Transport

We will be travelling in a custom-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this tour. Our vehicle can accommodate up to 36 travellers and 2 crew. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, tables, etc. Our vehicle is also equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels and campsites we stay at. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being. When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas. When staying in hotels (usually in cities) we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the hotel. Lunch and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive. 71 breakfasts and 14 evening meals are provided during this expedition. When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size). Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

Accommodation

You will spend 80% of the time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. The other 20% of the time you will be in your tent camping. Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense. When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean local hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of all genders. There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

Others

Services of your Madventure tour leader and driver Transportation in our custom built Madventure overland truck Use of all equipment on the truck Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Local transportation costs (if required) Ferry tickets (when travelling together as a group) 71 breakfasts, 14 evening meals All accommodation costs (80% hotels, guest houses and hostels, 20% camping) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

Guide

You will have a crew of 1 tour leader and 1 driver on this tour. On some tours we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media. Your tour leader will be in charge of routes, itineraries, food and accommodation and will ensure the smooth running of the tour. Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the excursions that need to be organised by the tour leader in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay. Your driver will drive and maintain the vehicle to a high standard but he/she is not a tour guide and may not know all the facts about the countries we travel through. Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this tour before. They will, however, have detailed notes from previous tours and backup from the office in the UK. Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated if you feel they have done a good job. We recommend you tip your crew a minimum of $100 each at the end of the tour, thank you.

Not included:

Flights

International and domestic flights (no domestic flights expected during tour)

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, +44 20 7938 1734, http://www.campbellirvine.com/Madventure Campbell Irvine is familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover, +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Others

International and domestic flights (no domestic flights expected during tour) Airport transfers Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended) Visas (approximately £100 depending on nationality) Lunch and evening meals when in hotels, guest houses and hostels Lunch when camping Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks Any optional activities and excursions Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow Tips (USD $100 per crew member recommended)

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Prices are shown in USD. CHILE Wine tasting tour, Santiago $70 Pan de Azucar National Park boat tour $20 Valley of the moon, Atacama desert $50 BOLIVIA Uyuni salt flats day tour $30 Silver mine tour, Potosi $20 Dinosaur footprints bus tour $10 Cycling the world’s most dangerous road $125 PERU Lake Titicaca islands day tour $25 Cusco tourist ticket giving access to all main sites $35 Sacred valley day tour, Cusco $80 4 day Inca trail and Machu Picchu $900 2 day Inca trail and Machu Picchu $700 Nazca lines flight $100 Huacachina sandboarding and dune buggy tour $30 Ballestas Islands boat tour $15 Pastoruri Glacier tour $30 Laguna 69 hike $50 Laguna Paron day tour $50 Chan Chan ruins day tour $25 Swimming with green sea turtles $25 ECUADOR Cuenca open top bus $10 Bungee jump, Banos $20 Canyoning and rappelling, Banos $60 Mountain biking, Banos $30 Horse riding (per hour), Banos $15 White water rafting in jungle $50 2 day Amazon jungle excursion $150 Equator exhibit $5 COLOMBIA Purace National Park day tour $70 Cocora Valley return transport $20 Tayrona National Park day tour $30 Cartagena pirate ship boat trip $35

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Day 1 Chile
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Chile

This tour starts in Chile’s capital city, Santiago. The city’s tree lined streets and wonderful architecture create a serene atmosphere but dig a little deeper and you discover a vibrant social scene. Huge coffee houses, tiny cocktail bars and sumptuous cuisine all make Santiago unforgettable.

Please note that we depart Santiago the day after the trip starts so if you would like more time here you should arrive a few days prior to departure.

We now follow a coastal route taking in magnificent scenery and enjoy the stunning beaches of Pan de Azucar National Park from where boat trips are on offer to explore the rich sea-life of otters, seals, sea lions and birds.

Heading inland we now start our climb towards the Andes and reach the town of San Pedro de Atacama which is located in the world’s driest desert. This dusty frontier town is straight out of a spaghetti western and the nearby Valley of the Moon offers incredible stargazing amongst a lunar landscape resembling the surface of the moon.
Day 2 Bolivia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Bolivia

The sandy desert tracks of the altiplano now lead us up into the Andes and onto the Bolivian altiplano, a high-altitude plateau of multi-coloured mountains, hardy wildlife, steaming geysers and towering volcanoes. This really is one of South America’s highlights!

We continue to the tumbleweed town of Uyuni where we stay in a hotel made out of salt from the nearby Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flats. From here you have the option to visit the salt flats in a 4×4 jeep for an other-worldly experience of bizarre rock formations, cacti-studded islands and bright-white salt.

A short drive away we now reach Potosi, once the wealthiest city in the world due to its prolific silver mines. The mines still operate today and you have the option to take a tour into the depths of the mines through a series of tunnels and shafts where you can even buy dynamite and have a go at your own excavations!

We continue to Sucre, Bolivia’s most beautiful city set in a valley and surrounded by mountains. This is the proud heart of the nation and its whitewashed buildings are well-preserved vestiges of glorious colonial architecture. From Sucre you can also take the Dinobus to visit the world’s largest collection of dinosaur footprints.

Our last stop in Bolivia is La Paz, a bustling city where much of the street space is taken up by native women in bowler hats and voluminous skirts squatted down selling everything from fake designer jeans to coca leaves. There is even a witches market where you can find dried llama foetuses, magical love potions and an array of other weird and wonderful concoctions.

From La Paz you also have the option to cycle down the world’s most dangerous road, a hair-raising experience that follows a track carved into the side of a mountain.
Day 3 Peru
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Peru

Our first stop in Peru is at the small town of Puno situated on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. Here you have the option of visiting the nearby floating reed islands where you can meet some of the native inhabitants, many of whom have never set foot on land!

The charming city of Arequipa boasts beautiful churches, colonial plazas, lively markets and mouth-watering cuisine for us to enjoy during our 2 night stay here.

We continue to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. From here you will get to see condors riding the early morning thermals, flying by at eye level providing great photo opportunities.

On our way to Cusco at a staggering 5200 m above sea level you now have the option to visit the Rainbow Mountains, a multicoloured marvel of nature.

Our journey now leads us to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. This colonial town is abuzz with energy and its beautiful squares, plentiful nightlife and wonderful restaurants make it a great place to explore and live it up a little! It is also from here that you will start one of your greatest optional excursions, the Inca Trail. This exhilarating 2 or 4 day hike lives up to its reputation for stunning scenery and ends at one of the world’s most beautiful sites, Machu Picchu.

The mysterious Nazca Lines are our next attraction where you have the option to take an exhilarating flight for an aerial view of pictures of whales, monkeys, spiders and even spacemen made by stones laid out on the desert floor.

Close to Nazca we take an afternoon to visit the mummified remains of ancient tribesmen at Chauchilla Cemetery and also the Cahuachi Pyramids, once an important ceremonial centre for Nazca culture.

We continue to Huacachina, a desert oasis where you can enjoy views over the green lagoon waters to the high, rolling sand dunes where the adventurous can take a dune buggy and go sandboarding.

A little further north we visit the national marine reserve of Paracas from where you have the option to take a boat trip out to the Ballestas Islands which are home to sea-lions, penguins and thousands of seabirds.

We now visit Lima for a taste of bustling city life and a look into Peru’s history in the fabulous museums, churches and plazas that adorn the city. The beach area of Miraflores is home to some of the country’s best restaurants and should not be missed!

A winding road now leads us into the mountains to Huaraz where we get commanding views of the magnificent Andes mountain range. Here you have the opportunity to undertake day trips to hike the famous Laguna 69 trail, visit the ice-blue Laguna Paron and walk to the face of the Pastoruri Glacier.

Back down on the coast in Huanchaco you can sample some of the best ceviche in the country where the fish are caught locally by fishermen using reed boats, a 3000 year old tradition.

Close to Huanchaco you have the option to visit the vast and unusually decorated crumbling ruins of Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the world. This area also boasts fascinating pyramids and temples well worth a day’s exploration.

The white sand beaches of northern Peru are our last stop in Peru where you have time to enjoy the surf and go swimming with wild green sea turtles.
Day 4 Ecuador
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Ecuador

The town of Cuenca is our well preserved first stop in Ecuador where a day on the open-top bus will show you all the sites of this historic colonial town. Adventurous eaters should try the succulent Cuy (roasted guinea pig), it’s a delicacy here!

A little further up the road we reach Banos, a bustling town offering several adventurous activities such as horse riding, canyoning, mountain biking, rafting and bungee jumping. Kicking back in the hot springs is a good way to end the day.

Dropping steeply out of the Andes we now enter pristine Amazon rainforest where you have the option to join a guided Amazon jungle excursion which includes hiking, rafting, bat-caving and waterfall climbing. Those who opt not to take the jungle excursion can enjoy the region’s activities such as kayaking and hiking from our base in the small town of Archidona.

In the lively city of Quito wandering through the old town is a definite highlight where narrow alleyways open up into grand plazas displaying historic churches as well as the President’s Palace. This city also has fantastic bars and restaurants to keep you entertained at night.

On our way north we now stop at the equator where you have the chance to visit an exhibit that explains all the facts about this area where you can also straddle the yellow line marking the boundary between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Our last stop in Ecuador is the colourful market town of Otavalo where traders flock to from as far away as Colombia to sell their animals, carpets, food, clothing and traditional crafts.
Day 5 Colombia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Colombia

Our first stop in Colombia is at the Shrine of our Lady of Las Lajas, an impressive Roman Catholic church built inside a canyon and something you would expect to see in a Disney movie.

We continue to the perfectly preserved pearl of colonial architecture known as the White City, Popayan. This is a laid-back town where kicking back in a sidewalk cafe is a great way to pass the day. This is also the gateway to Purace National Park where you have the option to take a day tour to see condors and thermal springs amongst some of South America’s most beautiful scenery.

In the Andean town of Salento you have the opportunity to explore the colourful buildings and craft shops that adorn the colonial town square. The area is also well-known for the Cocora Valley where you can hike amongst the lofty wax palm trees which are a home to rare parrots.

We now move north to the vibrant city of Medellin where we have the chance to explore Pablo Escobar’s old stomping ground! Through amazing displays of graffiti Comuna 13 tells us the story of an area once controlled by narcos and paramilitaries.

We now head to the coast and from our base in Santa Marta you have the option to visit the stunning Tayrona National Park where a series of wildlife-rich forest trails lead you to palm-fringed beaches and coastal lagoons usually only seen on postcards.

This tour ends in the port town of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast. Legendary for both its outstanding beauty and fascinating history, this town really is a living museum of colonial Spanish architecture and an intriguing end to our overland journey in South America!

Please note that this tour ends after breakfast on the final day of the trip so you can make your onward travel arrangements accordingly.

72 days tour

Santiago To Cartagena Overland Group Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Santiago To Cartagena Overland Group Tour

Chile

Bolivia

Peru

Ecuador

Colombia

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