The essentials for this trip.
Three things make this tour different from the average South America itinerary: 21 days (most operators rush 3 weeks of content into 14), 7 internal flights bundled into the price (SA distances are vast — overland transfers don't work), and a Cusco approach via two nights in the lower-altitude Sacred Valley before any climb.
21 days, fully scoped.
Hotel category and meal plan listed for each day. "B" = breakfast, "L" = lunch, "D" = dinner. Days marked ✈ are flight transfers (10 in total — all bundled in the tour price). Days marked ⛰ are altitude-significant — pace is deliberately gentle.
Welcome to Peru. Group transfer from Jorge Chávez International (LIM) to your Miraflores hotel — the safe, walkable, ocean-view district. Welcome dinner with first ceviche and pisco sours.
Historic centre — Plaza Mayor, the cathedral, the catacombs of San Francisco. Larco Museum (pre-Columbian art collection — extraordinary). Free afternoon. Pisco sour masterclass evening with chef-paired ceviche.
Fly Lima to Cusco (1h20). Crucial: we transfer directly to the lower-altitude Sacred Valley (2,800m) rather than staying overnight in Cusco (3,400m). This is the single most important altitude-pacing decision on the tour.
Pisac market and Inca ruins — Saturday markets are a Andean institution. Ollantaytambo fortress (the only Inca site still in continuous habitation). Indigenous weaving co-op visit; coca tea and gentle pace through the day.
Vistadome scenic train down the Urubamba river to Aguas Calientes — panoramic glass-roofed carriages. Evening at the base of Machu Picchu, ready for tomorrow's pre-dawn entry.
Pre-dawn bus up the switchback road. Citadel tour with archaeologist guide. Optional Huayna Picchu sub-summit climb (permit-required, booked at deposit — about 90 minutes vertical, 400m gain). Vistadome train back to Cusco for the evening.
Cathedral, the Coricancha sun temple (Inca foundations under colonial church). San Blas artisan quarter for textiles and silver. Free afternoon — we keep the pace deliberately light at altitude.
Fly Cusco → Lima → Buenos Aires (one-day transit, ~10 hours total with connection). Late-evening arrival in Argentina. Rest evening at Recoleta-district hotel.
Recoleta cemetery (Eva Perón's tomb), the colourful La Boca, San Telmo cobbles. Evening tango — closed-door milonga in San Telmo with locals. This is not the tourist tango show; it's the actual neighbourhood gathering.
Free day. Optional estancia (gaucho ranch) day-trip to the pampas — recommended ($249 pp add-on). Asado lunch, horseback ride, demonstrations of gaucho horsemanship.
Fly to El Calafate — Patagonia gateway on the shores of Lago Argentino. Afternoon at leisure. The light here is famously different — long, golden, lasts until 10pm in summer.
Full day. Boat to the south face of Perito Moreno — calving ice falls into Lago Argentino with gunshot-cracks. Optional 1-hr beginner ice-trek in crampons OR full-day ice-walking expedition (highly recommended).
Cross into Chile via the Cerro Castillo border crossing. Drive to Puerto Natales, then into Torres del Paine National Park. Lakefront ecocamp — solar-powered geodesic domes with floor-to-ceiling glass facing the granite spires.
Choice day. Mirador Las Torres full-day hike (8 hr, 22 km, 800m vertical — the iconic three-towers viewpoint). OR easier Pehoe-Grey day with viewpoints, gentle walks, scenic boat. Both options return to the same camp.
Choice day. French Valley hike (6 hr, 18 km — the heart of the Cuernos massif). OR Lake Grey boat with iceberg fields and easy walk. Either choice is breathtaking.
Drive south through Patagonian steppe to Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan. Evening at leisure — the southernmost city of any size on the continent.
Fly Punta Arenas → Buenos Aires → Iguazu (Argentine side). Evening at falls-front lodge with views of the gorge.
Cross into Brazil for the panoramic side — wide-shot views of the entire 2.7km falls system. Bird Park afternoon (toucans, macaws, harpy eagles). Helicopter add-on for the aerial view ($199 pp).
Devil's Throat — upper and lower catwalks bringing you metres from the cascade. Speedboat under-the-falls option ($89 pp — you will get drenched). Final farewell dinner with the group.
Fly to Buenos Aires. Day room access at Recoleta hotel. Final farewell lunch — Argentine asado with the group.
Group airport transfer to Ezeiza (EZE). Onward international — most Brisbane connections via Santiago and Auckland.
The moments that make this trip.
The experiences our travellers remember years later — the things you book this tour for.
Machu Picchu sunrise
Vistadome rail to Aguas Calientes. Pre-dawn entry to Machu Picchu with citadel-licensed guide. Optional Huayna Picchu sub-summit climb (limited permits — booked 6 months ahead).
Pisco sour masterclass
Lima evening — pisco distillation, sour-mixing technique, ceviche pairing in a chef's-table restaurant in Miraflores.
Perito Moreno glacier walk
El Calafate day. Boat to the south face of Perito Moreno, then optional ice-trek in crampons (1-hr beginner-grade or 4-hr full-day).
Torres del Paine
Three nights inside the park. Optional day hikes — Mirador Las Torres (8 hr), French Valley (6 hr), or easier Lake Grey boat option.
Buenos Aires tango evening
Closed-door milonga in San Telmo with locals — not a tourist tango show. Includes early dinner and steakhouse parrilla.
Iguazu both sides
Two nights — Brazilian side (panoramic) Day 1, Argentine side (Devil's Throat catwalks) Day 2. Helicopter add-on for those who want the aerial view.
No hidden surprises.
South America is famous for tour pricing that quietly excludes the inter-city flights you actually need. Cooee bundles all 7 of them — that alone is roughly $2,200 of value baked into the headline price.
✓ Included in the tour price
- 20 nights accommodation: 4-star city hotels, Sacred Valley boutique, Patagonia ecocamp, Iguazu falls-front lodge
- All inter-city flights within South America (7 flight segments across 5 transfer days — total ~AU$2,200 value, fully included)
- Vistadome scenic train to Machu Picchu return
- All park fees: Machu Picchu, Perito Moreno, Torres del Paine, both Iguazu sides
- Daily breakfast plus 11 lunches/dinners as itemised
- Expert local guides at every destination (different specialists at each)
- Pisco sour masterclass with chef-paired ceviche
- Closed-door tango evening in Buenos Aires (not tourist show)
- Buenos Aires city tour and Recoleta
- Group airport transfers Lima arrival and Buenos Aires departure
- Altitude pacing protocols and emergency oxygen access in Cusco
- 24/7 emergency support
– Not included (typical extras)
- International flights to Lima / from Buenos Aires (typical AU$3,200 economy / $9,500 business via Santiago)
- Travel insurance with min AU$10M cover (mandatory)
- Optional: Huayna Picchu sub-summit ($95), glacier ice-trek ($245-595), helicopter Iguazu ($199), speedboat under falls ($89), estancia day-trip Buenos Aires ($249)
- Tipping: standard 10-15% in restaurants; tour-leader/guide tips ~AU$10/day at discretion
- Brazil eVisa $80 USD (required for the Iguazu Brazilian-side day); Argentina/Chile/Peru visa-free for Australian passports
- Drinks beyond included pairings; personal items
- Yellow fever vaccination (recommended for the Iguazu region — consult your travel doctor)
2026 & 2027 departure dates.
Twin-share starting prices in AUD. Single supplement: from $1,895. Luxury upgrade (Belmond Hiram Bingham train option, Helsfyr-tier Patagonia lodging, all helicopter add-ons): from $3,299 additional pp. Patagonia season runs November-March only.
| Departure | Status | From (AUD pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2026 · 7 Nov | Available | $7,299 | Enquire → |
| Dec 2026 · 5 Dec | Few seats | $7,599 | Enquire → |
| Jan 2027 · 9 Jan | Few seats | $7,799 | Enquire → |
| Feb 2027 · 6 Feb | Available | $7,599 | Enquire → |
| Mar 2027 · 6 Mar | Available | $7,299 | Enquire → |
| Nov 2027 · 6 Nov | Open | $7,499 | Enquire → |
| Dec 2027 · 4 Dec | Open | $7,799 | Enquire → |
Reviews from this exact tour.
Twenty-one days, three countries, zero logistics we had to figure out ourselves. Cooee handled Cusco altitude pacing brilliantly — two nights in the Sacred Valley first — and the Patagonia weather window was perfect. Iguazu from both sides was unforgettable. Best trip of my life.
We're 68 and 65 and were nervous about the altitude and Patagonia hiking. Cooee scaled the activities to our level — the easier hike option in Torres still gave us the views. The pisco class in Lima was a highlight. Brilliantly organised.
Ready for South America?
From $7,299 pp twin-share. Patagonia season departs November-March only — book 6+ months ahead for ecocamp room choice. Deposit of 25% confirms your booking. Speak directly to a Brisbane-based South America specialist who has run this exact route.
Specific to this tour.
Enquire about Peru, Patagonia & Iguazu
Tell us your preferred departure month and any specific concerns (altitude, hiking level, dietary). We'll come back within 1 business day with availability, full itinerary PDF, vaccination/visa briefing notes, and a tailored quote — including international flight options from Brisbane via Santiago.