There are few more memorable ways to experience Peru than watching the Andes unfold from the window of a luxury sleeper train. Linking Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, the Belmond Andean Explorer travels through some of the country’s most remote high-altitude landscapes while combining elegant accommodation, gourmet dining and carefully curated excursions. Launched in 2017 as South America’s first luxury sleeper train, it was named the No. 1 rail journey in the world in Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards. Yet its greatest appeal lies beyond the accolades: this is a journey where the landscapes between Peru’s celebrated destinations become every bit as memorable as the destinations themselves.
Belmond Andean Explorer travelling across the vast Peruvian Altiplano
Begin the Journey in Historic Cusco
The signature journey begins in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire and one of South America’s most fascinating cities. From here, the Andean Explorer sets out across the highlands towards Arequipa, with the landscape gradually opening into immense plains and distant mountain ranges. One of the first excursions is to Raqchi Archaeological Center, a remarkable 15th-century Inca site, before the train climbs towards La Raya. At 14,170 feet above sea level, this dramatic mountain pass marks the boundary between the Cusco and Puno regions and is among the highest points of the journey.
Belmond Andean Explorer crossing the dramatic mountain landscapes near La Raya.
Wake Up Beside Lake Titicaca
After an evening of cocktails, dinner and views of the Andes slipping past the windows, the journey continues towards Lake Titicaca. Early risers can step outside for sunrise, where blankets, warm drinks and a fire transform the chilly high-altitude morning into one of the journey’s most atmospheric experiences. Sitting 12,507 feet above sea level, Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake and provides an extraordinary setting for the second day of the adventure.
Sunrise over the still waters of Lake Titicaca with the Andes on the horizon.
Explore the Uros and Taquile Islands
The experience extends far beyond the railway. From Lake Titicaca, guests travel by boat to the floating Uros Islands before continuing towards Taquile Island. Here, lunch is arranged beside a private beach, complete with daybeds, games and expansive views across the water. These excursions allow the journey to alternate naturally between time aboard the train and deeper exploration of the landscapes and communities through which it passes.
Traditional reed boats and floating islands on Lake Titicaca.
Experience a Luxury Hotel on Rails
Back aboard, the Andean Explorer feels more like a boutique hotel than conventional rail transport. An open-air observation car at the rear provides uninterrupted views across the Altiplano, while two bar cars—including a piano bar—create elegant spaces for cocktails and conversation. There is even a dedicated spa carriage, where treatments include obsidian stone massages and therapies designed to revive tired legs after a day of exploring.
Accommodation ranges from intimate bunk-bed cabins to twin cabins and larger suites, all with en-suite bathrooms, storage and daily housekeeping. The cabins may be compact by hotel standards, but that is almost beside the point: outside the window, some of Peru’s most extraordinary landscapes are constantly changing.
The elegant bar cabin aboard the Andean Explorer.
Rediscover the Romance of Rail Travel in Peru
The Belmond Andean Explorer demonstrates why luxury rail travel has experienced such an enduring revival. Flying between Peru’s cities might be faster, but it removes the landscapes that connect them. By train, the transition itself becomes the experience: cocktails as the sun sets behind the Andes, waking beside Lake Titicaca, watching vicuñas cross the Altiplano and stepping onto the observation deck as mountains stretch towards the horizon.
The train operates weekly from March through January, with journeys departing from both Cusco and Arequipa. Its signature itinerary spends two nights travelling between the cities, while a shorter one-night journey is also available to or from Puno.
Guests standing on the open-air observation deck as the train crosses the Peruvian Andes.
From the historic streets of Cusco and the immense waters of Lake Titicaca to the volcanic landscapes surrounding Arequipa, the Belmond Andean Explorer transforms travelling through Peru into an experience in its own right. Matthew Rian Travel Concierge can curate a bespoke Peruvian journey combining luxury rail travel with exceptional hotels, private archaeological tours, personalised experiences in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon, and seamless private transfers throughout the country. Every element can be tailored to create an unforgettable exploration of Peru, with the journey itself becoming one of its greatest highlights.
