By: George Pitiranggon, Director of Marketing & Web Strategies
Photo Credits: George Pitiranggon
For my first time visiting South America, I knew the best way to do it would be with an escorted tour. Between the hysteria by the media about an exaggerated public health advisory, the language barrier, and sheer amount of things to do and see, I would probably still be planning this vacation if I were doing it on my own. Not to mention how much more I would be spending to stay in comparable hotels and transportation. Because Trafalgar is one of our premier partners and because they have a rating of over 95% guest satisfaction, it was easy to pick their 16-day South America Revealed itinerary.
South America Revealed packs a lot into a short 16 days. From day 1, I could not believe the efficiency and productiveness of this program.
Starting with 4 days in Rio de Janeiro, we visited all the “must-sees” from Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Stairs of Selaron.
Related: Visit Peru And See Machu Picchu. Click To View Itineraries!
Since we were traveling with Trafalgar, we got to experience additional “Hidden Treasures” such as walking through Olympic Boulevard, an Olympic stadium tour, and a roadside stop at San Conrado beach for fresh coconut water and ice cream. Of course there was plenty of Samba (Brazilian dance) and tickets to private samba shows and even a samba school.
After Rio we flew to Iguazu Falls and explored one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature from both the Brazilian and Argentine side. During our two days in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we dined at the famous Café Tortoni, walked through the main Plaza de Mayo, and paid respects to Eva Peron at her grave in Recoleta Cemetery.
One night, after our Trafalgar exclusive “Be My Guest” dinner, where a local family invites the whole group for a home cooked meal, the hosts invited their friends over to perform a private tango show!
Related: See The Sacred Valley And Machu Picchu. Click To View Itineraries!
The next few days we moved our adventure to Peru, starting in its capital, Lima. After a city tour, we flew to Cusco, which is at an altitude of 11,150 feet. Upon our arrival, we drove down through the Sacred Valley where Trafalgar had a “Cultural Insight” waiting for us where a local invited us into her traditional Incan style home.
The next two days were spent in Machu Picchu where we had ample time to explore one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. After Machu Picchu, we made our way back to Lima where we enjoyed our Farewell Dinner with our new friends before reluctantly flying back home.
During my 16 days traveling through Brazil, Argentina, and Peru, there was not one day where I wasn’t amazed at how Trafalgar managed to fit so much adventure and more into our program. It’s not just the usual tourist stuff but we also experienced the culture of all the countries. With Trafalgar’s exclusive “Hidden Treasures”, local resident hosted “Be My Guest” dinners, and eye-opening “Cultural Insights” sprinkled in, it became clear to me that I would not have been able to plan anything remotely close to this trip in terms of quality, cost, and timing if I were to do it on my own. And after experiencing a Trafalgar product for the first time, it’s no surprise they have an over 95% guest satisfaction rating.
George Pitiranggon
Director of Marketing & Web Strategies
Direct: 281.269.2671