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Richard Lees hits South America
This is Week: 12+
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Richard's route through South America

Itinerary - week 1 to 12

1: From Quito, the capital of Ecuador we drive through the Andean Highlands to the coastal desert of northern Peru.
2: Visit the mud-brick ruins of Chan-Chan, then onto Lima. Optional jungle trip to Iquitos on the Amazon River.
3: South to the marine wildlife sanctuary at Paracas and the mysterious Nazca Lines. Visit colonial Arequipa and watch condors at the stupendous Colca Canyon, then begin the hard climb to the Inca capital of Cuzco.
4: Around Cuzco - walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or visit Machu Picchu by train.
5: Drive across the highest part of the altiplano to Lake Titicaca; visit some of the islands in the lake, then enter Bolivia and come to La Paz, the highest and most traditional of the highland capitals.
6: Cross the barren highlands to Potosi - highest city in the world.
7: Visit the great salt lakes in 4x4s, and descend to the Atacama Desert of Chile. Continue to Santiago, and south through Chile, visiting the wine country & the beautiful Lake District.
8: Cross into Argentina and come to sophisticated Bariloche.
9: Further south in Argentina, hugging the edge of the Andes. Eventually we come to the deep south and visit the incredible Moreno Glacier, and the stunning Torres del Paine in Chile.
10: Turn north and visit the Valdex peninsula to see penguins, sea lions and maybe whales, before crossing the pampas grasslands to Buenos Aires: try one of those steaks! Optional side trip to Uruguay.
11: Drive north visiting the Jesuit Missions before coming to one of the great sights of South America, Iguassu Falls. Possible side trip to Paraguay.
12: Into Brazil - drive along the beautiful Costa Verde, taking a boat trip to some of the tropical islands, and then on to Rio de Janeiro, a superb climax to the expedition.

Trip Dates: Friday 12th November 2004 to 4th February 2005
 

Website provided by Sue Lees Consultancy
Week 1: From Quito, the capital of Ecuador we drive through the Andean Highlands to the coastal desert of northern Peru. Week 2: Visit the mud-brick ruins of Chan-Chan, then onto Lima. Optional jungle trip to Iquitos on the Amazon River. Week 3: South to the marine wildlife sanctuary at Paracas and the mysterious Nazca Lines. Visit colonial Arequipa and watch condors at the stupendous Colca Canyon, then begin the hard climb to the Inca capital of Cuzco. Week 4: Around Cuzco - walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or visit Machu Picchu by train. Week 5: Drive across the highest part of the altiplano to Lake Titicaca; visit some of the islands in the lake, then enter Bolivia and come to La Paz, the highest and most traditional of the highland capitals. Week 6: Cross the barren highlands to Potosi - highest city in the world. Week 7: Visit the great salt lakes in 4x4s, and descend to the Atacama Desert of Chile. Continue to Santiago, and south through Chile, visiting the wine country & the beautiful Lake District. Week 8: Cross into Argentina and come to sophisticated Bariloche. Week 9: Further south in Argentina, hugging the edge of the Andes. Eventually we come to the deep south and visit the incredible Moreno Glacier, and the stunning Torres del Paine in Chile. Week 10: Turn north and visit the Valdex peninsula to see penguins, sea lions and maybe whales, before crossing the pampas grasslands to Buenos Aires: try one of those steaks! Optional side trip to Uruguay. Week 11: Drive north visiting the Jesuit Missions before coming to one of the great sights of South America, Iguassu Falls. Possible side trip to Paraguay. Week 12: Into Brazil - drive along the beautiful Costa Verde, taking a boat trip to some of the tropical islands, and then on to Rio de Janeiro, a superb climax to the expedition.