Falls, higher than Niagara and wider than Victoria Falls.

Weeks 14 & 15

Next we head into Brazil and travel to Bonito, where we can swim and snorkel in crystal clear rivers and lakes as well as hike into the lush forests. We then journey to the Pantanal region and organise treks out into the vast wetlands, home to hundreds of species of birds and fish, including Piranha, as well alligators and other animals. The truck now brings us to the coastal village of Parati where cars have been banned from the cobbled streets that run down to the seashore. Our final drive takes us to the hedonistic playground of Rio de Janeiro, where folk are raring to party. The Carnival and New Years Eve celebrations are always chaotic, crowded and fun!