Andean Explorer - A Belmond Train
High above the Peruvian Altiplano, the Andean Explorer travels through thin mountain air, and while grasslands and flat lagoons pass by outside, handwoven Peruvian fabrics dampen the clattering of the wheels inside. Those who walk to the back of the train leave the silence of their own cabin, pass the clattering of the laid tables, and finally stand on the open deck in the breezy wind. There, the mountain air becomes sharp again, and the wheels are loud. After dark, the train continues rolling, so that guests wake up in a different region in the morning without having changed hotels. This way, you cross the Andes in a single cabin.
Details
Country
Peru
Location
From Cusco to Puno (Lake Titicaca) to Arequipa
Price
On request
Best travel time
May - October
Cabin
On board, there are 35 cabins distributed across three categories, each with its own bathroom. The suite offers the most space, featuring a double bed along with a seating area that has two armchairs and a table, as well as a compact wardrobe. During the day, a long bench runs along the window side in the Twin Cabins and the Bunk Bed Cabins, which the steward converts for sleeping in the evening. In the Twin Cabins, this creates two twin beds, while in the Bunk Bed Cabins, there is a lower and an upper bunk. Those who find it harder to breathe at this altitude can request additional oxygen.
Culinary
Dishes are created while on the move, using ingredients from the Andean region that change depending on the season. For breakfast, tropical fruits, local grains, and Peruvian cold cuts are served, and at lunch, dishes such as grilled fish, quinoa salad, or ceviche. The dinner menu includes marinated trout, suckling pig, and roasted Andean tubers, all of which are available in vegetarian versions as well. The two dining cars, Llama and Muña, have windows that extend so low that the landscape continues to move past during meals. Later in the evening, the Piano Bar Car takes over with cocktails and canapés.
Activities
Part of the program takes place outside at locations the train passes by anyway. On Taquile Island, there is the beach of Collata, which is considered the highest in the world, and by boat, you can go out to the Uros, whose islands are made of woven totora reeds. The Inca site of Raqch'i and the Sumbay caves in the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve with their Paleolithic paintings are also along the way, as well as the La Raya Pass, one of the highest railway crossings in the world. At the Saracocha lagoon, the train stops for a view of the night sky, far from artificial light. Back on board, the open-viewing car remains for the journey itself, and in the Picaflor Spa Car, therapists work with indigenous ingredients and techniques.
Location
Three cities in southern Peru serve as starting points: Cusco with the Wanchaq station, Puno at Lake Titicaca with the Lago Titicaca station, and Arequipa. The routes run in both directions, allowing a ride to connect to a journey through the Sacred Valley or a stay in Arequipa. The longest option takes two nights from Cusco to Arequipa and includes Lake Titicaca, while the shorter options connect two of the three cities each. All three places have an airport with connections to Lima. Cusco is located at about 3,400 meters, Puno at around 3,800, and the La Raya Pass reaches over 4,300 meters.
Contact person
Director of Sales & Office Manager
