Contours Travel is offering a discount of $500 per couple on its hosted ‘Treasures of South America’ tour - a 27-day itinerary which includes canoe trips on the Amazon river, the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu and the excitement of Rio de Janeiro. Two departures in April and September, 2019,  are available

As Australia’s longest-running tourism operator for Latin America, Contours Travel’s ‘Treasures of South America Tour’ is ideal for first-time visitors to the continent. The escorted,  all-inclusive itinerary takes travellers through Peru, Chile, Brazil and Argentina in comfort and style, while travelling in a small group of 16 or less, making the trip a more intimate experience. Bookings made before February 15, 2019, will attract a $250 discount per person.

Highlights of the tour include private tango lessons in Buenos Aires, fishing for piranhas on the Amazon River, weaving demonstrations by a local cooperative in Chinchero, a ride in the world’s highest urban cable car at La Paz, and the opportunity to personally deliver and help install a water filter to a remote community in the Andes.

The tour begins in Peru’s capital, Lima, with its historic buildings and impressive sea views, before continuing to the Amazon, where travellers will stay in a remote jungle lodge, surrounded by monkeys, sloths, parrots and kingfishers. After two full days exploring the Amazon on canoe and swimming with pink river dolphins, guests will fly to the Sacred Valley where they will learn more about the Andean lifestyle, before exploring the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, one of the new seven wonders of the world.

From there, guests will visit the cities of Cuzco, Puno and La Paz, each with their own unique charm, before staying at the Chilean capital of Santiago, where they can enjoy a full day tour of the city’s most important buildings and monuments, as well as one of Chile’s most renowned wineries. The journey will continue to Rio, with visits to the towering, Christ the Redeemer statue, Rio Cathedral, and a cable car ride tour to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain, which offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of Rio. Two nights will then be spent at Iguazu Falls, where brave travellers can experience the staggering power of the waterfalls by riding the river rapids.

The tour will finish at Buenos Aires, known as the ‘Paris of the Americas’, for its historic mansions and vibrant culture, before guests fly back to Australia.

Including a $250 discount if booked by February, 15, 2019, the 27-day escorted tour is available from A$14,949 per person, twin-share, from Sydney. The deal is valid for departures on April 21, and September 8, 2019. The package includes return economy flights from Australia and 42 meals. 

Specialising in Latin America only and led by Ted Dziadkiewicz, a well-travelled expert on the region, Contours Travel offers hosted group tours and tailor-made itineraries for independent travellers throughout Latin America.

To book or make enquiries call Contours Travel on 1300 135 391 or visit www.contourstravel.com.au