In our travels all over the world, we’ve fallen in love with each Peru and practice journey. So, once we noticed the chance to mix these two loves with a trip on South America’s most luxurious practice trip, we jumped on the probability.
The Andean Explorer travels greater than another luxurious practice on the earth. On its three-day journey from Arequipa to Cusco, we noticed the very best of Peru’s panorama, historical past, and tradition whereas having fun with the opulence of what could now be our favourite practice trip ever.
Right here’s all the pieces you possibly can anticipate from a journey on the Andean Explorer.
Let’s Take a Prepare Tour!
Earlier than we dive into the itinerary, right here’s a little bit of the historical past behind the Andean Explorer as a result of I discovered it fascinating.
This practice was as soon as a part of The Nice South Pacific Specific, one in all Australia’s most luxurious trains. In 2003, it was bought and shipped to Peru the place it was redone by native artists. The best bit, in our opinion, is that the practice was designed by the identical folks because the Singapore Airline first-class suite (a.ok.a. ). Definitely, this is without doubt one of the most trendy, vivid and ethereal trains we’ve ever stayed on.
The Andean Explorer has three cabin choices: bunk mattress cabins, twin mattress cabins, and suites. We opted to remain within the Suite, the practice’s nicest room.
The room is compact, however stuffed with all the pieces we wanted for the journey. The mattress was small, however tremendous tender and accompanied with alpaca fur blankets and slippers to maintain us heat within the evening at excessive elevation.
On all sides of the mattress is a nightstand with storage, two shops, and an Andean Explorer-branded thermos for carrying heat drinks on excursions.
There are two massive home windows on one wall that present panoramic views of the Andes Mountains. The room’s two love seats are the right place to sit down and benefit from the view.
A drink station that includes an espresso machine and scorching water kettle was the right little luxurious, retaining us stocked with heat drinks at any hour of the day.
Two closets and under-the-bed cupboards meant there was loads of area to retailer all of our baggage.
The toilet was stocked with tons of full-sized facilities, together with SPF, shimmery tub foam, and lip balm that made the journey snug and splendid!
On the remainder of the practice, there are two eating places and two bar automobiles for having fun with meals and cocktails after dinner. There may be additionally a spa cart which is a luxurious you don’t see on many trains, so we discovered it fairly thrilling and Kara slot in a therapeutic massage throughout our journey.
Our favourite a part of the practice was the open-air remark cart, the place we might breathe within the crisp mountain air and get 180-degree views of the Andes.
A Journey Throughout the Andean Plains
Day 1: Arequipa to Puno
After boarding the practice in Arequipa, we headed over to one of many eating places for brunch. All meals are included on the journey, specifically cooked by acclaimed cooks utilizing solely native components. We indulged on baskets of heat, flaky bread, glasses of wine, and bowls of Peruvian potato soup as our practice snaked by way of the Andes.
All through the meal, our ears have been popping like no different as a result of in simply the primary 2.5 hours of the journey, we climbed from 8,000 toes to 12,400 toes.
Within the afternoon, the practice stops at Sumbay Caves for an tour. This archaeological web site homes cave work that date again 8,000 years and inform the story of historical Andean traditions. If you happen to’re feeling slightly drained, you possibly can decide to remain on the practice and get a spa remedy or simply benefit from the views, like we did.
We watched the solar set from the remark deck earlier than the practice pulled over for some unimaginable stargazing. Let me let you know, the celebs within the Andes Mountains are insane. Within the midst of the darkness, distant from any massive metropolis, we might see the Milky Approach and what felt like thousands and thousands of stars.
To finish the night, the practice stopped for the evening so we might get some sleep with out being woken up by each bump within the monitor — belief us, it is a massive deal within the practice journey world.
Day 2: Puno to Marangani
We awakened vivid and early on day 2 to observe the solar rise over Lake Titicaca. Getting up this early on trip isn’t enjoyable, however the practice employees made it as straightforward as potential by organising fires and low stations alongside the shore.
The practice has an impressively massive breakfast menu, so we crammed up on omelets, pastries, yogurt bowls, and extra earlier than leaving on our excursions for the day.
It was slightly disappointing to be leaving the practice for the entire day, however after a few hours cruising all over the world’s highest navigable lake, we forgot all about that.
Lake Titicaca is dwelling to the Uros folks, who stay on teams of artifical floating islands in the course of the lake. We stayed right here with a neighborhood household a couple of years in the past and to today it’s nonetheless one in all our favourite journeys, so being right here introduced again numerous nice recollections. After visiting one of many floating islands, we visited one of many lake’s non-floating islands for a scrumptious lunch of champagne, roast potatoes, lake trout, and quinoa soup.
We took slightly siesta on the seashore, set in opposition to an unimaginable backdrop of terraced quinoa fields, earlier than returning to the boat for card video games and pre-dinner cocktails.
Someplace within the night, our practice actually drove proper by way of the center of a metropolis market. Significantly, the distributors needed to duck out of the best way to keep away from getting hit. Even then, we might have reached out the practice window and high-fived them.
We loved one other dinner onboard with some new associates that we had met. The employees was candy sufficient to make particular desserts for our anniversary and a brand new buddy’s birthday.
Day 3: Maragani to Cusco
On day 3, after breakfast, we went on an tour to Raqch’i, a singular Incan archaeological web site. This historical city is dwelling to dozens of spherical stone storage buildings that the Incas used to retailer items for commerce. Most individuals solely discuss Machu Picchu, so it was cool to see one other instance of what insane architects the Incas have been.
Our last lunch on the practice was tremendous informal. All of us unfold out within the bar carts, saying goodbye to all our new associates and listening to stay music within the background. Having ridden on trains in six out of seven continents, we really feel certified to say this was one in all our favourite practice rides ever.
Need to see our full journey on the Andean Explorer? Try the YouTube video under!
