zBelmond Andean Explorer: Cuzco to Puno + Lake Titicaca

We include this morning’s chauffeured transfer from your hotel to the rail station in Cuzco for the start of your luxury rail adventure. Board the Belmond Andean Explorer and settle in to your private cabin. Freshen up in your en suite bathroom and take in the views outside your picture window as we depart the ancient Inca capital and begin our journey through the magnificent Andes Range towards Puno and Lake Titicaca.
 
Around midday, you’ll sit down in one of the elegant dining cars for an attentively served lunch featuring freshly-sourced Andean ingredients. This afternoon’s guided excursion visits the remote archaeological site of Raqch’i. There is still much scholarly debate regarding many of the ancient structures here, but there is much speculation that this Inca site served as a control point on the main road that traveled south from Cuzco to other points of the Empire. As you explore with our expert guide, you might draw your own conclusions about these ancient structures – whether they served as barracks or some other religious or administrative function.
 
Return to the train for Afternoon Tea and enjoy the passing Andean scenery including the rugged landscapes of Abra la Raya, a spectacular mountain pass that marks the highest point on the journey between Cuzco and Lake Titicaca. Your evening onboard our luxury train is highlighted by dinner and the opportunity to enjoy the congenial camaraderie of your fellow passengers – perhaps as you sip a Pisco Sour at the bar or while listening to music in the Lounge Car. The Andean Explorer will stop for the night at a scenic spot overlooking Lake Titicaca.  Meals L+D

You may wish to arise this morning to experience the breathtaking sight of the sun casting its first golden rays across the sacred waters of Lake Titicaca. After a delightful breakfast, you’ll step off the train to explore the myriad wonders of this high mountain lake. Setting out in a traditional boat, your guided excursion begins with the remarkable floating islands, home to Uros communities that are built on layers upon layers of hand-woven Totora reeds. Continue to Taquile Island where residents still speak Aymara, the ancient language of the high Andean plateau, and craft colorful textiles using techniques that have come down across the generations.
 
Return to shore and journey north from Puno to visit the enigmatic Sillustani Towers. Overlooking the calm blue waters of Lake Umayo, this ancient burial site is a rare legacy of the Qulla, an indigenous Andean civilization that rose to power before the Inca. Continue to the airport in time for an evening flight to Lima. A boxed dinner will be provided for you to enjoy at the airport or onboard the aircraft.   Meals B+L+D