Have you ever wanted to walk among the ruins of thousand-year-old civilizations? Commune with the spirits of peoples and cultures faded long ago? Trace the historical evolution of a city while walking where it once stood? For travelers intrigued by the enduring influence of some of the greatest civilizations in history, our “Trail of the Lost Civilizations” offers a custom-designed exploration of lost greatness. This 11-day private tour will transport you to the spectacular vestiges of civilizations you’ve only read about in books.

Some highlights of this tour include:
• An in-depth look at the Chinchorros mummies, the oldest in the world. The Chinchorros are considered to be the first people in the world to practice mummification. They began preserving their dead around 5000 B.C., 2000 years before the Egyptians.

• A journey back in time to the area where the Incas once built their astounding civilization. We’ll retrace the steps of Pizarro to get an idea of how devastating the clash between the conquistadors and the Incans was.

• An exploration of the Tiawanaku empire, which lasted more than half a millennium and translates to “City of the Gods.”

• A tour of the site where the “Guerra del Pacifico” began. This war, often referred to as “The Salpeter War” because the objective of both sides was control of the discovered nitrate resources, raged between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia and Peru from 1879-1884.

• An insider’s view of the mines of Iquique, a city wedged between immense sand dunes and surrounded by the most arid desert in the world and the Southern Pacific.

Besides traveling back in time, we’ll also immerse ourselves in the culture of the peoples who currently populate the region. We’ll meet the Aymaras, who live in Arica, at the border between Peru and Bolivia; the Quechuas, who reside in the Lauca park among various fauna at an altitude of more than 4500 meters (almost 15,000 feet); and the Atacameños, who live in the desert of San Pedro de Atacama.

If you want to take your interest in ancient history to a whole new level—if you are ready to be astonished by the ingenuity of peoples who lived thousands of years before you, this is the trip for you. It is Anne and Mark’s personal favorite, and we’re confident that it will be one of the most amazing things you’ve ever done.

Contact us for more information or download a pdf file with the complete description of the tour.

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