Machu Picchu, Amazon, & Galápagos: Your Ultimate Latin America Safari

This old Pacific port city is where conquistadors once transported Incan gold back to Spain, and in recent years it has become known as a gastronomic hub boasting world-renowned restaurants that have earned numerous accolades. Explore the bohemian Barranco area’s art and stay at Hotel B, a 1914 mansion.

The Sacred Valley is the gateway to Machu Picchu, and it is home to the Incas’ impressive, ancient agricultural terraces like Pisac and Moray, as well as the Maras Salt Mines. After a day navigating these fertile, green enclaves, unwind at Hacienda Urubamba’s plantation: Stand-alone luxury casitas feature breathtaking valley views, and authentic masks and handcrafted woodwork add to the Outposts’s charm.

Head towards Machu Picchu by way of the Hiram Bingham Train, which is exquisitely decorated in the style of a 1920s Pullman. You’ll enjoy splendid scenery, lunch, and a Pisco Sour mixing lesson. Spend the next few days hiking the ruins and marveling at how the massive stone slabs were crafted without the use of mortar or iron tools. Our Outpost is set in a cloud forest and laid out like an Andean village with terraced hills and stone pathways overlooking the Vilcanota River.

Return to Cusco city on the Vistadome train: With its panoramic glass windows and ceilings, it allows passengers to fully appreciate the scenery of the surrounding massifs, ravines, and winding rivers. Once considered the Incan Temple of the Sun, Cusco also has a tremendous sacrificial site just outside of town, Sacsayhuaman (pronouned saxay-woman … yes, really!). Wander combstone streets and explore the artisan quarter of San Blas before settling in at La Casona, a 16th-century manor that stands on ancient Incan army training grounds.

Leave the Andes (for now) and head to the Amazon: After arriving at Puerto Maldonado in the Southern Peruvian rainforest, travel by boat to the nearby Tambopata National Reserve, one of the world’s most remote tropical locales. Your days will be spent on canopy walks and river cruises spotting pink dolphins, river otters, jaguars, tapirs, macaws, and howler monkeys. Moreover, Reserva Amazonica’s suites were designed to resemble traditional Ese Ejja homes. Set on the banks of one of the most mighty and meandering rivers in the region, this vibe couldn’t be more serene.

Quito, perched high in the Andes, is a kaleidoscope of colors thanks to its painted colonial facades. The city’s dramatic elevation provides breathtaking views of the surrounding volcanoes but also lends Quito an ethereal charm, especially when it comes to its leafy plazas and UNESCO-listed Old Town, the location of Casa Gangotena, a mansion with towering ceilings and original murals.

Set out from Quito to Santa Cruz Island by aircraft. These volcanic isles are a sanctuary for wildlife, from the marine iguanas creeping on boulders at the beach and colorful finches flitting in the trees to the iconic giant tortoises lumbering through the highlands and flamboyant blue-footed boobies performing their courtship dance … not to mention the abundant marine life in the surrounding waters. Galápagos Safari Camp is the perfect forest canopy basecamp.

After returning to the mainland, end your journey back in the Andes: Ecuador’s Avenue of Volcanoes is a stunning 200-mile corridor of towering giants, flanked by some of the country’s most iconic peaks, including Cotopaxi. Nestled on this path, Hacienda Zuleta is the home of former Ecuadorian President Galo Plaza Lasso. While here, visit alpine lakes on horseback, set out on hidden footpaths, and enjoy farm-to-table food.