Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Peru

Andean ExplorerTwo nights, an open observation car and a spa on rails

The Andean Explorer runs between Cusco, Puno and Arequipa across high grassland and lake country. Sleeper cabins, an open observation car and dining cars carry you through the night, and the days break for lakeside, ruins or caves depending on the route. You unpack once.

Routes start from Cusco, Puno or Arequipa and cross high-altitude grassland and lakes. The train can follow Machu Picchu, or carry on toward Colca Canyon.

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PlaceCusco and Arequipa, Peru

TypeSleeper train

SuitsRail and highland travellers

Stay2 nights

From Cusco out to the high lakes and volcanoes

Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Peru — Highland sleeper train.

The train crosses Peru's high grassland, and it carries the bed, the dining car and the view in the same vehicle. Lakes, mountains and highland villages arrive one after another through the window while you are eating or lying down. Nothing has to be packed and moved in order to see them.

A one-night segment and a two-night route do not stop at the same places. Read the actual start and end points first, then join them to the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu or Colca Canyon, so the rail and the road do not double back on each other.

This suits travellers interested in Peruvian culture, the high Andes and railway photography, and anyone tired of changing hotels every second night. The line runs at altitude, so heart and lung conditions, medication and travel insurance all deserve an assessment before you book a cabin.

Interior of a lounge carriage with deep blue upholstery, patterned cushions and low table lamps. — A lounge car in deep blues and patterned textiles

A blue and white train stopped on a bare hillside with no buildings in sight, sky wide above. — A blue and white train halted on open hillside

Rows of armchairs facing tall windows in an observation lounge, polished tables, flat daylight.

The Andes from an open observation car

Grassland, lakes and volcanoes sit a long way apart, and the low speed keeps that distance in view rather than cutting it into transfers. Move between the open observation car and the indoor lounge as the light changes. The landscape runs continuously, which is the point of doing this by rail.

A made-up double bed inside a timber-panelled sleeper cabin, a reading light on each side.

Lake Titicaca at first light

Some itineraries put the lake at sunrise, with island or community visits attached. Titicaca, Racchi or Sumbay come in according to the route rather than as a standard set, so weigh the night count and the direction of travel against what you actually want to do ashore.

A blue train sitting in yellow grassland with a ridge of mountains behind it, seen from a distance.

A spa and a dining car on a moving train

A Spa Car, dining cars and a bar hold the hours between excursions. At altitude, with several days of continuous travel behind you, not every rest period needs to become another activity. The train is built to let some of them stay empty, and that is part of the appeal.

Twin bunks in a compact panelled cabin, curtains drawn back from a small window.

Route

Best after Cusco and Machu Picchu

Put it after Cusco and Machu Picchu, and use two nights to reach Arequipa. The reverse direction works too, but then the order of acclimatisation changes and you need to think about which end sits higher. Acclimatise in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before you board.

Acclimatise first, then board

The rail section is easy to book and hard to enjoy if you board before your body has caught up with the altitude.

Stay

The full Cusco to Arequipa run is usually two nights and three days. A shorter segment can be done in one night.

Getting there

You board at the appointed station in Cusco Wanchaq, Puno or Arequipa. Acclimatise in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before you go higher.

Season

Departures follow the annual operating calendar. The dry season gives clear views, and the wet season brings cloud and a different colour to the grassland.

Watch out

The train crosses high-altitude ground. Have heart and lung conditions, medication and insurance assessed in advance rather than on the platform.

Plan this into a journey

Tell us which end you would rather start from and how many nights you have above the clouds. We will set the acclimatisation around it.

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