Belmond Andean Explorer is South America’s first luxury sleeper training offering rail adventures that take in Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa and other remote addresses through Peru’s awesome Andes.
THERE’S one sure way to get curious travellers daydreaming about South America and that’s to start rattling off destinations like Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa.
These legendary locations in Peru’s scenic south are not only home to some significant sites but serve as gateways to famous places like Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Tequile and Uros islands, and the Colca Canyon.
And if that’s not enticing enough there’s now the opportunity to visit these places on an indulgent rail journey with Belmond Andean Explorer a luxurious sleeper train offering overnight and multi-day itineraries exploring this corner of the country.
This train harks back to the golden age of rail travel – think white tablecloths in the dining car and a grand piano in the lounge carriage – and an army of attentive waiters dressed in smart uniforms staff the string of blue-and-white wagons.
But if you need more motivation to get excited about Belmond Andean Explorer here are five reasons why exploring Peru by train makes for the ultimate South American adventure.
DELIGHT IN THE DISTANCE
Travel times can be lengthy in this part of Peru, with rough roads and the steep peaks of the Andes combining to slow a drive, but Belmond Andean Explorer makes covering the kilometres a pleasure.
Rather than being stuck in a car, or squeezed into a plane seat, passengers can stretch out or stroll around the carriages with the expeditions on offer – Peruvian Highlands, Andean Plains & Islands of Discovery, Spirit Of The Water, Spirit Of The Andes – spanning one or two nights.
LAP UP THE LUXURY
Agatha Christie could have created the Belmond Andean Explorer – think Murder on the Orient Express, but without the need for Hercule Poirot – with guests serenaded by Andean musicians at stations, pre-dinner cocktails and fine cotton sheets.
Some staterooms boast a double bed while others feature traditional Pullman bunks, there’s a spa car with therapists incorporating Andean rituals into treatments, and an observation carriage with outdoor space to savour the mountain air.
SEE A RARE LANDSCAPE
Belmond Andean Explorer rattles through the Andes to frame a rarely-seen corner of South America and make this remote region an essential part of a Peru holiday.
The pace lets travellers see snapshots of life by peering into communities lining the route with the tracks passing suburban backyards, rustic family farms in the empty kilometres between settlements, and bustling big-town markets squeezed into space beside the line.
APPRECIATE A SENSE OF PLACE
There’s no need for travellers to stop experiencing Peru because they step aboard a luxury train with Belmond commissioning local artists to produce the fixtures and fittings decorating the carriages.
Stops are also slotted into the schedule – locations like Raqchi, La Raya, Lake Titicaca, Sumbay Caves – with passengers joining organised outings that let them experience these distant districts.
REMOVE THE HASSLE FROM TRAVEL
Airports are increasingly understaffed and overstuffed, with travellers arriving hours before a flight to move through the check-in process and pass security, but those riding Belmond Andean Explorer simply step onto the platform and board minutes before departure.
Train stations are in the centre of each settlement, eliminating the need for lengthy transfers to distant airports, and there’s no need to fret about lost luggage or overweight carry-on bags when occupying an elegant Belmond compartment.
To find out more information about the Belmond Andean Explorer please click here.
This article was written by Sarh Nicholson, a Karryon contributor.